Focus group discussion
Focus groups are a form of group discussion that has been used since the middle of the 20th century. Initially they served mainly exploratory purposes and were soon used in market and consumer behavior studies. Nowadays they have become a standard method of qualitative research, which has become increasingly popular and is applied in diverse areas of market, attitudinal and social research.
In focus groups a group of between 4 and 12 participants are led under controlled conditions to discuss a specific topic. The objective is to identify opinions, experiences and attitudes of participants and the group as a whole, and to observe behavior patterns and group dynamics. The advantages lie in the low-cost and relatively quick, simultaneous surveying of several people, and insight arising from group effects that might not emerge in individual interviews.
Marketing uses focus groups to get feedback on products (see photos on this page), packaging, small ads, brandnames, services etc. In addition, focus groups can be used to evaluate attitudes and opinions towards brands, enterprises or new product and service ideas.
The departmental lab provides perfect conditions for running focus groups. Room size is ideal for typical focus groups, and the latest technical equipment for recording group discussions is available.