In the second part of this mini-series of how to get the most out of real-time video focus groups, Charlotte Evans covers the moderation of the session. This includes how to quickly built rapport & engage with participants, keeping conversations on track and making the most out of available technology.

Moderating Video Focus Groups

This is the second of a two part mini-series. In this second video, Charlotte Evans examines  how to improve moderation and analysis. In the first part, Charlotte covered the preparation stage of video focus groups.

Throughout this video, Charlotte highlights how it is the skill of the moderator that will make or break an online focus group - and shares advice on how to ensure that all participants have an equal opportunity to express their views.

When starting your focus group, one of the first things that you want to do is to build rapport with your participants. A quick way to do this is by using ice breaker questions such as asking each of your participants to quickly introduce themselves. This can really help to make your participants feel relaxed and at ease to take part.

Once you have done this, it’s a great idea to refocus your participants on your research topic. I find that providing a quick introduction to what you will be talking about is a nice way of getting your participants thinking about what questions might come next.

Next, when you begin asking your participants’ questions, the skill of any moderator will immediately need to come into play. Navigating your group’s dynamics relies on ensuring all of your participants have the opportunity to share their view. You might find some participants are more keen to share than others, so in groups such as this, you may need to direct your questions at specific participants by using their name. If a participant is talking for longer lengths of time, don’t be afraid to refocus the conversation and encourage someone else to share their view.

Online Research Hints & Tips

The Online Research Hints and Tips series is designed to provide quick, easy-to-digest and actionable advice to help you make the most out of online qualitative and quantitative efforts. Tackling topics that range from participant communication to database management, getting the most out of focus groups to engagement strategies - we're aiming to make the world of online research easier for everyone to understand.