{"id":24601,"date":"2023-01-31T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revuze.it\/blog\/?p=24601"},"modified":"2023-09-06T05:57:58","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T05:57:58","slug":"focus-group-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revuze.it\/blog\/focus-group-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"53 Focus Group Questions to Ask for Better Insights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Focus group questions allow discussion to be used as a means of gaining detailed qualitative information. From issues regarding PR to product specifications, nothing brings more information than an in-depth, interactive conversation. Find out below how to ask the right focus group questions to understand the market better.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Focus groups can be highly useful, but too often, you won\u2019t get the information that you need from them. <\/span>They have disadvantages<\/span><\/a>; whether that\u2019s due to misinterpretations, misunderstandings, or simply recording information the wrong way, you can end up more confused than when you started.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Focus
Focus group questions can lead to confusing & conflicting information if not asked in the correct manner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The key to great focus groups appears before you\u2019ve even opened your mouth, and that\u2019s writing excellent focus group questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this piece, we\u2019re going to help you nail this aspect. We\u2019ll talk a bit about focus groups, and discuss use cases, but – more importantly – we\u2019ll provide you with dozens of amazing focus group questions that will help you refine your market research and understand what your customers want and need.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s not what you say but how you say it that makes the difference.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the four types of focus group questions?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Focus groups function similarly to any conversation or debate you might have. You need to break the ice and introduce the main topics in a way that is easy to understand.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are four types of focus group questions you can ask, and these should be used no matter the topic that you\u2019re exploring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These consist of:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • An introduction.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • A prompt.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • A discussion.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • And a way to wrap up the discussion without leaving anything unsaid.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In that way, focus groups are similar to an essay or article in structure.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s take a look at the four types in more depth and learn why they\u2019re necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Introductory focus group questions<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Introductory questions are the foundations upon which your group will form their discussion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Essentially, introductory questions set the stage for what is to come next. They\u2019re ideal for ensuring that everyone is on the same page, but more importantly, they allow the group members to relate to one another.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    They should be simple and easy to answer, as it can prove difficult for participants to answer fully and honestly to strangers.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Introductory questions also serve as a means to gauge everyone\u2019s experiences with the topic that you will be discussing. Someone who\u2019s been interacting with you on a monthly basis will have more insight on the topic compared to someone who does so once in a blue moon.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Some examples of introductory questions might be:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cWelcome to our focus group. Today, we\u2019ll be discussing [topic]. Could each of you please share a story about how you\u2019ve interacted with [topic] recently?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cHello, and welcome to our focus group. How did everyone find the journey here?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cWe\u2019re [brand], and today we\u2019re leading this focus group. Can you tell me when you last bought something from us?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    In each of the above examples, a context is given, and a simple question is asked. While these might seem irrelevant to the larger discussion, you should always ensure that the results are noted down for context.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Information is power.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Exploratory focus group questions<\/b><\/h3>\n

    These are the sparks that will light a fire in your participants.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Exploratory questions are always directly linked to the topic that you intend to gather information on and are designed to provoke discussion among the group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    These questions should be carefully designed with customer personas in mind so as to steer the conversation in the direction that you desire.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Each exploratory question should be specific enough to determine what your group will discuss but vague enough so that there isn\u2019t a straightforward and easy answer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    While that might sound paradoxical, remember your aim is to get your participants talking, not simply to get a yes or no answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Some exploratory questions that you might ask are:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cCould you give me an example of a bad experience you had with us?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cIf you could choose {this feature} or {that feature} when looking for product features, which would you pick and why?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cWhat alternative features do you think we should include with our product?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    Follow-up focus group questions<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Follow-up questions happen in the discussion period and are intrinsically linked to exploratory questions. They\u2019ll always come after an exploratory question has been asked and are related to that specific discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Because of this, some analysts might place them within the same category. However, there are distinct differences between the two.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The key difference is their focus. Exploratory questions are vague. They\u2019re designed to provoke a whole host of potential opinions from coming forth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Follow-up questions are precisely the opposite. They\u2019re designed to get pinpoint accurate information on how your participants feel, think, and might act.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Some examples of follow-up questions are:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cYou said that you dislike this feature. Why specifically would you say that?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cYou\u2019ve pointed out that there isn\u2019t much flexibility. How would you go about improving that if you were the designer?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2754 <\/span><\/i>\u201cWhen you use this item, you said you felt frustrated. Could you tell me a little bit more about what frustrates you about it?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    In each of the above examples, context is taken from the previous discussion and used to form the question.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    It can be very tricky to write follow-up questions in advance since they\u2019re so intrinsically linked to how the discussion evolves. Humans are unpredictable factors, and these discussions don\u2019t always go in a direction that you anticipate.<\/span><\/p>\n

    After all, if you could perfectly predict what people were going to say, what would be the point of a focus group?<\/span><\/p>\n

    The key to forming good follow-up questions is thinking on your feet. It\u2019s not easy, but if you know the topic well, you should have an idea of what information you need and how to aim these questions correctly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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