It is important that the moderator is competent and prepared;
there is a risk of bias in the result if leading questions were used;
If respondents are not prepared for an open conversation, the results will be unreliable;
It is not always possible to cover the entire society, so sometimes additional surveys are required;
This is not a cheap undertaking, since botim database planning the study, finding respondents and a moderator, and interpreting the results all cost money.
Despite the presence of so many shortcomings, the focus group method is currently in great demand, as customers are captivated by its speed and quality.
Situations in which focus groups are useless
There are six cases when the focus group method is not suitable:
It is necessary to collect statistical data. To solve such a task it is necessary to interview a large number of people, and the focus group is too small for this purpose.
There is no clear spectrum of opinions. For example, if the survey is devoted to something obviously obvious and everyone has the same opinion. And, conversely, if the issue is not researched, concerns forecasts on social topics that cannot be systematized or predicted.
The subject of discussion is too intimate or concerns finances. For example, contraception, personal hygiene, banking services.
The subject of the survey is tied to the social norms in force in society.
When discussing a problem, it is necessary that each respondent thoroughly understands all the nuances of the process.
The interests of the participants are in opposite directions.
The focus group method, or group in-depth interview, is usually considered a flexible or qualitative method of sociological research. At the moment, they have grown from a simple type of analytical method into an entire industry that serves the functioning of various market institutions.
Author of the article
Dmitry Svistunov
Dmitry Svistunov
Head of SEO and Development
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