Conducting Focus Groups: Talk Informing Action Information Services Assessment Council June 8, 2006

assessment an ongoing process in which services, resources and performance are measured against the expectations of users, and improvements are made to satisfy user needs effectively and efficiently.

What do we need to know?

Who can tell us?

How can we get the information?

What will it enable us to do?

What we’ll cover: What is a focus group? Why is it used? What can it tell us? How to organize and conduct one Examples from our experiences this past year Your questions

What is a focus group? A group of 4-12 people, selected according to some defined criteria, who engage in a focused discussion on a specific topic, facilitated by a moderator.

What a focus group is not: not a method for gathering quantitative data not a question and answer interview not a substitute for a survey not a gripe session

Why use a focus group? People tend to be more comfortable discussing a topic as part of a group Interaction among participants reveals more information Provides insight into role of peer pressure in relation to topic

What are they good for? Determining user habits &/or usage of specific resources & services Revealing user attitudes about specific resources & services Identifying the language and vocabulary of users with reference to resources & services

What good?...continued… Creating awareness of specific resources & services Generating ideas for new resources & services Testing possible survey questions Testing user reactions to promotional strategies

Successful focus group basics 4-12 participants (8-10 is ideal) Well-conceived discussion guide (leading questions) Quiet room with comfortable seating and refreshments minutes in duration 1-2 recorders 1 facilitator

The discussion guide Identifies the objectives of the exercise Outlines the process the focus group will follow Details the general discussion topics Details the specific discussion topics

Selecting participants Homogeneous is generally best Consider gender-specific groups, especially among students Consider using a screening questionnaire

The focus group setting: Quiet room with comfortable seating in conference-style or living room arrangement Refreshments easily accessible Paper and writing instrument at each seat Perimeter seating for recorders or observers Nametags for participants

Who should facilitate? An effective facilitator will exhibit the following characteristics: Good listener Good short-term memory Well-organized Personable Responsive Unbiased/neutral

Cautions for facilitators Facilitators can inhibit the effectiveness of the focus group by: Allowing one or two members to dominate the discussion Defending practices, policies, resources, etc. Allowing discussion to stray from the topic Interjecting opinion

Recording and observation Note taking Audio taping Videotaping Silent observation

Conducting the focus group: Introduction Warm-up discussion Specific discussion Closing

Introduction Facilitator introduces self Explain purpose of session Identify recording methods Distribute refreshments Review group rules

Warm-up Participants introduce themselves Discuss general issues related to topic

Specific topic discussion Discuss specific topics introduced from discussion guide

Closing Gather information forgotten or omitted Any “further advice for...” Thank participants Tell participants how/where to collect compensation

Compensation Food and drink Money Other valuable consideration

Some recent focus group topics...

Desktop support in IS Six focus groups of one-hour duration were conducted on June 6, 7 & 8, 2005 in the Kansas Union, level 3, Alcove F. Each group included 3-6 participants, 1 or 2 note-takers, and 1 facilitator. The 29 total participants included 17 Libraries staff (including 3 dean’s staff), 7 Information Technology staff, 4 Network & Telecommunications Services staff, and 1 Information Services vice provost’s staff.

Desktop support discussion guide: Describe your ideal desktop support arrangement. What types of support are essential to your job? (hardware, software, applications, systems, etc.) What level of responsiveness do you expect? (time, manner, method, communication)

Libraries Web site Eighteen staff members and student assistants participated in the three focus groups about student and faculty users' experiences with the Libraries Web site that we conducted on October 27 and 28.

Libraries Web site discussion guide: What questions do you get asked about the Libraries Web site? How frequently? What types of users (students, faculty, etc.) Describe how you assist users who are experiencing problems with the Web site.

IS newsletter Four focus groups; 22 participants (9-IT, 6-NTS, 7-Lib); November 16 & 17, 2005 Locations: Anschutz Library (2), Computer Center, McCollum Hall

IS newsletter discussion guide: How do you currently get information about IS-wide issues? (meetings, , etc.) Are these effective means? What could be better? Did you attend the IS convocation in August? Have you watched the video? Thoughts, impressions, recommendations, etc.? What kind of information would you like to have? (content)

What do you need to know? What frequency and length would be optimal? Would you be willing to contribute as a writer? Did you receive and read the HVC2 Outcomes reports? Thoughts, impressions, etc.?

Student use of Three focus groups of one-hour duration were conducted on May 2, 3 & 4, 2006 in the Burge Union, room 307. Thirty-one students participated; participants by group numbered 8, 13, 10. Participants by class included 4 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 10 juniors, 7 seniors, 2 graduates Participants by school included 17 CLAS, 5 fine arts, 4 architecture, 2 education, 1 journalism, 1 business, 1 social work

Student use of discussion guide: For students who choose to have a KU account, why do they choose one? Do they use it, or do they use another account? For students who do not choose a KU account, why do they use something else? Is connectivity between mobile devices (PDA’s) and important for students and why or why not?

Do students need or want a full-featured groupware service with calendaring, notes, contacts? Do they want other kinds of calendaring, like a federated calendar where they could subscribe to events or tracks and have those pre-populate a calendar. Do students interact with faculty and other students through as part of their courses? (and, if so, is a KU account necessary? Do they use something else such as Blackboard?)

is the official KU communication channel. What would make students more receptive to official ? Are other modes of communication (chat, IM) desirable for students as official ways to communicate with KU? (Thinking about the work the writing center does and the library does with their chat-based services.)

What else do students need? Storage, federated calendars…wiki’s, blogs, rss feeds, etc. Maybe something about the viability of offering services through the portal as we have done with . Are they using portal ?

What level of expertise do you expect of desktop support staff? Describe the kinds of things you can handle on your own. In your area of responsibility, how should desktop support tasks be prioritized? What is working well with the current arrangement? What would you like to see improved?

Planning checklist: Topics to be discussed Participant pool composition Method of recruitment Participant compensation Number of sessions Time of day and duration of session Number of participants per session Facilitation Facility Recording method Reporting

Information Services Assessment Council members Susanne Clement, Libraries Jill Glaser, IT Ryan Papesh, NTS Thelma Simons, IT John Stratton, Libraries Bill Myers, IS

Call on ISAC members to: Consult, advise and assist in the development of assessment initiatives. Identify other campus resources for assessment-related services. Provide oversight and assure coordination with other IS assessment activities.

Assessment presentations available at: