Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) are defined as semi structured group discussions, which yield qualitative data on the community level by facilitating interaction between participants.

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3. Definition of a Focus Group
 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) are defined
as semi structured group discussions, which
yield qualitative data on the community level
by facilitating interaction between participants.
 The aim of the FGD is to facilitate interaction
and thereby produce, via snowballing of
thoughts, deeper insights.
 FGDs provide information on a
group/community level. Perspectives of
individuals or households are not part of the
focus. The strength of an FGD is the forum it
creates for discussion between participants,
thus eliciting new ideas and explanations,
which would not have come up during an
individual or a household interview.
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4. To investigate group
attitudes and
beliefs
Why use focus groups?
To find solutions
to problems
To investigate
complex ideas
and behaviours
To explore
differences and
commonalities
To generate ideas at
the exploratory stage
To deepen
understanding of
quantitative data
When there is believed
to be a difference in
power between the
researcher and
participants

5. FGDs Design
Specific objectives of FGDs
 which themes will they be covering and for which purpose
Location, number & timing of FGDs
Venue?
How many times?
When?
Composition of FGDs
Participants selection, e.g. which different target groups will
be covered?
Type of FGD will be categorized according to Age, Gender
and diversity criteria
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6. Operational Steps for Organizing and Conducing FDGs
Prior to the FDG
 Inform the relevant local authorities
 Plan the logistical arrangements
 make a work plan, secure vehicle as well as printed materials,
facilitation material, etc.
 Pilot/Pretest
Assurance of Access and Permission
 Ensure that access and permission is reaffirmed upon arrival to the
field
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7. During the FDG
 Participants Selection Process
 The following suggestions can be useful in identifying participants
for the focus groups in different situations:
 In discrete (isolated, disconnected) communities like villages,
settlements or camps: the relevant local authorities, e.g. the local
leader or the camp manager, should be approached for support in
selecting participants for the FGDs. The facilitators of the FGD
should actively participate in the selection, making sure that the
desired composition is ensured.
 In structurally more diverse contexts such as urban areas: local
organizations and networks, such as community based
organizations, local NGOs, religious organizations and civil
society organizations can be a source for locating FGD
participants.
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During the FDG
 Determine the total number of participants.
 he number of participants can vary between approximately 6
and 15. Most important is that the size of the group allows for
active participation by all.
 Identify a location for the FGD
 The location chosen should be comfortable and safe.
Participants themselves msy be asked to identify an appropriate
location.
 Conduct the FGD and take notes on what is said

9. After the FDG
 Debrief with your team, after each completed FGD:
 Check if the understanding of what was said is shared between
facilitator and note taker;
 Review the effectiveness of the questions and propose, if needed,
alterations to the Coordinator;
 Discuss and note if unexpected topics or situations came up and report
this to the Coordinator.
The note taker edits and inserts notes from the FGD in an
electronic form.
 If necessary, ensure that notes are translated.
 Insert the notes from each FGD into a Reporting Form per
FGD
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10. After the FDG
Merge and systematize all the Reporting Forms per types of
FGD (male, female, age groups, etc.) and per topic. Hand over
to Coordinator and/or technical person(s) that will analyze the
information.
Share the preliminary findings with the community
members and validate the presented findings. This will be done
close collaboration with the Coordinator and/or technical expert
having analyzed the data.
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11. Ethical Considerations
Some main points of ethical concern are listed here:
Avoid Misrepresentations
 Misrepresentations and biased or wrongly generalized findings
can be very damaging.
 Sensitive data
 The responsibility of protecting the informants is much more important
that yielding certain data.
 The proper confidentiality and careful dissemination may be
needed.
 In addition: given the difficult discussions that FGD facilitators
and note takers may encounter, the Profiling Coordinator has a
duty of care towards the FGD team.
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12. Ethical Considerations
Confidentiality:
 Anonymity is always ensured during
FGDs. However, anonymous data
documentation does not necessarily
ensure the confidentiality promised
to the informants.
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13. Facilitator
 An FGD facilitator, who is responsible for introducing
the FGD to all participants, guiding the discussions,
facilitating participation, ensuring that the most
important topics are covered considering the time
available, and finally closing the discussion.
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Note Taker
 A note taker, who is responsible for capturing the
discussion, and later on elaborating on the notes and
turning them into an electronic version. A recording
device can be used by the note-taker (not as replacement
to the note taking, but as complementary), in which
case, participants should always be informed and asked
for permission.

