At a time when qual researchers are being told by the MRS to take their in-person research and do it online, this presentation provides some practical steps and guidance on how to transfer your focus group discussion guides into engaging, creative online qual tasks and activities. You’ll learn how to do it and be inspired by the possibilities to unearth even more (and contextual) data and insight. Speakers: Dr Marie-Claude Gervais and Dr John Whittle

1. Moving your focus groups online:
rich qual insights via asynchronous
online communities
Webinar sponsored by Further
Dr Marie-Claude Gervais & Dr John Whittle
Webinar, 22 July 2020

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Moving your focus groups online:
rich qual insights via asynchronous online communities

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Dr Marie-Claude
Gervais
____________________________________
Research Director
Dr John Whittle
____________________________________
Associate Director

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Why did you want to use focus groups?
4
Sample opinions quickly
& economically
Group dynamics Observing non-verbal
behaviour

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Time dimension
Individual
verbal and
non-verbal
What you gain from online communities
5
Group
dynamics
Context
Time

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Asynchronous
communities
Focus
groups
Offline focus groups and online communities
•Participants answer set questions and
activities over time
•Deeper consideration by all
•Control over confidentiality / privacy
•Lower costs: no venue hire or
transcription fees
•Stimuli and responses can both use
multimedia
•Segmentation at the point of task
allocation and analysis
•Face-to-face and synchronous
•Participants think and answer in the moment:
spontaneous answers
•An average of about 10 minutes of data per
person per group
•Danger of dominant responses and passive
contributors
•Some questions remaining unanswered

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Basic tenets
1 2
5 6
The flow Time & space
Bring the noise! Specify!
3 4
7
Creative freedom Output or put out?
Two steps ahead

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1. The flow
Tuckman’s Stages of
Group Development

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2. Time & space
You have more time and space… so do your participants
1.
Greater reflection and
reaction to ideas and
experiences
2.
Sharing experiences as
they happen over time
3.
Tasks which you might
normally hesitate to ask
in person / a focus
group

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2. Time & space
10

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3. Creative freedom
1.
Move past simple (or
boring!) questions
2.
What is the ideal type of
data to answer your
insight objective?
3.
Leverage the power of
your platform
4.
Participants can express
themselves on their own
terms

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4. Output or put out?
1.
So much data!
2.
Start with the
end in mind
3.
Know your platform;
ask suppliers for help
4.
Use design and
optimisation services

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5. Bring the noise!
Answer:
Capture and
hold attention
through activities
Distractions
1. Reach people
on their turf
2. Closer to
emotional
experience
Think about your
audience, TOV and
objectives
Empower where you
need to
Use formatting tools to
highlight key instructions
Key:
Your activity is
providing the opening
part of your
conversation.
Tip:
Use welcome videos or
visual stimulus to
introduce you and your
team

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6. Specify!
Keep it simple. Keep it basic. Keep it clear.
Intent behind
question
Client
objective
Details Direction

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7. Two steps ahead
More structure
≠
less exploration
Good platforms allow
follow-up to continue
the conversation
Leave space for a
‘surprise’ activity
Co-ordinate for
reflection, creation
and iteration
Further’s model
Explore
Evaluate
Create
A project can use multiple
phases and testing types

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The golden triangle
The
perfect
activity
Does it generate an output
that is easy for me and my
team to use?
Is it creative / fun /
engaging / easy for
participants?
Does it achieve the
desired insight objective?

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Activity demonstration

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Activity demonstration

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Activity demonstration

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Further tips
20
… for practice … for materials … for every brief
Support is on hand…

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Visit our website at: go-further.co
+44 (0) 20 3515 3301
© 2019 Further. Further is a division of Youmeus Limited.

22. Q & A
Ray Poynter
NewMR
Dr Marie-Claude
Gervais
____________________________________
Research Director, Further
Dr John Whittle
____________________________________
Associate Director, Further