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Effective Focus Groups

Effective Focus Groups. What’s a Focus Group?. It is a technique. “…a means to elicit ideas and attitudes about a specific product, service or opportunity in an interactive group environment. The participants share their impressions, preferences and needs, guided by a moderator.”.

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Effective Focus Groups

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  1. Effective Focus Groups

  2. What’s a Focus Group? It is a technique. “…a means to elicit ideas and attitudes about a specific product, service or opportunity in an interactive group environment. The participants share their impressions, preferences and needs, guided by a moderator.” BABOK 3.0, Technique 10.21

  3. What’s a Focus Group? • made up of PEOPLE • who possess certain characteristics • provide qualitative data • in a focused discussion • to help understand a topic of interest Kreuger & Casey, “Focus Groups”

  4. What isn’t a Focus Group? • More than 12 people in the room • Only scheduled for 30 minutes • Moderator spends more time speaking than anyone else • Participants are expected to agree

  5. What isn’t a Focus Group? • Brainstorming Used to help solve problems • Communication Meeting Information is presented, not sought • Decision Meeting Gains consensus, decides

  6. When do BAs use Focus Groups? BABOK 3.0 • Elicitation and Collaboration • Conduct Elicitation task • Strategy Analysis • Analyze Current State task • Define Change Strategy task • Requirements Analysis and Design Definition • Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution task • Solution Evaluation • Measure Solution Performance task • Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value task

  7. When is a Focus Group Appropriate? When you want to know…. • What people are feeling • How strongly people are feeling • Ideas • What people think

  8. When a Focus Group isn’t Appropriate? • Personal, sensitive topics • Emotionally charged issues • There is no intention to use the information

  9. Focus Group – Lets get Started 1. Understand Scope, then Plan 2. Execute 3. Analysis and Report 4. Closing

  10. Focus Group – Understand Scope 1. What’s the issue, the question, the decision? Focus Group informs the decision-making process, the Focus Group is notthe Decision-Making Process 2. Who has the info we need? 3. When do we need the info? 4. Can we do this ourselves?

  11. Focus Group – Plan 1. Build the Schedule. 2. Identify participants. 3. Build the Interview. 4. Plan the Communications. 5. Agree on format for delivering results

  12. Focus Group – Plan • Who has the info you need? 2. Identify participants. • Who haven’t you heard from? • Who may be most affected? • What joins or divides participants? Job? Female/Male? Age?

  13. Focus Group – Plan 2. Identify participants.

  14. Focus Group – Plan 1. Build the Schedule. 2. Identify participants. 3. Build the Interview. 4. Plan the Communications. 5. Agree on format for delivering results

  15. Focus Group – Plan • What are the key questions? • Create lead-in and follow-up questions. 3. Build the Interview. • Lock-in the key interview questions prior to the first Focus Group.

  16. Focus Group – Plan 3. Build the Interview.

  17. Focus Group – Plan 1. Build the Schedule. 2. Identify participants. 3. Build the Interview. 4. Plan the Communications. 5. Agree on format for delivering results

  18. Focus Group – EXECUTE! 1. Work through the Schedule. 2. Fight scope change, adapt to participant changes. 3. Debrief, maintain consolidated notes. 4. Provide in-process updates.

  19. Focus Group – Analysis & Reporting 1. Compile feedback. 2. Identify key pieces of feedback received. 3. Highlight themes and make recommendations. 4. Deliver final report.

  20. Focus Group – Closing 1. Ensure the Communication Plan is executed. 2. Record final feedback. 3. Reminder about that Communication Plan. 4. Capture and share Lessons Learned. 5. Don’t forget Communication Plan.

  21. What does a Focus Group look like? • One Moderator • One or two Scribes • Comfortable setting • Snacks or a light meal

  22. What does a Focus Group look like? Let’s see one….

  23. What did you see? • Opening statement? Level-setting? • Explanation of purpose and setting Ground Rules? • Participants taking part; agreeing and disagreeing? • Facilitator pulling people into the discussion?

  24. Where can you find out more? Focus Groups Kreuger and Casey

  25. Effective Focus Groups Thank You • Howard Pearce, CBAP Cleveland Chapter International Institute of Business Analysis

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