A focus group is a research method in which you gather several people in a group to discuss a topic together. As a researcher, you can ask questions for the group to discuss together. The aim is to facilitate interaction between the participants. From that interaction, you may gain deeper insights into the ideas, situations or opinions of different people, and the social dynamics at play in the discussion.
What is a focus group discussion?
A focus group (also called a 'focus group discussion) is a bit different from a group interview. You are not going to interview several people at once. Instead, the aim is for participants to engage in conversation with each other.
As a researcher, you encourage interaction between respondents, ask them questions, and lead the conversation. Do you notice, for example, that some group members are not being addressed or that people are talking over or against each other ? If so, you mention this or ask the quieter participants for their views. Do you notice a lot of the same ideas coming up? Then, feel free to ask the group if there are any dissenting opinions.
A focus group is a qualitative research method. You collect in-depth information (opinions, experiences, situations, etc.) about your research topic. Afterwards, you will transcribe that data so that you can analyse it.
How many people does a focus group consist of?
A focus group discussion usually takes place in small groups. This way all the participants get to speak and there is less chance of anyone getting snowed under. It is common for a sample to consist of about eight to 10 people. Smaller groups also occur.
The exact composition depends on the purpose of your research. Keep in mind that the focus group is a sample that should represent your chosen target group. The sample can never be completely representative.
Tip: choose a sample with different types of people if you want to avoid groupthink.
Advantages and disadvantages of focus group discussion
A focus group discussion as a research method has advantages and disadvantages. Do you doubt whether this method is suitable for your research? Discuss it with your supervisor. They can give you advice.
Advantages
- You get a broad picture of your subject because you hear the perspectives of many different people at once.
- In interaction with each other, valuable new insights or ideas sometimes emerge.
- You can discover where people agree and disagree on your topic.
- In a group with similar people, people often talk more openly about a topic than in an individual interview.
Cons
- Practically, it can be difficult to get eight to 10 people together in the same place at the same time.
- It is a time-consuming process. You have to get many respondents together, organise the discussion and then have a lot of data to work out. This makes this method less suitable for small-scale research.
- Leading a group discussion is a skill in itself. For example, you need to be able to subtly steer the conversation to avoid certain people staying quiet or respondents straying too much from the topic .
- Some people may be more dominant in the conversation than others.
- Sometimes the data are distorted by the pressure to give socially desirable answers.
- Privacy is more difficult to ensure because more people are present at the discussion. Agree with participants in advance that all information should remain confidential.
- It is difficult to draw conclusions about the whole population based on one or a few focus group discussions. Thus, validity is limited.
Want to know more about interview techniques?
Whether you are setting up a focus group discussion or conducting individual interviews, interview tips always come in handy. Take a look at our step-by-step interview plan or read our tips for good interview questions. This way you will be well-prepared to facilitate a focus group.
Do you prefer a different method? Then read our explanation of different research methods. There are more ways to set up your research than by just using interviews.