Originally developed to obtain group opinions on product messaging or communications, focus groups are now often used to elicit feedback on interactive applications such as software or websites. In a typical focus group, a moderator demonstrates a concept and then solicits feedback from participants. However, this traditional format does not work well when evaluating complex interactive products. Focus group participants must use a product in depth before they can judge its effectiveness, voice their information needs or explain what features they want and why.
We do not believe focus groups can replace other valuable user experience activities, such as usability testing or field studies. However sometimes focus groups may be the only opportunity user researchers have to interact with users. Sometimes user researchers find that focus groups are easier to sell to a company that prefers this methodology. Also in some companies, focus groups may be established avenues for user feedback (such as customer advisory panels) that can be leveraged for collecting user data. In these cases, it may make sense to utilize focus groups for conducting user research since they are the only avenue available for speaking to users. Given this, care should be taken to try to make the data gathered in these focus groups as relevant as possible.
When other user experience research methods can’t be used, here are three user research methods that can be adopted for use in a focus group setting that we have found to be successful:
1. Product Exploration – Participants need to experience an interactive product in order to effectively comment on its usefulness. In product exploration, focus group participants familiarize themselves with an application by using it in depth. Before group discussion, each participant individually works through a series of tasks using a prototype of the application. The purpose of completing the tasks is not to assess usability, but to provide a foundation for group discussion. When finished with using the application, participants share their thoughts about their experience, explaining what they liked and disliked.
The benefit of this activity is that participants have a basis in the interaction before they form an opinion on how they would use it, or if it meets their needs. Requiring users to complete tasks using the application rather than an open-ended exploration also ensures that participants view a significant portion of the product.
2. Card Sorting – Deciding what features to implement or prioritize within an application is difficult. Often, features are created because of an imagined need and not an actual need. When asking participants to evaluate and choose between several different feature concepts, it can be challenging to allow deep discussion on each feature or achieve group consensus.
Card sorting is an established user research technique that provides concrete data on how users prioritize information. While traditionally a one-on-one activity, we have adapted it for groups to examine the relative value of proposed features and functions. Prior to group discussion, each participant receives a stack of index cards. Each card contains a description of a piece of content, feature or product. Participants sort through the cards by priority, marking them as high-value, medium-value or low-value. After each participant completes their sort, group discussion ensues. Data from each participant’s unique sort, plus the content of group discussion, are captured, providing richly layered data for analysis.
Adding a card sort to a focus group can provide a foundation for deciding which features should and should not be pursued. Individual card sorting sessions are still preferable when the goal of the card sort activity is to understand how users might organize content into their own categories.
3. Retrospective Modeling – When developing a content strategy for an interactive application, it is important to understand what information users need to support their decisions and questions. Simply asking users to read prospective content and comment on its adequacy is ineffective. Participants have difficulty recalling what they do and often describe their activities in vague generalities.
To uncover information needs in a focus group setting, we have used retrospective modeling. Participants work together to create a collaborative model of a process, such as the steps involved in buying a car. The moderator elicits steps from the participants, usually capturing ideas on sticky notes and putting them on a wall. To refine the model, participants must provide specific detail on their actions. Additional details are added to the model until everyone is satisfied that the end product is representative of how the process works in the real world.
Retrospective modeling provides a window into customers’ information needs, detailing when and how they make decisions, and what data they need to support those decisions. Researchers can use the process model to develop a content strategy that provides appropriate, targeted content to users when and where they need it. Compared to traditional focus groups, retrospective modeling provides an effective structure for modeling user behavior in a group setting.
Focus groups are usually not the best choice for conducting user research, but sometimes this is the only opportunity we have to speak to users face-to-face. We hope these techniques will help you gather more valuable data when using focus groups to learn about interactive products