Focus group tools

The Focus Group (FG) is a method of targeted interview within a small group aimed at encouraging a discussion about specific topics.  It is a classical tool used to obtain good quality research.

Basic principle: the social interaction created during group interviews, is an effective reproduction of the process through which people form their own opinion.

That is why the leader of the FG should be:

  • A social professional such as a psychologist, a social worker or an educator, who has been trained and has experience with group dynamics and the formation of trainers, or
  • A different kind of trainer, like a pedagogist or a person with similar qualifications, who has been working with adult training for at least two years, or
  • A professional without specific degrees but substantially experienced with self-help groups and training.

 

The attachments below give more details about conducting, moderating and documenting Focus Groups.