Online Focus Groups

Online focus groups are a new and evolving alternative to in-person groups. There are two basic forms: real time Internet groups and ongoing chat rooms.

Internet groups are not necessarily less expensive than in-person groups. Participants still need to be recruited (and more of them since there are more no-shows), participants still expect incentives, management of the groups is time intensive, and reporting takes just as much time.

Compared with Internet chat rooms, a real time Internet group is more like its in-person counterpart. Respondents log onto an Internet site and type their responses to a question posed by the moderator and to comments made by participants. Internet groups are not necessarily less expensive than in-person groups. Participants still need to be recruited (and more of them since there are more no-shows), participants still expect incentives, management of the groups is time intensive, and reporting takes just as much time. Participants can see the comments of all participants and the moderator. The moderator guides the discussion by probing and moving to new topics. In addition, the moderator can communicate individually with respondents if the need arises – to encourage participation, for example. Real time groups are generally shorter than in-person groups – 60 - 90 minutes as respondents fatigue more quickly. They have fewer respondents, (usually 5 or 6), and but can actually move along at a slower pace than traditional in-person groups. Internet groups can be conducted faster than in-person groups (as travel time is eliminated), with participants anywhere in the country, and at a greater range of times since participation is generally at home. They are a great way to conduct groups with the technically savvy or with hard to find respondents. Younger respondents are especially comfortable with chat rooms, so Internet groups are a good way to conduct qualitative research with this population segment. Ongoing chat rooms are much like other common chat rooms. These begin with a moderator posing questions and respondents answering, as well as responding to one another’s comments at their leisure. Such groups can go on over the course of a week or more, with the moderator adding questions or redirecting discussion as needed. One advantage of either approach is that a transcript of the dialog is available immediately after the session. Also, respondents can be less inhibited than with face-to-face groups, and therefore express deeper feelings.

Pros		Cons
A record of the group discussion is created immediately.		Visual cues from respondents and clues to the meaning of words are absent.
Convenient for participants (participate at home), and participants can be from anywhere.		Since speaking is faster than typing, the total amount of content will be less.
They can be readily used to show pictures, video images and even to investigate websites.		Many potential respondents will not be comfortable communicating online.
Clients can guide the discussion without being noticed by participants.		Quiet participants are more difficult to coax into participation, and participants can be readily distracted.
Participants are often more direct when typing.		The discussion only moves as fast as the slowest typist. Fast typists will feel like they are always waiting; slow ones will feel pressured.