long focus group feb 2008 inst
TRANSCRIPT
Focus Groups: How to Develop a 360* View of Your Target Audience
Council of Community Clinics: Project SMART
February 2008 Salt Lake City, Utah
This publication was supported by grant number U65/CCU923709 from
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide capacity building assistance to health departments and community based organizations.
focus area 3
Social Marketing as a Resource Tool
you are here
a focus group is NOT…a group interview; where the moderator asks questions and the participants individually provide answers.
focus groups aresuccessful whenparticipants are able to talk to each other about the topic…
advantages
produce moreinformation quicker and at less cost thanindividual interviews
limitations results can’t be used to make statements about the wider community…
they can indicate a range of views and opinions, but not the distribution among the community
they can paint a picture of what is socially acceptable in a community rather than what is really occurring or believed…
limited value in exploring complex beliefs of individuals
in-depth interviews can be more appropriate
asking someone
to explain their behavior
and intent is a psychological impossibility
so…why is the truth so elusive?
Don’t confuse
confirmation
with consistency.
It is not always easy to tell if people are telling you the truth.
It’s not always possible for people to get in touch with their emotions or motivations.
Beyond Listening: Learning the Secret Language of Focus Groups
(Bonnie Goebert)
Consumers aren’t dishonest; it’s just that most people don’t listen the right way.
every moderator has a…
Naïve
Playful
Intellectual
Inquisitive side
so, get over your need as a moderator to look or sound a certain way….
Prepare questions
before group.But, do not rely
on them word for word;
use them as a guideline.
No flip charts; Use note takers
questions to ask first
What problems / issues do you want answered?
What is the exact problem?
informality
relaxed playfulness, coupled with a
professional seriousness of purpose works best.
consider the status of your participants
People reveal more when they are relaxed and having a good time.
As long as…the moderator
does not trivialize
matters
People take risks if they feel safe…
Participation is a RISK.
captive audiencessupport groups trade groupsfaith based neighborhood
convenience samplingyou select those members of the community who you think will provide you with the best information
Tell them WHAT you are going to be talking about before they agree to participate.
Screen participants
Follow up sessions (800#, email further ideas/comments)
Encourage divergent thinking and thoughts within the group.
Participants often agree with responses from peers and group leaders.
It is important to allow
participants to agree and disagree
with one another.
asking the right questions in the right way
have genuine reactions which come from interest in the person, rather than judging
keep your questions
short and simple-
no two-part questions
avoid closed ended ?s
Banish Them; unless,
your intent is to shut down the discussion.
do not word questions so people feel embarrassed or guiltywhen they answer
I knew all of you could not be agreeing with this.Thank you for sharing that!
Let’s hear more.
Makes people defensive.
Why?
Makes people shut down…Presumably, because when you don’t say it again you are implying, that’s bad.
that’s good…
avoid forcing people into answering
questions in a particular way…. because, you can’t
predict how they will answer
particular questions
non verbal
behavior
Don’t take all too literally;arms folded across chest
pay attention
choice in vocabulary comfort expressing self sudden inarticulateness
speed of speaking emotional level
degree of energy
projective techniques
people tend to complete the incomplete
with their assumptions, attitudes, beliefs,
experiences & values
paralinguistic how people use their voice and language to convey meaning
Non-leading
Give me a descriptionpicture, of_________.
Please sum all of this up for
the group…
What I like to hear about is how you / family / community is dealing with…
How important is that concern?
please, keep talking… please, say more...
before we move on let’s hear any burning thoughts that you just have to get out…
Let’s see, I’m having trouble
figuring out how I should word this…
I seem to be picking up on a theme here,
but I don’t want to put words in your mouths.
Let me describe what I am hearing and add to it or change it or make
it more accurate.
The most annoying thing about a condom is______.
The hardest thing about getting tested every 6 months is______.
A typical woman in my community resembles____.
Most women in my neighborhood would _____when confronted by that message.
Speaking as a average consumer, I’d have to say that your demographic
niche is very well targeted!
Project SMART Council of Community Clinics San Diego, CA
Julie A Minardi [email protected]
619.542.4343