METHOD OVERVIEW
Focus groups are semi-structured discussions with a small group of persons (usually 6-12 people) sharing a common feature (e.g., women of reproductive age, shareholders in an irrigation system, users of a certain service, etc.). A small list of open-ended topics, posed as questions or participatory tasks, is used to focus the discussion. (CARE 1998)
Focus groups have been increasingly used in participatory evaluations and research to identify and describe insider perceptions, attitudes, and felt needs on a defined topic. Focus group methods are also used with PRA tools to discuss and record the results. (CARE 1998)
Strengths of Focus Groups: (CARE 1998)
- Group interaction enriches the quality and quantity of information provided
- Focus group discussions are quite good at disclosing the range and nature of problems, as well as eliciting preliminary ideas about solutions.
Weaknesses of Focus Groups: (CARE 1998)
- Practice and experience in qualitative evaluation and research procedures are needed, especially thorough note-taking and sensitive facilitation.
- Large amounts of information are easily obtained, necessitating skills in extracting and summarizing for the analysis
HOW TO CONDUCT FOCUS GROUPS
Information in this section has been excerpted entirely from: CARE & Barton, Tom (1998). Program Impact Evaluation Process, Module 2: M&E Toolbox. CARE Uganda. Accessible here.