West Berkshire Council

Consultation Toolkit

How to Run a Focus Group

Focus groups are a valuable part of the toolkit available to local

authorities in carrying out public consultation. Facilitating discussion in
a purposeful and open way, making sure everyone has the opportunity
to take part, coping with disruptive participants and making sure the
discussion remains relevant are all key aspects of convening focus
groups. The development of these skills is essential for maximising the
potential of focus groups and running them
The aim of this guide is to provide you with the necessary information
and resources to successfully carry out focus groups.
This guide is part of a wider toolkit which looks at managing and
undertaking consultation in West Berkshire Council (WBC). It provides
practical guidance on how to develop, conduct and commission
consultation and assess the quality of any output that you produce.
You can find the Toolkit in full on the Consultation area of the
intranet.
What is a Focus Group? For this reason, one of the more well-known
uses of focus groups is for finding out people's
Focus groups are where 8-10 people selected attitudes. Explaining and accounting for their
according to specific criteria - e.g. age, gender, own attitudes or views is sometimes easier for
service-user - interviewed together on a people when they hear other people's
particular subject. They usually last for 1½ to 2 opinions. As a result they are also useful to
hours. see how people's views or attitudes change as
a result of a discussion, or when we are
interested in more creative thinking - for
example, in developing or testing solutions or
When Should You Use a Focus strategies.
Group?
But, the public nature of focus groups, makes
Be aware of the distinction between focus them unsuitable for discussing personal or
groups and individual interviews. They collect sensitive topics or issues. These are better left
different data, in a different way. One-on-one to individual interviews where confidentiality
interviews focus on individuals. Focus groups can be assured.
on the other hand, centre on groups and are
Your consultation should be designed to meet
more interactive and discursive. They are
the specific needs of the question or issue you
useful if we are interested in finding out what
are looking at. The table below summarises
groups of people think, how consensus is
the key issues when considering these two
formed and how people interact with one
approaches.
another - rather than a detailed understanding
of individuals' rationale.

Individual, In-Depth Interviews Focus Groups

What Kind In-depth personal accounts Shaped by group interaction
of Data? In a personal context Explore how people discuss issues
Exploring issues in depth and detail For creative thinking and solutions
Investigate differences within or
between groups

What Kind Understanding complex processes and Abstract / conceptual subjects

of Topics? issues (e.g. motivations, decisions) Exploring social norms
Exploring sensitive subjects.

