Focus Group Plan

For group discussion and development on 2/24/09

[The purpose and goals are direct from our User Research Plan document]

Purpose:

A focus group will be conducted for the purpose of gathering data about the target audience’s preferences, experiences, and priorities in reference to software training.

Goals/Topics:“Should be phrased in terms of the project as a whole”

  1. Determine the user’s preferred instructional style
  2. Identify the user’s preferred method and degree of support
  3. Determine what features the users feel are a priority
  4. Establish where the user prefers to receive this training

Target Audience:

Webshop authors – our personas

Scope:

One focus group approx. 5 – 8 people meeting for no longer than 2 hours

Schedule:

Recruiting (in process)

Question development (Tues. 2/24– Thurs. 2/26)

Guide writing (Thurs. 2/26)

Prepare room and practice (Monday AM 3/2)

  1. Sign
  2. Table tents?
  3. Camera on own
  4. Audience at table observers chairs outside of table

Monday, March 2nd (exact time in PM TBA) – FOCUS GROUP

Structure:

1) Intro.

sets the tone and breaks the ice

  • introductions

explains the process

  • what are we going to do today and why
  • how they were chosen
  • inform of end goal

ground rules

  • people should be informed that their responses are neither right nor wrong
  • emphasize we want your opinion don’t worry about hurting our feelings
  • let the group members know that it is okay to agree or disagree with others' responses

video tape

  • for research purposes only
  • if we don’t have to write everything down we can concentrate on what you’re saying
  • statement of informed consent?

warm-up questions?

terms that will be used should be mentioned and clarified

2) Main discussion/questions

Possibilities

  • One large group with our 3 development groups framing our questions within the overall structure
  • Each group does a mini-focus group
  • Hybrid – conducted as one large group with designated time given to each development group (can present snip-it or specific ideas here)

Prioritization exercise? (pg. 221) – allows to focus on specific features

Competitor site (Linda.com or Techsmith)

3) Wrap-up

Thank the participants for their time and assure them that their responses will be kept completely confidential

Other Decisions to Make

Moderator (227-228)

Assistant Moderator

Food!

Questions

Is there a class Monday afternoon?

Do we need to do consent forms for video/audio tapping?

“A crucial step in the research process is to get the participants to sign consent forms before the focus group begins. The moderator (or assistant) needs to explain that the notes and audiotapes (if the discussion is audio recorded) will be kept completely confidential and that pseudonyms will be used in place of real names. Also, it should be stressed that no other personally identifying information will be used.”