Focus Group Interviews
Compared to one-on-one interviews, focus groups allow more viewpoints to be collected in a shorter period of time. TeamThink uses focus groups when dialog and interaction are beneficial to gather information. Examples of when focus groups are used:
- Assessment of product/service features
- Brainstorming potential solutions to an issue
- Following up with interviewees after a first round of market research to test the validity of preliminary insights or conclusions
Approach
- Identify goals for focus groups
- Solicit participants
- Develop interview script
- Schedule and conduct focus groups
- Summarize results and present findings
- Follow up thank you notes to participants on your behalf
Success
While working for a consulting company; TeamThink's principal led the creation of a distributed learning strategy for a private school. Focus groups were held to gather information from students on how the school's staff could improve their learning experience and how a new library would play a role in that experience. Conveying student needs was essential to board members on the parent council and fundraising foundation to understand the rationale behind strategy recommendations; and to achieve consensus to begin implementing strategies.