What Kind Who are less likely to travel Who are more likely to travel
of People? Who are dispersed Who live close together
Who are diverse Who have some shared background /
Issues of power / status interest to the topic
Who may have communication Who are unlikely to be inhibited by a
difficulties group setting.
Points to Consider in they say, or they could refuse to take part.
Developing Focus Groups. Group Composition
On an issue that concerns the community as a
Expertise whole, steps will need to be taken to ensure
that all sections of the community are
Get advice from someone who has carried out
represented. This might be best done through
focus groups in WBC. Have a look on the
the use of several focus groups, structured in
consultation calender on the intranet to see
terms of age, gender, social class, working
who has held some focus groups in the past.
status, ethnicity or geographical location as
Topic Guide appropriate.
A topic guide should always be prepared A key factor in designing a focus group study
before conducting focus groups. This is an is to balance depth and coverage. The more
ordered list of topics / questions to be covered. tightly defined the group is, the greater the
They are used to ensure that subject areas are depth of understanding that could be gained
covered systematically and with some through the discussion. Therefore, group
uniformity. composition will be influenced by the purpose
of the study, finances available and the
Strike a balance in drafting topic guides. On timeframe within which results are required.
the one hand, they should be flexible enough
to prompt and allow freer discussion, but on If you use mixed groups, think about their
the other they should not be a rigid list of appropriateness - e.g. are there likely to be
questions to be read out in succession. any gender, ethnicity and religious issues? Is
the facilitator suitable and sufficiently
Location independent from the group so that their
Consider whether the venue you intend to hold presence does not influence peoples'
it in is appropriate - will people feel responses and the direction of the discussion?
comfortable, not over- or under-whelmed. Make sure that composition of the groups
Ideally you should hold the focus group in the encourages rather than hinders the exchange
participants locality or community, in a building of ideas.
they are familiar with, one that is welcoming
and not intimidating. 'Free' local authority Recruitment
venues may be cost effective, but may not be You are not trying to be 'representative' when
the best option for your respondents. recruiting people to take part. However - this
may seem like an obvious point - but make
Tape Recording sure that the people you talk to reflect all the
Focus groups should always be tape-recorded issues and characteristics relevant to your
and transcribed. Note-taking is a poor means consultation. This could be simply by people's
of recording the discussion, not least because: role - such as bus driver, school child - or by
information will always be missed or less obvious criteria such as people's
misinterpreted; it distracts the moderator; and experiences, behaviours.
it gives unintended cues for participants to
slow down - or not to continue if something is People can be drawn from existing sources -
not being taken down. i.e. administrative data, mailing or membership
lists, published data or surveys etc. However, if
People rarely refuse to be taped so long as it these are not available you may need to
is explained why the discussion is being actively find and recruit people to take part.
recorded and the confidentiality of the tapes
and transcripts is assured. Indeed, anonymity You can make direct contact with people.
should always be assured from the outset. However, you might have difficulty either
Naturally, if people feel something could be identifying who you need to speak to, actually
attributable to them, this could change what making contact with them, or you think you
may not get much response. Therefore use
someone with 'inside knowledge' - i.e. a Unfortunately, there are no real shortcuts,
'gatekeeper' - to approach and recruit people although it is important to recognise that this
on your behalf. stage is AS important as doing the
consultation itself. Inadequate analysis will
Remember that although people agree to take leave you, on the one hand, with selective
part, this does not guarantee that they will extracts merely supporting one particular
come. If some people turn up, the session will viewpoint, or on the other, a simple catalogue
probably have to be run regardless. Therefore, of random, unfocussed quotations.
confirm people's invite / attendance in writing
and send a reminder with background Analysing qualitative data can be broken down
information prior to the meeting. Include notes into three stages:
on what to expect, detail facilities, car parking
and building access. 1. Familiarisation. Read the transcripts of
the interviews and familiarise yourself with
If it is thought that recruitment might be a the data. Literally 'label' the data so that it
problem, it is not uncommon to offer incentive can be easily identified and categorised as
payments. These can range from a small common themes emerge. Depending on
tokenistic £5 gift voucher to a more substantial your consultation, it could relate to age,
cash amount £20-30. gender, postcode or for example, whether
a view was prompted or based on actual
experience.
Cost
2. Organisation. Structure the data by
collating all the data under the different
The main cost if you are contracting out this
labels. Start building up an outline of the
work is that of the facilitator.
issues and begin compiling them under
Another key cost is for transcription. common themes.
Transcribing the discussions will allow you to 3. Interpretation. Issues and themes can
double-check aspects of the discussion and then start to be developed and tested.
make sure that you have not misinterpreted This stage - and your ability to develop
any parts of it. If you are undertaking a number explanations - lies at the heart of analysis.
of focus groups this will also allow you to Most data is very rich in the levels of
better analyse and compare emerging points explanation it can offer and you need to
and issues. You could do this yourself think about drawing out and explaining
(recommended if you are also do the analysis) why patterns, linkages or apparent
or employ a transcriber to do this for you. contradictions are found in the data.
You should at least cover participants' travel This can be a long and intricate process.
costs to and from venue, where you are setting There is however software available to help
up the focus group - as well as any incentive you label and code data. This is collectively
payments. termed CAQ-DAS. Speak to Jason Teal
(Consultation Officer) on x2102 if you want
Other costs include hire of a suitable venue, more information on this.
refreshments such as tea coffee, biscuits and if
appropriate a buffet. Whether undertaking the analysis yourself, or
someone else is doing the analysis for you,
there are a number of key principles to think
Analysing the Data about:
Focus groups collect vast amounts of text. Make sure that you have allowed
Therefore, although the process of determining sufficient time to analyse your results.
what people have said is easy to understand, It will always take longer than you think
breaking this down to make sure you have and it is usually the part that is cut short
captured a full and balanced picture of the because of delays earlier on. Rushed
views expressed is a time-consuming and analysis will only give you poor quality
complex process. findings.
 It is important that key messages from Do any of these patterns or findings
your exercise are clearly identified and suggest that additional data may need to
reported. You should also identify areas be collected? Do any of the study
where views diverge and opinions are questions need to be revised?
divided. See the Toolkit on the intranet Do the patterns that emerge
for some hints on identifying key corroborate the findings of the work? If
messages from your data. not, what might explain these
Analyse responses with an open mind discrepancies?
- otherwise the exercise will be seen to
validate a previously held view and it will Reporting Findings
be difficult to defend should the decision
it supports be subject to legal challenge.
Overall, when reporting or presenting your
Provide Balanced Views. On a results think about the diversity and range of
controversial issue views may be views that were expressed. Highlight patterns
strongly polarised. This may happen, for and themes in the discussion. Don't get
example, if a facility is deemed to be a bogged down in numbers or prevalence! Don't
'good thing' by the population as a just list quotes, use what people said to
whole but no-one wants it in their own illustrate and amplify the discussion.
back yard.
The key is to portray the subtleties and detail
When reporting, make sure that of the data whilst maintaining the balance and
confidentiality assurances have been link between description and interpretation.
kept and you have complied with the Elaborate accounts, insufficient description of
Data Protection requirements. linkages, too little selectivity of the issues
being conveyed and over-reliance on
Provide clear feedback. Consultees describing rather than interpreting data, are all
who do not feel that their point of view common issues in reporting interview data.
has been fairly represented may have
recourse to the Council's Good reporting should provide a clear account
representations procedure. Balanced of how the analysis was undertaken. It should
feedback can assist individuals who do be clear what is 'reported' data and what is
not like the decision that has been being inferred. Quotations can only partially
reached to feel that the process has explain the concept being described and so
given them a fair hearing. should be used to illustrate points being made
rather than to make the point itself.
Throughout the course of qualitative analysis, It should be apparent how conclusions have
you should be asking and re-asking yourself been arrived at - what evidence backs up
the following questions: different findings, why some explanations have
been given more weight than others and how /
What patterns and common themes why explanations differ by people's
emerge in responses dealing with characteristics and circumstances.
specific items? How do these patterns
(or lack) help to answer your key Things to avoid in Reporting Qualitative
questions, aims and objectives? Data
Are there any deviations from these
patterns? If yes, are there any factors Don't quantify - that's not the point of
that might explain these atypical focus groups
responses? Don't overuse certain transcriptions /
What interesting stories emerge from respondents
the responses? How can these stories Don't duplicate quotes
help to illuminate your broader
Don't misapply quotes
question(s)?
 Make sure quotes are in context and sure the discussion runs at an
easy to understand appropriate pace so that you cover
Don't 'sanitise' quotes - tell it how it is!! everything you need to.

