Focus group
A conversation led by a moderator with a small group on a specific topic, to learn their opinions and how they build them by talking to each other.
What it’s for
Useful for exploring attitudes, words and reactions to an idea, and seeing where people agree or argue.
Key elements
A shared stimulus
The whole group reacts to the same thing: a concept, an ad or a prototype.
Moderate without steering
Make sure everyone speaks, not just the most confident.
Choose the group well
People with something in common, so they speak with confidence.
How it’s done
Prepare. A topic guide and the stimulus to be shown.
Moderate. Open the conversation and share out the turns.
Analyze. Look for themes, agreements and disagreements.
Applications in design
When to use it
Early on, to learn the language and reactions to a concept.
Avoid
Using it to measure how many people prefer something: it is small and the group sways opinions.
Don’t fall for it
What people say in a group isn’t what each does alone: don’t use it to check how something is used.
Connections
Builds on
Related to
Authors and works
- 1946
Robert K. Merton and Patricia L. Kendall
Described the focused interview about a specific situation everyone has lived through, for individuals and groups.
- 2014
Richard A. Krueger and Mary Anne Casey
Wrote one of the most widely used practical guides to running focus groups.
Sources
Original sources
- Merton, R. K., & Kendall, P. L. (1946). The focused interview. American Journal of Sociology, 51(6), 541–557. View source: Merton, R. K., & Kendall, P. L. (1946)
Secondary sources
- Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2014). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed.). SAGE.
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