Focus Groups - Research Methodology

Focus Groups 1-1  Nature of Qualitative Research A type of research whose findings are not subject to quantification or quantitative analysis About 14 percent of total research spending in 2019 Quantitative research -> e.g. find statistically significant cons...

Focus Groups 1-1  Nature of Qualitative Research A type of research whose findings are not subject to quantification or quantitative analysis About 14 percent of total research spending in 2019 Quantitative research -> e.g. find statistically significant consumption frequency differences between male and female vodka drinkers Qualitative research -> e.g. uncover the beliefs, feelings, and motivations of a customer segment 7-2  Qualitative Research versus Quantitative Research Qualitative Research Quantitative Research Types of research Exploratory Descriptive or causal Types of questions Probing Limited probing Sample size Small Large Amount of information from Substantial Usually limited each respondent Requirements for Interviewer with special skills Interviewer with fewer special skills or administration no interviewer Types of analysis Subjective, interpretive Statistical, summation Degree of replicability Low High Researcher training Psychology, sociology, social Statistics, modelling, math, marketing, psychology, consumer behavior, software programming, marketing marketing, marketing research research, data science, analytics 7-3  The Use of Qualitative Research While expenditure is declining, qualitative research is still used extensively 1. Much cheaper than quantitative research 2. Good way to understand motivations and feelings 3. Can improve the efficiency of quantitative research Qualitative research blends with quantitative measures to provide a more thorough understanding of consumer demand 7-4  Limitations of Qualitative Research Qualitative research does not distinguish a diverse array of differences in consumer attitudes, feelings and behaviors o However, qualitative research can sometimes catch problems that cannot be observed in a quantitative study Qualitative studies are not necessarily representative of the population of interest to the researcher o Small sample size and free-flowing discussion can lead qualitative research projects to less relevant or insignificant topics / issues 7-5  When to Use Qualitative Research Use when you… Avoid when you Are not sure who your market is Would make a multi-million dollar decision based on the results Don’t know how best to communicate with your Need definitive answers on the top three reasons why customers (images, messaging) people buy your products Need to know what customers think about a new Want to define the demographic characteristics (e.g. product idea age, income, gender) of customers Need to learn why they stopped buying Determine the size and buying power of different market segments Need new ideas for an ad campaign or product Want to understand your brand’s image Want to know about your customers’ lifestyles, values and opinions 7-6  Focus Groups Consists of 8 to 12 participants Led by a moderator in an in-depth discussion on one particular topic The goal is to learn and understand what people have to say and why Group dynamics and interaction is essential to the success of focus groups Indirect questioning stimulates free flowing discussion o e.g. what are the best and worst parts of being a caregiver? 7-7  Popularity of Focus Groups Most marketing research firms, advertising agencies, and consumer goods manufacturers use focus groups Over two-thirds of all qualitative research dollars are spent on focus groups Focus groups tend to be used more extensively by consumer goods companies than by industrial goods organizations 7-8  Conducting Focus Groups Setting: o Online or in a focus group facility (board room or living room style) with a large, one-way mirror built into one wall Participants: o Participants must reflect the company’s target customers o Use social media or centralized locations (e.g. gyms) for recruitment o Avoid repeat, or “professional,” respondents in focus groups o Avoid respondents who know each other (friends, family) o Use screening questions e.g. Have you participated in a focus group in the past 6 months? 7-9  Conducting Focus Groups Continued Moderator should conduct a group properly and possess good business skills o Shows respect and builds rapport o Owns the room—controls group dynamics o Avoids leading the respondents o Seeks equal participation o Asks short questions and actively listens o Observant of body language cues and sensitive to undercurrents and disagreements o Moves things along without rushing o Flexible, interactive and being able to bring out feelings and emotions o Foster a supportive and innovative environment and encourages divergent thinking 7-10  Conducting Focus Groups Continued Focus group length: o The average group today is still about 90 minutes o Trend is moving towards 60 minutes o Fewer questions and more time help respondents elaborate answers Number and composition of focus groups o The greater the diversity of the market (demographics needs, usage) the larger the number of focus groups o Maintain age and educational harmony The client’s role: o Selects the supplier (and sometimes the moderator) o Specifies the market and the characteristics of group respondents o Approves the discussion