Don't overdo quotations - use them to As a moderator you cannot take

illustrate, rather than tell the story. accurate notes of the discussion, you
Be careful not to compromise will always miss information or possibly
confidentiality. interpret it differently. You should record
the discussion (seek permission to do
this first). The transcription will also
allow you to accurately analyse the
Key Tips for Running Effective discussion at a later date.
Focus Groups
It might be appropriate to provide
If you decide to undertake focus groups, it is paper, pens and flip charts to help
advisable to use a trained, independent promote discussion.
moderator to facilitate the group. Effective
Start with easy questions as a warm up
moderation is the key to a successful focus
and leave sensitive more complex
group. It is important to ensure that the
questions to the end after group
discussion does not diverge too much from the
dynamics and rapport has been
topic guide which lists the main areas of
established within the group. As
interest to be covered. It is the moderators' job
moderator you should not give your
to move the discussion along without imposing
opinion or say where you stand.
their own views and they must also ensure that
particular participants do not dominate the Ask questions that are simple, single,
discussion or 'shout down' others. open-ended and non-directive or
leading. Give people time to answer, do
For some people attending a focus group can
not rush to fill the silence or finish
be very intimidating and nerve-wrecking, it is
people's sentences. Make sure you
important to make people feel at ease. It is
probe fully, don't assume you know the
polite for the moderator to introduce
context / motivation for why someone
themselves and ask participants to say their
has said something. Do not allow side
name, where they are from and what they do,
discussions to take place, invite
this helps settles the group.
contributions and avoid getting locked in
If you do elect to run a focus group yourself, with one person. It is essential that you
some general tips are listed below: try and get everyone to take part,
neutralise the 'discussion hog' or
disruptive participant. Ask them to leave
Welcome people as they arrive. Help fill
if necessary.
the time before you start, mingle with
participants, collect details and hand out Concentrate and listen carefully, do not
incentives. let your attention wander.
Deal confidently and effectively with Pay attention to non-verbal signals.
practical matters such as refreshments,
incentives, tape recording and seating. Always end on a positive/constructive
note, invite questions and re-affirm uses
Before you begin introduce yourself and of findings and confidentiality.
the purpose of the group. for an ice
breaker ask people to introduce Remember you are in control: if you are
themselves. Name labels are also tentative the group will feel
useful. Set the ground rules and uncomfortable.
manage housekeeping. Eye contact is
very important, look up at respondents
rather than down at the guide and make
 Further Information

We hope you found this booklet helpful.

If you would like further information see
the Consultation Toolkit on the intranet
which will give a more detailed
discussion and provide you with further
advice, resources and pointers.

If you would like any further help and

advice with your consultation please call
Jason Teal (Consultation Officer) on
x2102.