< Methods

Why?

A focus group discussion is an efficient way to gain insight into how people think about an issue, without having to interview each person separately.

How?

Invite a group of 5–10 people for a 45–90 minutes discussion, which can focus on a question, topic or prototype. Create a positive atmosphere: make people comfortable, regularly remind them that everyone’s opinion matters, ensure and manage diversity among participants, and so on.

Ingredients

• An activity plan with a time schedule, questions and topics.
• Video recording equipment to film and later analyse the results.
• Drinks and snacks for your participants.
• Group management skills.

In practice

Focus groups are a popular technique for getting a broad view of a product’s requirements.

Phase(s) of use

In the following project phase(s) focus group can be used:

• Analysis