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Focus group techniques: The use of photographs, images, texts, symbols, and props

Focus group techniques: The use of photographs, images, texts, symbols, and props. Interview → seeking answers or explanation to questions Focus group → seeking interaction and discussion Not always the answer Arriving at the answer can be more interesting than the answer itself

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Focus group techniques: The use of photographs, images, texts, symbols, and props

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  1. Focus group techniques: The use of photographs, images, texts, symbols, and props

  2. Interview → seeking answers or explanation to questions Focus group → seeking interaction and discussion Not always the answer Arriving at the answer can be more interesting than the answer itself “Dialogical Research” (Padilla 1993) Discussion is revelatory Discussion provides insight into deeper meaning Situations in which it is used

  3. Devices used to elicit discussion that help provide a deeper understanding, additional insight, or bring about wider range of issues for your research topic “Focusing exercises” (Bloor et al 2001) “Discussion Aids” (Stewart et al 2006) 'Participatory' Methods Props Tasks Visual Aids and materials Definition of method: Focus groups techniques

  4. Advantages: stimulate interest; engage participants Trigger responses Keep participants on task (non-verbal cues) Exploratory – use before more structured parts of session Balance – exploratory vs. task setting Eases comparison across many focus groups (constants) Provides different ways to participate Gives participants some security Re-shapes dynamic between researcher/participants by empowering subjects FUN!!! Why might you want to use these aids or techniques?

  5. Adaptive and flexible to best fit the needs of your project and research goals Wide Range of Techniques • Props – Printed cards (key words, topics, themes); photos, maps, texts, documents • Vignettes – hypothetical cases and scenarios • News Bulletin photo activity • Storytelling – how were participants involved with X • Participatory mapping • Mind mapping • Research findings – Do they agree/disagree? • First thoughts • Word association/ sentence completion • Ranking

  6. Mind Mapping

  7. GIS Mind Mapping Interviews Semi-structured Structured Open ended Focus Groups Participant Observation Questionnaire Survey Remote Sensing

  8. Participatory Mapping

  9. Props can be a distraction – keep out of the way until you need them Images/ props can limit or shape the type of responses (need to be critical of the items you select) Group size one group Multiple small groups International contexts Access to items Cultural context of items Disadvantages / Issues to consider

  10. “all affect interpersonal interaction” (Stewart et al 2006) Material Environment of Focus Groups • Drinks and snacks (non-alcoholic) • Name tags • Agenda • Room locations, size, arrangement • Interpersonal space

  11. How are places created and used in visual imagery? How do people view the world? How does imagery create cultural meaning? Analysis of films, photos, promotional materials, computer graphics Encoding, decoding, and interpretation of production and consumption of cultural meaning Visual Methodologies

  12. Kesby, Mike. 2005. Participatory diagramming: deploying qualitative methods through an action research epistemology. In Area 32, no. 4: 423-435. Meinhof, U. and D. Galasinski. 2000. Border Discourse. Changing Identities, Changing Nations, Changing Stories in European Border Communities. A State-of-the-Art Report. European Commission. Examples demonstrating method

  13. Bloor, Michael, Jane Frankland, Michelle Thomas, and Kate Stewart. 2001. Focus groups in social research (introducing qualitative methods series). Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE Publication Greenbaum, Thomas. 2000. Moderating focus groups : a practical guide for group facilitation. Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE Publication Padilla, R. 1993. Using dialogical research methods in group interviews. In Successful focus groups: advancing the state of the art, ed. David Morgan. Newberry Park, CA: SAGE Publications Stewart, David W., Prem N. Shamdasani, Dennis W. Rook. 2006. Focus groups : theory and practice, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE Publication Key Sources on method

  14. Bartram, R. 2003. Geography and interpretation of visual imagery. In Key methods in geography, ed. Clifford, Nicholas J. and Fill Valentine. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Pink, S. 2007. Doing visual ethnography: images, media and representation in research, 2nd. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Rose, G. 1996. Teaching visualized geographies: towards a methodology for the interpretation of visual materials. In Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 20, no. 3: 281 – 294 Rose, G. 2007. Visual methodologies: an introduction to the interpretation of visual materials, 2nd. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Young, L. and Hazel Barrett. 2001. Adapting visual methods: action research with Kampala street children. Area 33, no. 2: 141-152. Sources on Visual Methodologies

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