guide 7-11  Conducting Focus Groups Continued Discussion guide: o A written outline of the topics to be covered during the session o Three stages: Establish rapport, Provoke intensive discussion, Summarize conclusions and conclude o Avoid biasing and leading questions by adding balance Focus group report: Typically a PowerPoint presentation It gives the client an opportunity to hear and react to the moderator’s initial perceptions Can bias future analysis 7-12  Benefits and Drawbacks of Focus Groups Advantages: o The interactions among respondents can stimulate new ideas and thoughts o Group pressure can help challenge respondents to keep their thinking realistic o The opportunity to observe customers while remaining hidden o They can be executed more quickly than many other research techniques Disadvantages: o Obtaining quick results may de-incentivize complex quantitative studies o Moderator may create response biases o Very dominant or shy respondents also can be a problem 7-13  Focus Group Trends Online and mobile groups o There is a growing tendency for clients to watch the sessions online Focus group panels o A group of about 8 to 12 qualified respondents who agree to regularly participate in a series of interviews on a given product, service, or topic for 6 months o Typically used in the new product development process o Can be significantly less expensive versus recruiting the same number of separate groups over the same time period 7-14  Supplementary Techniques: Individual Depth Interviews Relatively unstructured one-on-one interviews The second most popular form of qualitative research The direction of a depth interview is guided by the participant’s answers Advantages Disadvantages No group pressure Overall cost Greater probing Cannot cover as much ground in one session as focus groups One on one contact encourages new revelations No potential for debating opposite viewpoints Greater interviewer focus on the participant’s Cannot observe group dynamics responses and reactions Exploring sensitive, personal topics Takes more time to conduct 7-15  Cost of Focus Groups versus IDI The cost of a standard eight-person, 90-minute focus group is about $13,000 o Cost per respondent minute is $18 The average 30-minute IDI costs $600-$800 o Cost per respondent minute is $20 to $27 Total cost of IDI is higher (min. $14,400 for 8 person, 90 minute IDIs) When considering the cost per respondent minute, focus groups provide much greater value! 7-16  Classic Applications of Depth Interviews Website, ad copy reviews Sensory reactions to stimuli (product scent, taste, etc.) Prototype evaluations Package design or usage research 7-17  Supplementary Techniques: Projective Tests Having people project their deepest feelings about a product or experience into an unstructured situation (e.g. incomplete sentence) The goal is to delve into detailed responses to obtain true feelings, meanings, and motivations Why is projection useful? 1. Participants may be unconscious or unaware of a particular influence on their thoughts, feelings, emotions 2. They may be aware of an influence, but feel it is too personal or socially undesirable to admit it in a focus group or traditional IDI 3. They may be aware that they perceive a product a particular way, but in their view, it may not be a rational reason for buying or not buying the product 7-18  Projective Test Formats o Word association tests o Sentence and story completion tests o Cartoon tests o Photo sorts / collage o Card sorting o Consumer drawings o Storytelling o Third-person techniques 7-19  Word Association Tests A word is spoken or flashed on a smartphone or other screen, The participant mentions the first thing that comes to his/her mind The words are presented in quick succession to avoid allowing time for participants to think strategically and hide their true feelings Used to select brand names, advertising campaign themes, and slogans o E.g. choosing a new name for the former Edmonton Eskimos 7-20  Sentence and Story Completion Tests The participant is asked to complete an incomplete story or group of sentences 1. The Bay is... 2. The people who shop at The Bay are... 3. The Bay should really... 4. I don’t understand why The Bay doesn’t... Story Completion provides a bit more structured and detailed scenario for the participant Scenarios must be applicable and realistic (i.e.; don’t show scenarios people cannot relate to). 7-21  Cartoon Tests Continued Ambiguity and lack of expression make it easier for people to project their true feelings into the situation Typically used to assess the valence of an attitude toward a product or brand The disadvantage is that responses can be short and lacking a rationale 7-22  Card Sorts Useful in UX research (e.g. how to organize website content, product features, etc.) 7-23  Photo Sorts Allows you to dig deeper as participants explain their views on abstract concepts (e.g. brand image, personality) 7-24  Storytelling and the Third-Person Technique Storytelling: o Participants tell stories about their experiences, with a company or product, for example, also known as the metaphor technique o ZMET (Zaltman Metaphor El icitation ) Third-person technique o Rather than directly asking respondents what they think, ask the question in terms of “your neighbor,” “most Source: https://louisvuittonbrand.wordpress.com/zmet/ people,” or some other third 7-25