Davis & Company - Focus Group Walk in the Park

• Storytelling

• Voting

Make your next research project a walk in the park!

Tip for web-based focus group This exercise is not appropriate for web-based focus groups.

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

Question or exercise?

If you’re looking for a quick and easy exercise, voting is for you. Use this tactic to get the pulse of opinions in the group before jumping into a topic.

• Drawing

• Storytelling

Tip for web-based focus group In a web-based focus group, use a PowerPoint slide for each question and ask employees to respond using web polling or instant messaging.

• Drawing

Most employees have spent too much time in boring meetings and they’ve become accustomed to sitting back and listening. You can raise the bar with your next focus group by using games or exercises. Interaction is not just a tactic to get people involved, it’s often a better way to learn what employees are thinking.

This do-it-yourself guide

Consider using this tactic as a warm-up exercise or to introduce a new topic. Surveys can help to get the conversation flowing, especially if participants are not used to speaking up in front of others or sharing their opinions.

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

Increase participation in your next focus group

Tip: Practice makes perfect Test your exercise with a small group of colleagues before you start a focus group. The trial run will help you work the kinks out.

• Scenarios

Word association or sentence completion

Instruct employees to sort a series of words, pictures or ideas into categories. Similar to putting a puzzle together, participants move words around as they think about the grouping that makes the most sense to them.

Focus group exercise 5

When to use an exercise

Tip: Energize participants To give your focus group a boost of energy, create an exercise that requires employees to get out of their seats. For example, ask them to vote with stickers on topics posted on a board.

• Select the right participants • Build a discussion guide • Moderate like a professional • Deal effectively with challenging participants and unexpected events • Analyze your data • Develop insightful conclusions and recommendations

Short survey

• Voting

How it works:

Tip: Help introverted or shy employees Exercises are a great way to encourage participation when employees: • Don’t speak the language of the moderator very well • Are reluctant to appear critical or challenging • Feel nervous about giving “the right answer”

• Grouping

Tip for web-based focus group If you use this exercise in a web-based session, share the survey as a PowerPoint slide and ask employees to respond using web polling or instant messaging.

• Drawing

How it works:

An exercise can be time-consuming, requiring 20 minutes or more. So the value of the exercise has to be weighed against the time it will take.

Storytelling

• Voting

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

Tip: Help shy or reluctant participants If you have participants who are shy and not used to sharing opinions in the workplace, ask them to partner with a colleague or work in teams.

• Drawing

How it works:

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

For more information about employee communication, visit us at www.davisandco.com/services

Tip for web-based focus group This exercise is not appropriate for web-based focus groups.

• Word association

Tip for web-based focus group To perform this exercise in a web-based focus group, share words or phrases using PowerPoint slides or a virtual white board and ask employees to respond using chat/instant messaging or call on them verbally.

Distribute a short survey and ask participants to circle an answer or fill in a blank.

How it works:

Use this tactic to explore a topic in great detail.

Tip: Watch the clock! Keep in mind this exercise usually requires a significant time, so plan your agenda accordingly.

Grouping

Focus group exercise 6

• Drawing

When you start a session, use this tactic to help participants practice speaking up in a group. It’s also a great way to boost energy during a focus group.

Focus group exercise 3

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This hands-on activity is a fun way to get participants focused by asking them to solve a challenge.

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

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• Short survey

• Storytelling

Ask employees to finish a sentence or freely associate about a topic.

• Scenarios

Use this exercise when you want to understand how employees feel or what they believe. Storytelling helps shed light on why people have certain opinions or perceptions.

After you draft your discussion guide, review your questions carefully. Maybe there's one that could work better as an exercise.

Voting

How it works:

• Short survey

This do-it-yourself guide provides everything you need to manage and facilitate employee focus group.

How it works:

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

• Word association

Tip: How many exercises? There’s no right number, but you don’t want to overload your agenda. As a rule of thumb, use one exercise per focus group, but if you have a challenging participant group, it may be necessary to include more than one to keep the conversation flowing.

• Grouping

Ask participants to demonstrate their preferences by a show of hands or voting with stickers.

• Voting

Focus group exercise 1

• Word association

• Grouping

Focus group exercise 4

• Word association

Focus group exercise 7

• Word association

Take a walk to explore 7 exercises that encourage engagement

• Word association

Make your next research project a walk in the park!

• Scenarios

Tip for web-based focus group To use this tactic in a web-based focus group, call on employees by name and ask them to share an experience they’ve had or have heard about from a co-worker.

Use exercises at the beginning of a focus group as a warm-up, or in the middle of the session to explore a topic in depth or raise the energy level.

Scenarios

• Grouping

Tip for web-based focus group This approach works well in a web-based session. After you’ve shared your scenario, call on employees by name and ask how he/she would solve the problem.

Focus group exercise 2

How it works:

Think Pictionary! Ask employees to draw a picture of a daily work process or a goal. The illustrations will provide a clear picture of the problem, such as missing tools, steps or knowledge.

Drawing

• Storytelling

• Grouping

Buy your copy today

provides everything you need to manage and facilitate employee focus groups.

Want to learn more about focus groups? Get our definitive guide: paperback or e-book.

• Short survey

Ask participants to talk about a past experience or give a personal example.

Tip: Prepare follow-up questions Follow-up questions help draw out more information and explore the topic in more detail. Use follow-up questions to dig deeper into employees’ stories.

Present a semi-fictional situation and ask participants how they would handle it.

Watch the time devoted to exercises

Use this tactic when employees are reluctant to criticize. Participants are more willing to offer advice on solving an issue when it’s fictional.

• Grouping

• Short survey

• Drawing