Focus Groups: Advantages and Disadvantages | StudySmarter

When it comes to primary data collection, there are many methods marketers can use. One of them is focus groups. A focus group is an interview method where a moderator interacts with participants to collect their opinions on a topic. However, there is more than one way to conduct a focus group interview. In today’s explanation, you will learn about the different types of focus groups and how they are carried out.

Focus Group Definition

A focus group is a primary research method where the researcher selects a group of customers to interview. Its purpose is to gather data on people’s perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, or product feedback.

A focus group often consists of one moderator interacting with two or more participants. However, there can be two moderators, one directing the discussion and the other observing.

Focus groups’ participants can be chosen based on location, age group, status, gender, job titles, etc.

A focus group is a primary research method used to collect opinions from a group of people.

The main benefit of a focus group is that it allows researchers to collect insightful data while connecting with the customers. However, it may not work when the participants are shy or unwilling to give information. Thus, researchers need to take into account the type of customers before adopting focus groups as a research method.

Types of Focus Groups

Depending on the number of participants and moderators, focus groups can be split into many types. Typically, there are five types of focus groups.

Mini-Focus Groups

As the name suggests, mini-focus groups are carried out in small groups. When the number of participants is high, the moderator can split them into smaller groups of 3-5 people. This allows everyone to engage in a discussion and voice their opinions. Later, each group can share the final idea/opinion/solution they come up with and discuss it with other group members. Mini-focus groups can save a lot of time and effort in conducting focus groups.

Two-Way Focus Groups

Two-way focus groups include a moderator interacting directly with a group of participants. During the discussion, the moderator can ask or answer any question that the participants might have. This type of focus group is most effective when the number of interviewees is small, and the discussion topic is specific.

Dual-Moderator Focus Groups

In this type of focus group, there are two moderators. One will interact with the participants, while the other will observe the discussion and handle the technical aspects of the interview. This kind of focus group is more effective than the one-moderator focus group as it ensures the moderator can pay full attention to the participant without taking notes or reading her body language.

Dueling Moderator Focus Groups

In contrast to dual-moderator focus groups, dueling-moderator focus groups include two moderators interacting with the participants simultaneously. Both will ask questions, engage, and observe the participants’ behavior. The advantage of dueling moderator focus groups is that they can give more diverse viewpoints and minimize subjectivity in research.

Respondent-Moderator Focus Groups

Unlike the other types of focus groups where the moderator comes from inside the company, moderators in respondent-moderator focus groups are the participants themselves. One participant will be asked to become a group leader and moderate the discussion.