Focus Group

We are talking Qualitative Marketing Research techniques. We are talking here different types of qualitative research. We talked about Depth Interview in our last post. Today we are going to talk about Focus Groups.

A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people is asked about their attitude towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members.Ernest Dichter originated the idea of having a "group therapy" for products and this process is what became known as a focus group.

• an interactive group discussion lead by a moderator
• unstructured (or loosely structured) discussion where the moderator encourages the free flow of ideas
• usually 8 to 12 members in the group who fit the profile of the target group or consumer
• usually last for 1 to 2 hours
• usually recorded on video
• the room usually has a large window with one-way glass - participants cannot see out, but the researchers can see in
• inexpensive and fast
• can use computer and internet technology for on-line focus groups
• respondents feel a group pressure to conform
• group dynamics is useful in developing new streams of thought and covering an issue thoroughly

Focus Group can have above mention characteristics. We will talk about Projective Techniques in our next post.

ref: wikipedia , agents website design , insurance software