14. Responsibilities and Attitude of Facilitator
Characteristics of facilitator
 Pre-shaped understandings
 Perceived by the focus group
 Gender and age
 Personal attitude
How to pose questions?
 Open-ended
 Leading and dichotomous (yes or no) questions should be avoided
 Pre-shaped understandings shall not be reflected in the questions
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15. Role of Facilitator
 Be neutral: do not convey your own perceptions (neither directly nor indirectly though leading/value
laden questions) and do not correct the informants, as there are no right or wrong answers. Even if someone
says something which factually is wrong, leave it up to the group to correct, if they see it fit (factually wrong
data are also data).
 Be patient: do not finish people’s sentences and do not interrupt. Leave as much silence and pause as is
needed for the group to think.
 Do not guess: ask for clarifications whenever needed, do not guess what was meant if you are not
sure.
 Clarify terminology: make sure that all participants have a common understanding of any terms
or phrases coming up.
 Probe: when necessary, ask participants to elaborate and encourage views by more people (e.g.
could you better explain in more detail? Can you give us an example? Anyone sees things
differently? Does anyone have a different experience to share?)
 Synthesize: try to guide the discussion beyond the individual contributions by participants, by
encouraging others to comment and build on the views presented. Thereby you can capture the
collective thoughts and obtain some consensus around opinions and perspectives. This is, however,
not always possible, nor desirable, as disagreement is also very welcomed.
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16. Role of Facilitator………..
 Stay curious: after having facilitated the first many FGDs, do not presume you know what will be
said in future discussions. That would hinder capturing and pursuing new things coming up, and you will
only document what you expect to hear.
 Facilitate participation: strive to include all participants in the discussion, e.g. direct questions
to individuals, who are not talking, and stir away from others, who are too talkative, by involving the whole
group again.
 Use tools: depending on the context you can use different tools to animate the discussion, increase the
generation of ideas and thoughts as well as the levels of participation. E.g. for specific topics you can use
different participatory appraisal tools (such as ranking, scoring, problem analysis etc.).
 Do no harm: keep in mind ethical consideration when bringing up sensitive topics. If a discussion is
judged to be hurtful for some or will create problems after the FGD is finished, avoid further pursuing of the
issue.
 Be flexible: follow the discussion and adjust the questions by navigating freely around the topics; do
not feel bound to the question guide thus interrupting the natural flow of the talks.
 Coordinate with the note taker: make sure the pace of the discussion is aligned with the
note taker; the discussion is not worth much if not documented properly.
 Guide the interpreter: in case you use an interpreter, make sure that the person is well informed
on the methodology, the topics, the terminology and aim of the FGD, as well as interpretation guidelines.
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17. Responsibilities and Attitude of Note Taker
What to take notes on?
 Group dynamics
 Interactions
 Nonverbal signs
 Tones of the voice and feelings expressed.
How to take notes?
 Document the source: All documented data should be linked to
their source.
 Use a well-structured reporting format enabling you to
incorporate all important discussion elements in an effective
manner.
 Do write full sentences and not just key words, as they will be
difficult to contextualize and interpret later on.
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18. Responsibilities and Attitude of Note Taker
 If more lines of discussion are going on, try to follow one, so as not to
have incomplete notes on many discussion lines.
 Do intervene and coordinate with the facilitator, if the pace is too
fast, if too many discussions have erupted, or if something is unclear.
 Elaborate on the notes as fast as possible after the end of the FGD,
to make sure that all is captured, before the details are forgotten.
 Take notes in the language spoken during the FGD. Translation
should take place later on.
 Triangulate: Participate in the debriefing after each FGD in order to
share your understanding of the discussions and edit the notes
according to the combined understanding and memories of you and
the facilitator.
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19. Organizational Structure Profiling
Coordinator
Administrative
Assistant
Technical
advisor/
coordinator
FGD coordinator
Facilitator
FGD coordinator
Facilitator
Note taker
Facilitator
Note taker Note taker

20. Logistics for FGD Team
Title Quantity Observations
Mission orders
Batch of leaflets
Vehicles
Fuel
Vehicle logbook
First aid kit
Bags
Badges
Notebooks
Manuals for FGDs
Question guides & note taking forms
Flipchart paper
Markers & pens
Audio recorder & batteries
Telephone credit cards
Etc.

