Practicing Consumer Control: Using Focus Groups in Your Strategic Plan A National Teleconference & Webcast Monday, August 31, :00 PM – 4:30 PM EDT Presenters: Daisy Feidt and Pam Smith PSmith Consulting CIL-NET Presents

2 Today’s Discussion  Determine when and how to consider qualitative research in support of organizational objectives as well as describe various approaches to assessing constituent and consumer needs  Plan, prepare and conduct successful focus groups  Describe the process of coding and analyzing data, interpreting reporting themes and patterns, and determining how to best communicate findings to interested parties  Integrate solutions for CIL service improvements and operations based on the results of an effective needs identification process

3 Practicing Consumer Control: Using Focus Groups In Your Strategic Plan  Introduction  Strategic Planning - Getting Started  Types of Community Assessment  Focus Groups:  Preparation  Conducting a Focus Group  Analyzing Respondent Data  Strategic Planning - Integrating Solutions

4 Strategic Planning: Getting Started  Start early! Process will take 6-9 months  Determine timeframe and audience  Establish committee  Consider hiring a consultant  Develop plan/process

5 Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 2 Establishing a Committee  Determine committee purpose: hire consultant, process driver, feedback loop and brainstormers.  Determine committee makeup: Board, staff (non Managers/ managers), active client or volunteer?  Determine meeting schedule.

6 Benefits of working with a consultant  Expertise and experience  Focus on the project  Objectivity  Ability to effectively engage & probe Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 3

7 How to select a consultant  Request for Proposals  Recommendations from peers  Review of credentials  Interviews  References if desired Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 4

8 Role of the consultant  Suggests a plan/process to achieve the organization’s goals  Handles planning details and logistics  Solicits input and maintains communication with contact person or committee  Moderates the focus groups  Delivers final report; maintains integrity of research Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 5

9 How much does a consultant cost?  Hourly rates vary from $50-$150 + depending on experience and region of the country Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 6

10 Developing a Process  What external feedback/input is important to you?  What types of qualitative research will you do?  Who will you involve internally?  Who will be involved in decision making/plan approval? Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 7

11 Access Living’s Process  Setting the Framework  Discovery  Creation of Plan  Evaluation/Plan Adjustment Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 8

12 Access Living’s Process – Setting the Framework  Formed Steering Committee  Hired Consultant Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 9

13 Access Living’s Process – Discovery  Surveyed staff and board  Conducted storytelling interviews  Interviewed community partners  Conducted focus groups with clients  Conducted client survey  Compiled and analyzed trending data Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 10

14 Access Living’s Process Creating the Plan  Agency Retreat  Development of strategic directions  Workgroups to develop goals  Consultant drafted plan  Management/board input  Board approved plan Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 11

15 Access Living’s Process – Evaluation  Developed reporting tool with measurable goals, person responsible, and timeline Strategic Planning: Getting Started, cont’d 12

16  Questionnaires  One-On-One Interviews  Field Observation  Ethnography  Case Studies  Focus Groups Types of Community Assessment

17 The research method you choose depends on how you want to use and interpret the data. With regard to a particular issue or experience:  What people are doing?  What they are thinking or feeling?  Who or what is influencing their behavior?  What are their priorities; their fears?  How do they perceive their own power; the power of others? What Do You Want To Know?

18  A combination of methods  Get feedback on perceptions, attitudes, programs, etc.  Test concepts and messages  Brainstorm the organization’s future  Inform organizational decision making Why Use Focus Groups?

19 Preparation  Who do you want to reach?  Formulating questions  Participant recruitment  Logistics How to Conduct a Focus Group: Before the Session

20 Preparation  Group Structure  Demographic mix  Number of groups  Recruit 14 to get 8-10 people How to Conduct a Focus Group: Before the Session, cont’d 2

21 Recruitment  Recruitment Screener to qualify participants  demographics, regions, clients / potential clients  Logging calls /reminder calls How to Conduct a Focus Group: Before the Session, cont’d 3

22 Logistics  Location and supplies  Observation / Integration/ or Learning conveyed by moderator  Refreshments  Incentive checks; record keeping How to Conduct a Focus Group: Before the Session, cont’d 4

23 Developing Questions  Input from organization  Possible topics: services, quality, future, community, communications, etc.  Mostly open-ended questions  Consultant develops Moderator’s Guide  Organization responds; revisions made How to Conduct a Focus Group: Before the Session, cont’d 5

24 Opening Your Group  Welcome and Introductions  Background information  Ground Rules How to Conduct a Focus Group: During the Session

