Have you ever run a focus group?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Anyone here ever create and then run a focus group?

Any specific Do's and Don'ts?

It will be product focused. What participants like/don't like about the existing product on the market. What would they like/not like in a new product.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Focus group? No. Fuch-us group, yes.

Good times.

[pavulon]

Don't try to turn subjective information into objective or absolute data. Satisfaction surveys do this continuously and people with zero scientific background cling to those numbers like limpets.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by pavulon

people with zero scientific background cling to those numbers like limpets.

parf!!!

[stomachmonkey]

Done a ton.

I'd rather know purchase intent which is not always a factor of likes / dislikes.

There are plenty of great products with features that people like, they just don't need / have any use for the product.

Brand loyalty is also something you want to know.

Plenty of people buy an inferior product solely based on the name.

The real trick is validating answers.

If you have 15 questions to ask then you should really only have 5 and ask them in 3 different ways to see if the answer remains consistent.

[911SauCy]

Yes.

And thee are so many darn ways to run it, usually depending on what type of information you're looking to gather.

One end of the spectrum, you can run with written surveys with closed ended or multiple choice questions for quantitative/measurable responses and on the other end literally have a round table conversation solely guided by questions you have/are curious about.

Re: "What would they like/not like in a new product" Instead of referencing said object or ideas, make parallels but push creative thinking and imaginative responses. With questions as simple as "You mentioned you like these pants, but if you could wave a magic wand, how would you change them to be perfect for you?"

Moderator, undercover or no moderator.

In the more interactive setting a recording device of some type will be your friend.

There are so many ways, theories, and techniques you can learn about this stuff for years...it's fun!

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Done a ton.

I'd rather know purchase intent which is not always a factor of likes / dislikes.

Brand loyalty is also something you want to know.

Goodness

[joe payne]

Just take away their smart phones.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

parf!!!

uhhh...

[wdfifteen]

I hired a focus group done. I wasn't allowed to be there, so I don't know exactly what went on. It was many years ago.
In other words, I am absolutely no help to you and you shouldn't waste your time reading my reply.
I apologize.

[John Rogers]

Back in the "day", actually during Desert Storm I was the staff info systems officer at COMNAVAIRPAC working for Admiral Khan (real name) getting the 320 person command connected with a network. Remember this was in '91 and '92 and my contractors from SAIC had recommended to go fiber for speed and security so we did. NICs were about $400 each and we had to buy start routers, cables, etc, etc. We had 3 departments, including the admiral's office connected and they were happy as could be!

Then........ CINCPACFLT decided we should use TQM as that was the new buzz or as we call it now focus groups I imagine. So a 10 person "team was assembled" with one of my contractors as a tech representative and after 14 weeks had pretty much not been able to get anything decided on BUT I had finished the first fiber optic network in the San Diego area! Their help was not really helpful!!!!

[Jfporco]

This is fun. I have been in the Biz 30 plus years - academic and corporate. I have done Hundreds of groups, 1-on-1's, QNR's. Too many to even think about.
Asking how you should do a focus group is like asking a financial advisor how you should invest a million dollars. You will get many, many answers

What is your goal? Who is the target audience, and how are they different from other populations? Will you be screening for different sub-groups of the target population based on income, age, buying habits...? What do you want to do with the information? (Exploratory, validation, product development, lifestyle matching, etc...) Who is the data going to? (CEO, marketing, engineering, PR department, etc...) And for what purpose (engineering, marketing, communications, etc.).
Do you know enough about your competitors to have a head to head comparison (shoppers group) or do you want to know what they like about certain features of different products - to create the "perfect product." (But you and I know, this really never will exist)
If you know the product and features you could do an active conjoint where you converse about the decisions customers/potential customers make while completing a conjoint survey. I could go on and on. But my point is, Garbage In = Garbage Out.
You just don't 'Do' a focus group, they must be planned with the same level of precision as rebuilding an engine. Proper tools, proper parts, proper planning and execution. Most focus groups don't take a long as an engine rebuild, but done well, they yield the same results, the sound of a purring company.
Of course I have only covered about .05% of the necessary info to do this right.
Good luck. What was the question again?
Cheers,
Jim

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks everyone, especially Scott, Sauce and Jim. I can see this will be a lot of work. And the focus group is not necessarily use the prospective buyer, at least for the first version of the product. It's about the design and I am lucky that I can use non-buyers because buyers won't participate in a focus group.

Lot of work to do, thanks again for making that so clear.