A focus group discussion is one of the many participatory methods that can be used to gain insights into the workings of a community. It is one of the more formalized tools. In a focus group discussion, people from a similar background (i.e. from one community) come together to discuss a predefined topic. Ideally, the group size is between six and ten people.
A focus group discussion is used to gain further insights into a problem field. It can be used to get more information about unclear survey results or stepping stones in the course of a project. It needs to be prepared carefully as the facilitator needs to know exactly which questions it should answer. The facilitator needs to be neutral in behavior and appearance and cannot be an actor in the process. He/she also needs to make sure that everyone gets a chance to talk.
What results can be expected from a focus group discussion?
A focus group discussion can be a very good tool to unveil risks and facts that were previously unknown to the project agents. In the course of a discussion, participants might reveal more about their reasoning and the underlying causes of specific patterns of thinking and behavior. This is particularly important in cultural contexts where direct questions and interviewing techniques do not work well.
A focus group discussion is more focused on the process of discussion than the end result. For the facilitator, information about group dynamics and underlying reasons may be more useful than a final result or decision. Still, both the results and the discussion process need to be documented well.
Examples for situations where the application of a focus group discussion would make sense could be if:
- In a survey the satisfaction with your project is low, but no one can give you concrete reasons for it.
- A building project keeps getting sabotaged, but you don’t know the reason for it.
- The tree saplings your project distributes die, and no one wants to directly tell you the reason for it.
