how to run a focus group
DESCRIPTION
A short guide to putting together and running focus groups for qualitative research purposesTRANSCRIPT
1
FOCUS GROUPS
Caroline Greener
Marketing Manager
Audiences North East
2Seven Stories
The Centre for Children’s Books
Who we are and what we do
3
AUDIENCE RESEARCH
• Quantitative– Visitor surveys– Box office data– Mapping and profiling
• Qualitative– Individual interviews– Creative consultation– Focus groups
4
Focus Groups – what are they?
• Seven to nine people• Recruited according to
pre-determined criteria• Exchange experiences,
attitudes and beliefs abouta particular product categoryunder the guidance of a moderator
5
The Moderator
• Directs conversation
• Explores and elaborates
• Observes
• Synthesises
6
Pros and Cons
• Advantages of group discussions are:– Less intimidating than individual interview– Sparking off each other– Range of attitudes and behaviours
7
Pros and Cons
• The disadvantages of a group discussion are:– Inhibition of frank exchange– The big freeze– The loud expert
• It’s up to the moderator to mitigate these!
8
Components of a Focus Group
• Structure
• Content
• Process
9
The Bowes Museum
• Part of series of five focus groups for the Museum which looked at under-represented groups
• Brief – to explore the barriers to attendance and test against existing marketing and promotion methods and all other aspects of the museum’s interpretation strategy
10
Structure
• Target segment – young people aged 18 – 25 years living near to Barnard Castle, County Durham
• Recruited through WOM via the Museum’s marketing staff
• Eight participants, each received £20 fee and visitor pass
11
Structure cont’d
• Location Witham Hall, Barnard Castle
• 7.30pm to 9.30pm
• Break half way through for refreshments
• AO lead the activities, CG typed up notes on laptop during session
• Detailed report with anonymous quotes and exec summary used in the museum’s HLF bid and to inform marketing strategy
12
Content
• Leisure time
• Attitudes towards museums
• The Bowes Museum generally
• The Bowes Museum marketing and promotion methods
13
Process
1. FORMING
(inclusion)
3. NORMING
(establishing norms)
4. PERFORMING
(co-operative, task
oriented activity)
2. STORMING
(power and control)
5. MOURNING
(finishing business
and returning to
everyday life)
14
THE PAINFUL TRUTH
• Overall impression museums were boring and expensive
• Prepared to visit museums on holiday but not locally
• Average entry fee prepared to pay £3.50• Reasons for non-attendance - lack of
interest in exhibits, insufficient knowledge of what is exhibited and marketing not specifically targeted at their age group
