Focus Group Interviews

Gathering information from respondents takes place during the group discussion focused on a given subject, carried out by a professional moderator. The group usually consists of 6 – 8 participants. FGI method is based on a dialogue. Participants are encouraged to express themselves freely, oral and written, and to take part in individual and group tasks designed for gaining subconscious information.

A great benefit of FGI is the opportunity to use group processes that are evoked during the discussion:

  • spontaneous effect – our opinions are formed when meeting other people and not if alone, thus the group environment is a more natural place for expressing opinions
  • synergy effect – the effort of the whole group reveals additional potential of the individual, and in consequence leads to creating a wider range of opinions and ideas than it would if speaking individually with each participant
  • snow ball effect – responses from some participants trigger off responses from others which means more information
  • stimulation effect – a group increases the motivation to carry out a task, thus there is a bigger willingness to discuss
  • security effect – a group gives a sense of security, thus opinions are expressed more freely.

FGI’s are used:

  • to reveal participants’ attitudes and beliefs
  • to describe the emotions associated with a product/ service/ brand
  • to understand the image of a brand or product,
  • to assess advertising concepts or ideas,
  • to examine the motivation behind purchases and decisions,
  • to look for new applications of known products (but not for new ideas as FGI is not usually so creative),
  • to understand attitudes towards social phenomena.