Online Focus Groups Ted J. Gaiser, Ph.D.

Goals Create a space for us to engage in a discussion about online focus groups Introduce topics of interest regarding online focus groups Share some research experiences Provide some research tips

General Thoughts Moderator’s task varies with the group type (synchronous vs. asynchronous) You can’t control who saves the data (digest is available to all) May lose impulse responses (people tend to think before they respond) … limited “Freudian slips” May need to facilitate and support some form of group self-management Participants may need technical assistance (said another way … you become technical support staff, by default)

General OnLine Research Challenges Security & Anonymity Participant Protection Legal Requirements (if any … aka HIPAA) Sampling

Asynchronous Focus Group ( type) Benefits Easy to establish Easy to organize (scheduling) Simulates user experience with standard and participation in discussion lists Relatively inexpensive Potential Limitations Can be difficult to moderator (limited control) Requires a level of self-management for success Can lose impulse responses – “Freudian slips”

Moderating - Asynchronous Group needs self-management Loss of “control” of the discussion(s) Requires Flexibility Can be confusing for participants (lacking guidance and facilitation) Can be disorienting (rejoining, but conversation has moved on)

Synchronous Focus Group (chat type) Benefits Simulates a face-to-face discussion in that it’s real-time Captures data easily in log files for analysis Applications are typically shareware or freeware (making them inexpensive) Potential Limitations Can be more difficult to arrange May require technical support for participants May have firewall challenges May experience corporate regulations that impact a participant’s ability to participate

Moderating - Synchronous Simulates face-to-face Participants expect more leadership and direction Need a carefully developed guide Need to be attentive and think on your feet Moderator becomes technology consultant Motivation for participants was different

Focus Group Summary Reminder - you lose “personal front,” which can make creating trust more of a challenge Look for opportunities to build trust Know what motivates your participants Keep people focused and on topic Help people feel like they belong Be flexible

Ted J. Gaiser Boston College