Focus Groups and their management A tool for program evaluation AES Lunchtime Seminar 11 September

Who am I  Matthew Andrew – Manager Processed Foods Unit DSDTI  Worked as a market research consultant – Brisbane and Sydney  Facilitated numbers of focus groups  Has commissioned focus groups  Recently used focus groups & depth interviews to develop Processed Foods Strategy for Qld. 2

“What is a focus group?”  Difn. Of a focus group “ Groups of individuals brought together to discuss a particular topic or situation” or “ A group of people selected for their relevance to an evaluation which is engaged by a trained facilitator in a series of discussions designed for sharing insights, ideas and observations on a topic of concern” 3

“To use or not to use – that is the question”  Why would you use a focus group?  When would you use a focus group?  How do they fit in with other methodologies?  What do you need for a focus group? 4

Recruitment – Who  Clients  Stakeholders  End Users  Other affected parties  Key Question(s) – What do they have in common? Who do we need to honour? 5

Recruitment – Group Make-up  Honesty/Rapport is key  Think about making a 'safe' environment  Things to consider  - gender  - power  - 'level of ignorance'  Competition can be healthy

Group Conduct 7

Some Basic Tips and Tricks  Usually 90 minutes long  Introduction Your entrance Permission to record Thank & why important Hear from everyone  Feed & water them  Timing of groups  Props

Some Basic Tips and Tricks (cont.)  Number of participants  Push at end – ‘top three’ approach  Kill own ego  Power of the ‘pregnant pause’

Data Analysis  Context is key  What do they really mean?  Managing new ideas  Counts - %'s etc  Use of quotes in reporting 10

In sourcing V Outsourcing  Topic Dependent  Skills Dependent  Need for neutrality  Use your common sense  Some groups very specialised eg: children 11

Thank You – Any questions?