Focus Groups

A focus group is method of quantitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions about a product and other aspects related to the product like its packaging, service idea, advertising and service. An interactive group is formed and participants are free to talk with other group members ,so basically a discussion group is formed and people are led towards discussing various aspects about a product or service .Ernest Dichter coined this term and now it is one of the most popular method to estimate and measure consumer satisfaction.

The importance of focus group in various fields is briefed as follows:

In marketing

Focus groups are used to acquire feedback regarding new product, as well as various topics in the field of business marketing. This is helpful for the new companies that are planning to develop some new product. It helps them to discuss about it as well as test it before it is launched. The information so derived is priceless and provides a lot of information about the potential market acceptance of the product.

In social sciences

Through focus groups people in the field of social sciences and urban planning can study people in a more natural setting than a one-to-one interview. The duscussions through focus group can be used for gaining access to various cultural and social groups and to explore unexpected issues. Focus groups are cost effective and yield quick and believable results.

Traditional focus groups

In traditional focus groups respondents are screened in a room to ensure that they are part of the relevant target market and they are representative of subgroup of this market segment. The group consists of usually 6 to 10 members and the session usually lasts for 1 to 2 hours. A moderator is there to lead and facilitate the group discussion which is observed by clients from behind through a one-way mirror.

The video tape of discussion can be made which can be used by researchers to examine more than the spoken words. Additional information is gained through interpretation of facial expressions, body language, and group dynamics. Information gained from this group dynamics is invaluable and give researchers a precise insight into the minds of respondents

The various kinds of focus groups are as follows, the names are generally self explanatory:

2-way focus group

Dual or double moderator focus group

Dueling moderators focus group

Respondent moderators focus group

Client participation focus groups

Mini or micro focus groups

Teleconferencing focus groups

Online focus groups