25 How To Probe Try to avoid Why /Why Not Effective probes:  What message do you want me to take from that?  How important is that to you? How to Conduct a Focus Group: During the Session, cont’d 2

26 How To Probe cont’d  Give me an example  Who can build on that?  Describe to me what it’s like…  What might happen if…  So how do you deal with that? How to Conduct a Focus Group: During the Session, cont’d 3

27 Recording and Translation  Importance of verbatim comments  Determine if any groups might be conducted in Spanish  Be culturally aware How to Conduct a Focus Group: During the Session, cont’d 4

28 Transcription and Data Analysis  Have tapes transcribed  Code responses  Interpret themes and patterns  Select representative quotes How to Conduct a Focus Group: After the Session

29 Findings  Final Report  Format, themes, quotes  Verbal presentation to interested parties How to Conduct a Focus Group: After the Session, cont’d 2

30  Synthesize data/discuss findings  Prioritize/determine feasibility  Create strategic directions  Determine goals/objectives  Create tracking/reporting tool  Determine process for reporting progress Strategic Planning: Integrating Solutions

31 Conducted Retreat  Mix of board and staff  Reported/discussed findings  Did visioning exercise  Prioritized broad goals  Strategic Planning Committee developed strategic directions from broad goals Strategic Planning: Integrating Solutions, cont’d 2

32 Organized Work Groups  Grouped strategic directions into themes  Organized small board and staff groups to develop goals to accomplish each strategic direction  Brainstormed/prioritized goals  Top 4 or 5 made it into the plan Strategic Planning: Integrating Solutions, cont’d 3

33 Created Reporting Tool  Consultant drafted reporting tool with measurable goals, responsible staff and timeline.  Tool will be used to report progress to the board and for staff to track progress toward accomplishing goals. Strategic Planning: Integrating Solutions, cont’d 4

34 Tips for Creating Tracking Tool  Determine audience  Easy to understand/use  Include timeline  Include who is responsible  Include measurable goals  Takes into account other tracking mechanisms already in use Strategic Planning: Integrating Solutions, cont’d 5

35 Putting It All Together: Access Living Case Study Finding from external interviews and focus groups: Access Living needs more effective marketing about what we do and we need to use media more effectively to change attitudes about people with disabilities.

36 Access Living Case Study cont’d 2 Probing questions considered at retreat  How can we use PR and media outreach to increase AL’s visibility, better promote what Access Living is and does, and create a more favorable opinion of us among other organizations?  What ideas do we have about education campaigns that could address stereotypical attitudes and stigma and engender greater respect towards people with disabilities?

37 Access Living Case Study cont’d 3 Probing questions from retreat con’t  What under-represented groups should be reached and engaged?  What skills do we need to gain to develop a greater Internet presence and evaluate social media strategies?  How can we increase recognition of AL among elected officials?

38 Access Living Case Study cont’d 4 Strategic Direction: Access Living will assess its public image and messaging and implement strategies that better define us, extend our reach, promote our principles and attract more people to the disability movement

39 Access Living Case Study cont’d 5 Year 1  Develop a clearer and more concise statement of AL’s mission, vision and goals.  Develop a PR plan to support our legislative and policy work on behalf of the disability community.  Develop new website elements to engage the disability community and our allies (e.g. blogs, interactive website components, advocacy software such as CapWiz).  Use AL’s Facebook page and other social media to support our strategic plan goals.

40 Access Living Case Study cont’d 6 Year 2  Create a plan/timeline to develop a public affairs department within AL to further our strategic goals. Consider including a volunteer consumer speaker’s bureau as part of this department Year 3  Find resources to support development of a public affairs department within AL

Access Living Case Study cont’d 7 Example From Tracking Tool:  Goal: Develop a clearer and more concise statement of AL’s mission, vision and goals.  Indicator: Revised Statement of Mission, Vision and Goals.  Lead: PR Coordinator, Development Director 41

Access Living Case Study cont’d 8  Progress shared and assessed with senior management quarterly. Shared with the Board Bi – Annually. 42

43 Wrap Up and Evaluation  Closing remarks  Please remember to complete the evaluation at the following link:  Your feedback is very important! Thank you!

44 Credits Support for development of this Webcast/teleconference was provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration under grant number H132B No official endorsement of the Department of Education should be inferred.

45 Credits, cont’d 2 Permission is granted for duplication of any portion of this PowerPoint presentation, providing that the following credit is given to Access Living, PSmith Consulting and the CIL- NET project: Presented as part of the CIL-NET, a program of the IL NET, an ILRU/NCIL/APRIL National Training and Technical Assistance Project. Material in this presentation created and copyright owned by Access Living and PSmith Consulting.