Focus Group
Discussion (FGD)
What is Focus Group Discussion (FGD)?
• A focus group discussion involves gathering people from similar
backgrounds or experiences together to discuss a specific topic
of interest.
• It is a form of qualitative research where questions are asked
about their perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or ideas.
What is Focus Group Discussion (FGD)?
• In focus group discussion participants are free to talk with
other group members; unlike other research methods it
encourages discussions with other participants.
• It generally involves group interviewing in which a small
group of usually 8 to 12 people.
What is Focus Group Discussion (FGD)?
• The group is chosen due to predefined demographic traits.
• The group's composition and the group discussion should be
carefully planned to create a non-intimidating environment, so that
participants feel free to talk openly and give honest opinions.
What is Focus Group Discussion (FGD)?
• Participants are actively encouraged to not only express their own
opinions, but also respond to other members and questions posed
by the leader.
• focus groups offer a depth and variety to the discussion that would
not be available through surveys.
What is Focus Group Discussion (FGD)?
• FGDs are structured and directed, but also expressive, they can
yield a lot of information in a relatively short time.
• FGDs are a good way to gather in-depth information about a
community’s thoughts and opinions on a topic.
• The course of the discussion is usually planned in advance and
most moderators rely on an outline, or guide, to ensure that all
topics of interest are covered.
Key Features of FGDs
• Involves organized discussion with a selected group of individuals to
gain information about their views and experiences of a topic.
• Particularly suited for obtaining several perspectives about the same
topic.
• Helps in gaining insights into people’s shared understanding of everyday
life and the ways in which individuals are influenced by others in a group
situation.
Key Features of FGDs
• The role of the moderator is very significant, as good levels of group
leadership is required to moderate a group successfully.
• Based on the focus of your research, you can adopt one or more types of
focus groups for your investigation.
• Common types of focus groups you should consider include:
• Dual-moderator focus group
• Mini focus group
• Client-involvement focus group
• Virtual or online focus groups.
Major steps involved in FGDs
• Identify the type of respondents as per the study
• Select moderator and field teams
• Develop facilitators’ guide and format for recording responses
• Train field team and pre-test instruments
• Conduct FGD
• Analyze and interpret responses
Skills Required to Conduct FGDs
• Focus group discussion, like all research/study methods, it requires
considerable skills, competencies and expertise such as:
• The researcher needs to be flexible and free of biasness and
prejudices.
• A good understanding of the subject, problem, or topic to be
investigated.
• It includes both theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
Skills Required to Conduct FGDs
• Proficiency in the language in which discussions will be conducted.
• Focus group discussion cannot be conducted through an interpreter
or by third person, no matter what types of skills he/she has.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
• Act like the participants and you are equal.
• Wear clothes that fit in with what they wear.
• Look innocent, as if you didn’t know things, even if you do.
• Have all your questions planned. Your job is to simply facilitate the
focus group happening.
• Start with open questions.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
• The first question should be general to get people warmed up, say
about participants’ views about the topic.
• If you hear of something you haven’t heard of before, ask the person to
tell you more about it.
• At the beginning, explain you will be confidential, that you invite them to
be confidential and what will happen to the information they give you.
• If there will be a report, explain who it will go to and how it will be used.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
• If someone shares an opinion, check with others in the group
whether they share the view.
• Go around the room and get each person to answer your first
question, to draw everyone in.
• Keep praising and thanking people for their contribution. Make them
feel their contribution is welcome and worthwhile.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
• Be sympathetic about the issues they raise, even if you think some
are using the focus group as a bit of a whinge session.
• Regularly ask questions of specific people, to draw people in.
• Feel free to change the order of the questions if someone brings up
something that relates to a later question.
Do’s and Don’ts
Don’ts
• Do not ask leading questions.
• Do not ask ‘yes or no’ questions, as this does not open up
discussion, start up with ‘why’?
• Do not ask double-barreled questions. People cannot answer two
questions at once.
• Do not tell people they are wrong.
• If someone seems really shy, do not pressurize them to speak.
Do’s and Don’ts
Don’ts
• Do not be embarrassed if you don’t understand something. Go
ahead and ask for an explanation. Your mission is to explain the
unknown, the unclear and the ambiguous.
• Generally, try not to shut people down. Welcome their contribution
whatever it is.
• Never say, “We’ll be talking about that later, not now.”
Advantages of focus group discussion
The advantages of focus group discussion are as follows:
• Free and open discussion among the respondents results in generation of
new ideas that can be very useful for decision-making.
• A focus group is not static. The moderator can bring any changes in order
to better facilitate the discussion during the group discussion. This
dynamism allows better results in terms of information derived by a focus
group.
• Expressions other than those in verbal form such as gestures and
stimulated activities can provide researcher with useful insights.
Disadvantages of focus group discussion
The disadvantages of using focus group discussion are as follows:
• Though moderator can control the discussion, the extent to which
he/she can control the discussion depends on his/her experience.
• Inexperienced moderator may face problems in controlling some
participants who try to dominate the group.
• Respondents may be reluctant to share some sensitive ideas and
concerns publicly.
Disadvantages of focus group discussion
• Due to small sample size and heterogeneity of individuals, the
findings may not be adequate to make projections or the composite
picture of the situation.
• An FGD can be a very artificial set-up that influences the
respondents to express and act unnaturally. The findings may be
far from the actual.
