Focus group discussions are a type of qualitative research where a small group of people are asked questions in an interactive group setting about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement or idea. They typically involve 8-12 participants and last 1-2 hours. Focus groups are used to explore complex behaviors and motivations, find consensus on topics, and gain insights in a friendly manner. They provide real-life data in a social environment quickly and cost-effectively, but require skilled facilitation and data is more difficult to analyze than quantitative data. Proper planning and facilitation is important to get useful results and deal with potential issues that may arise.