Focus groups
a.k.a. group discussions or research workshopsThey’re here to stay!
Focus Groups might seem a little old school or a throwback to a bygone age, and no doubt their demise has been predicted many times over by ‘sector deep-thinkers’, but they have not gone anywhere, and they are as important now as ever before, if not more so. We have all spent our lives consuming, drinking, watching, reading, making, wearing (etc) products that have been honed using the good old focus group. And even in today’s restricted world, the focus group is alive and kicking, with take up of the virtual version growing exponentially.
Sometimes known as Group Discussions or Research Workshops, these sessions are particularly well suited to the creative development process (e.g. developing and testing new ideas), as they allow participants to share their ideas and experiences, heightening creative juices and leading to more informed, creative and developed feedback.
Capturing perceptions
We have used Focus Groups in numerous situations with our clients. For example, we have used them to capture the perceptions and opinions towards a brand, set of creatives or a product, explored customer service and experiences, tested perceptions towards a new product or concept, evaluated advertising and marketing communications, compared a clients’ idea to competitor offers or used this approach to bring to life customer segmentations developed through one of our bespoke segmentations.
Delving deeper
Whilst within a focus group discussion, participants are typically homogenous, across the decades we have convened sessions with all sorts of people including both consumer and professional audiences.
Focus Group market research is often used in tandem with a quantitative approach. They can be used as a precursor to inform questionnaire development. Alternatively, they can be used afterwards to delve into certain areas of interest or to bring pen profiles, personas and segments to life.
Types of focus groups
Standard focus groups
Extended focus groups
or deliberative workshops
Online focus groups
with dedicated software, video platforms or even text-based research platforms
Virtual focus groups
using avatar or other techniques for personalisation
Reconvened focus groups
Mini focus groups
Co-creation focus groups
Informal focus groups
e.g. SMS, WhatsApp
Not sure what's best for you?
We’d love to bounce some ideas around with you. Either get in touch with us below or have a further browse of the different research services that can be applied to your business conundrums.
Not sure what's best for you?
We’d love to bounce some ideas around with you. Either get in touch with us below or have a further browse of the different research services that can be applied to your business conundrums.
The Eureka! approach
Once the project objectives and target audiences have been agreed, we progress through these key stages.
Recruitment of target
We write a recruitment questionnaire (or screener) to ensure the target audience matches the research requirement. This is typically a survey of 6 to 10 questions that we use to screen potential participants (for example) by job role, age, work focus, seniority, income, awareness or usage of a brand or product, etc. We are experts at convening groups with harder to reach audiences such as tradespeople.
Topic guide
The session itself is usually framed by a topic or discussion guide that captures the key elements that need to be covered. We would agree the contents of this with the client, well in advance of the sessions. Discussions are not visibly scripted however and are free flowing allowing participants to bring their own thoughts, ideas, and questions to each discussion and for us as moderators to alter the flow of the session as we see fit. We encourage our clients to view all of their focus group discussions, there’s nothing quite like being there! Our software also allows clients to view discreetly in an online environment.
Focus group sessions
In the main, we aim to keep these informal to ensure participants are relaxed and in familiar surroundings. While groups can be convened in more formal surroundings such as viewing facilities, we are more often found in more natural surroundings such as a pub or hotel function room, community, or school hall. Exercises and engaging tasks are typically included within the sessions e.g. group, paired or individual to keep energy levels high and seek to look at scenarios through a different lens. The typical session lasts for around 90 minutes.
Reporting
We will develop a report following the sessions, varying from a top-line summary to a fully detailed output (dependent on client requirements). This is often supplemented with audio recordings and video as required.
German Lager
Delving into the behaviours and attitudes of category drinkers to tease out the depth of feelings towards German lager.
Salamander Pumps
Focus group research with business owners to assess attitudes to potential new innovation in the category.
German Lager
Delving into the behaviours and attitudes of category drinkers to tease out the depth of feelings towards German lager.
Salamander Pumps
Focus group research with business owners to assess attitudes to potential new innovation in the category.
Eureka! Research
6 Parkside Court | Greenhough Road
Lichfield | Staffordshire | WS13 7AU
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