Listen up: a guide for the focus group observer

What reforms do people really want in health care? Why do voters oppose a sales tax for new roads? How can homeowners be convinced to allow a new real estate development adjacent to their neighborhood?

On any given weeknight in America, from Atlanta, Georgia, to Yakima, Washington, hundreds of focus groups are being conducted to gauge the tastes, preferences, and inclinations of the American public. Although most focus groups concentrate on consumer marketing, they have also made their mark in the world of political research. Not only do they help elect candidates, they also play an important role in the passage and defeat of ballot propositions.

To an increasing extent, focus groups are being used whenever public opinion has an important bearing on how an issue is resolved. Although focus group findings can't yield statistical projections in the manner of quantitative survey research, they are powerful tools nonetheless. Most research techniques do not allow you to watch the information gathering process in action. While you learn results and what they mean, the techniques of collecting the research data are hidden.

The art of the focus group is born of the skill of asking questions. Unlike quantitative research, however, qualitative research techniques allow far greater flexibility in what questions are asked and how they are structured. Just remember that the art of asking questions should not be confined to the moderator querying respondents.

Planning Questions

Good focus group observers regularly ask themselves questions as well:

* What are the broad issues I would like to cover during the course of the discussion? (Pick ten or so issues.)

* What specific questions would I like to have answered as a result of these focus groups? (Pick five or so questions.)

* What do I already know about the issue under consideration?

* What facts are under discussion? (Don't guide the focus group and try to anticipate their likely responses.)

* What does the body language of listeners in the group say about a respondent?

Mirror, Mirror

Often a one-way mirror separates a focus group observer from the respondents. This can be an effective visual barrier, provided you keep certain guidelines in mind. Respondents are usually quick to determine that a one-way mirror is present; it's a good idea for the moderators to tell respondents about the mirror, the audio taping, and the fact that they will probably be observed at some point during the discussion.

The following actions will negate the one-way nature of the mirror:

* Getting too close to the mirror. People or objects closer than 12 to 18 inches can sometimes be seen faintly.

* Lighting cigarettes, smoking, or otherwise using a point source of light behind the mirror (at any distance). You won't be seen, but the source of light will, reminding respondents that someone is back there.

* Turning on the lights in the viewing room. If you want to be sure you are detected, this is the way to do it! Keep in mind, any light from behind the mirror is a problem, even from adjacent rooms or from a door opened to the outside.

While it can provide a good visual barrier, the one-way mirror is less effective in masking sound. When the group is active, very quiet talking is permissible in the viewing room. But when the focus group respondents are not making noise, the viewing room should be quiet, too. Even if the respondents are carrying on a lively discussion, they are likely to hear any loud noise from behind the mirror: coughing, laughter, exclamations of delight (or horror).

The best rule: If you want to talk, particularly for an extended period, do so outside the viewing area. Not only will this help keep respondents from hearing anything, but it's also considerate to those who may be listening intently to the discussion.

Another important element of good observation is understanding what function the moderator serves in the process. Before the focus group takes place, the moderator will need to develop a questionnaire that must be followed very closely.

Christopher Herbert is president of The Insight Group, an opinion research firm in Phoenix, Arizona.

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