There are some important things you will need to have in place on the day, to make sure your focus group is well organised and runs smoothly.
On the day, use our checklist for organisers.
Roles and responsibilities
When running a focus group, you will need colleagues or volunteers to take on the following roles. Depending on how many focus groups you plan to run on the day, these roles might be performed by one or many people.
Point of contact
The point of contact communicates with participants before, during and after the conversations have happened to make sure questions are answered and the conversations are organised and set-up smoothly.
Top tip: Include a telephone number and a regularly monitored email address in any of your communications so that participants can contact the team if needed.
Facilitator – key role on the day
The facilitator is responsible for leading the conversations, asking questions and making sure everyone has the chance to speak. The facilitator uses a conversation guide to keep the discussion going, ensuring that all the relevant topics are explored.
More about the role of a facilitator
Content specialist
A content specialist is someone who has the knowledge in the area you are discussing for example, a Consultant Urologist. They are able to provide key information, signpost local services and be on hand to answer questions.
Note taker/recorder
Note takers are responsible for capturing feedback during the conversation and for finalising information after the session. Recording devices and transcription software can be used to make recording feedback easier – as long as you have permission from participants.
Example template for note takers
Reviewer
Focus groups can produce a lot of information that needs to be reviewed and analysed, which can become resource intensive.
The reviewer analyses the feedback, key themes and trends so that they can be added to the feedback report.
Conversation guide
The conversation guide is prepared in advance of your event and provides the facilitator with a script, key topics and questions.
It’s important that you plan your questions carefully, so that you get the feedback you need from your participants in the limited time you may have with them.
The facilitator uses the conversation guide to keep the discussion going and make sure that all the subjects are covered.
The guide can be used flexibly – you don’t have to stick to it if the discussion develops in a way that you weren’t expecting – but it offers some structure to the facilitator to make sure that the conversation gives you the feedback you need for your project.
Allowing some flexibility in the discussion may make your participants feel more comfortable giving open and honest answers.
Ground rules
Ground rules are guidelines that participants in a meeting agree to follow in order to make the meeting more productive and enjoyable. Common ground rules include things like being respectful of other participants, not interrupting, and staying on topic.
These will vary from group to group, but might include:
- keeping information shared in the session confidential
- not sharing anything that a person does not feel comfortable to do so
- avoiding confrontation about personal experiences and views
- allowing people to take regular breaks
- having only one person speaking at a time
- respecting and not judging different views, experiences and ideas
- raising a hand to indicate that you would like to speak – or online, encouraging the use of the ‘raise hand’ function
Read the guide for setting ground rules
Participants
Consent
It’s important to anonymise the feedback you record so that individual participants cannot be identified. It is essential to get your participants permission if you want to:
- Take photographs/ videos of them
- Make an audio recording of the conversation
- Use their feedback to create a case study/ persona
- Quote them directly and
- Use any content on social media or in press releases, webpages, blogs, or in internal or external reports.
- If you are working with children and young people under 18 you will need parental consent to work with them to begin with.
Top tip: If you are working with under 18-year-olds and have worked with partner services to bring Children and Young People together, e.g. children’s social services or a youth participation council – then seek advice from the lead professional or organisation. In most cases you will need parental responsibility and the focus group will need another adult with you at all times.
Looking after your participants
You’ll get better feedback from your focus group if you make your participants comfortable.
Try to find out what adjustments they might need for you to have the best conversation with them on the day.
This might include things like:
- Inviting support workers or advocates to attend with participants.
- Using creative tools to support participation for those with different communication needs.
- Providing guidance about any online video platforms/technology they may need to use during the focus group.
- Skipping questions or stopping the conversation if someone requests it.
- Offering regular breaks if topics are emotive or traumatic.
- Paying attention to the environment in which you are having your conversation – some spaces might be intimidating or unfamiliar and therefore unsettling for some participants.
- Signposting support services, such as one-to-one therapeutic services, if someone feels affected or upset by what the conversation might bring up for them.
- Letting participants see what you record from the discussion and make any corrections or alterations.
- Sharing the questions you will be asking with them in advance to help them feel more prepared.
- offering ways for people to discreetly indicate that they are uncomfortable – for instance, by telling them how to send a private message in the chat.
- Offering separate one-on-one meetings if some participants prefer to talk outside of the focus group.
- Arranging translators if your participants need them.