21. Planning of a FGD
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Planning a focus group: Participants
 Usually 6-10 (can be 4-15)
 Need to feel comfortable as a
group and have something in
common (e.g. common
experience)
 But also need divergent opinions
within the group
 Ideally 02 groups per audience
(e.g. 02 working female, 02 non-working
females, 02 working
males, 02 non-working males)

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Planning a focus group: Recruitment
 Make use of existing
groups/networks (e.g. support
groups, networking meetings)
 Contact charities, community
organisations etc (especially for
harder to reach groups)
 Contacts from previous
survey/interviews
 Snowballing
 Send reminders a few days before

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Planning a focus group: Location
 Needs to be accessible, for e.g.
good public transport links, easy
access
 Neutral environment (and if
possible familiar to participants)
 Appropriate size and facilities
(e.g. facilities making drinks,
moveable chairs)
 Send participants directions/map

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Planning a focus group: Layout
 Horseshoe or u-shaped
usually best
 Avoid classroom or lecture
theatre layout
 For a larger group, may want
to divide into smaller mini-groups

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Planning a focus group: Timing
 Usually 1 to 2 hours long
 Try to link to an existing activity if
appropriate so people don’t need to
make a separate journey (but this may
limit the length etc.)
 Consider when is most convenient for
participants e.g. day/ evening/
weekend
 Offer options of different days/ times

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Planning a focus group: Staff
 Minimum of 02 people – facilitator
and note-taker
 Note-taker records main point of
discussion, but more importantly
interaction, body language etc
which won’t be picked up on
recording

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Planning a focus group: Recording
 Video-useful, but may make
people uncomfortable
 Audio-less obtrusive
 Transcription can be difficult, but
it’s not crucial to know who
makes each comment (interested
in group perspectives)
 Written notes (body language
etc.)
 Results of any activities

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Planning a focus group: Ethics
 Need to allow time for ethics
approval
 Written information for participants
setting out: exactly what is involved;
how results will be used; how data
will be stored; benefits;
confidentiality and anonymity (stress
importance, but cannot guarantee
that other participants will treat
discussion as confidential)
 Give verbal information too and
check understood

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Planning a focus group: Incentives
 Travel expenses
 Refreshments
 Vouchers etc.

31. Neutral facilitator
Incentive
Sample selection!
Audio recorder & other resources
or stimulus material
Ethics: informed consent and reporting
1-2 hours
An open group discussion with a focus
Participants

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Planning a focus group: Questions
 Have 3-5 broad themes to focus discuss
and list specific questions under these
 Use open ended questions
 Move from general to specific
 Probe further for:
 Clarity
 Completeness
 Ask for positives first, then negatives
 Adopt a chronological approach
 Keep questions short and cover just one
idea per question

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In the Focus Group
At the beginning
 Introduce yourself (and others) – name badges
 Explain purpose of group and what is going to
happen
 Remind about confidentiality/anonymity
 Ask if any questions about information received
 Start with a general question
 Aim to cover 3-5 broad themes
At the end
 Explain any admin procedures e.g. claiming
expenses
 Thank and explain what will happen next and if/
how they will be informed of the results

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Why Use Activities in FGD?
 Ice breaker
 Break up a larger group
 Avoid a few people dominating
discussions (e.g. pairs)
 Space to reflect as a moderator
 Change of pace
 Different methods of capturing
information (e.g. visual)
 Some participants may be more
comfortable doing something
than speaking in front of a
group

35. Advantages of focus groups
 As a socially oriented research method, it captures real-life data in a
social setting.
 It is flexible.
 It has high face validity, meaning that it measures what it is intended to
measure.
 It generates quick results.
 It costs little to conduct.
 Group dynamics often bring out aspects of the topic or reveal
information about the subject that may not have been anticipated by
the researcher or emerged from individual interviews.
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36. Disadvantages of FGD
 Researcher has less control in the group interview as
compared to the individual interview.
 Data are more difficult to analyze.
 Moderators require special skills.
 Each focus group has unique characteristics.
 Groups are difficult to assemble.
 Environment must be conducive to conversation.
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37. Analysis
 Examine one question at a time
 Consider the words
 Consider the context
 Consider the internal consistency
 Consider the specificity of responses
 Find the big ideas
 Consider the purpose of the report
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38. Part-II
Impact Diagram
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39. Impact/Ripple Effect Diagram
 Impact Diagram is also known as Ripple Effect Diagram. The ripple
effect means that the repercussions of an event or situation
experienced far beyond its immediate location OR
a spreading effect or series of consequences caused by a single
action or event.
 We can use this method to represent multiple levels of impact
triggered by an action. For example, we can use it to talk about the
different levels of impact on environment caused by hazardous
emissions of a factory. Or we can talk about how different layers of
management are affected by a decision taken at the centre. For e.g.
the devolution of HEC in Pakistan.
 This concept diagram is highly useful in business and strategic
presentations.
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CAUSE
EFFECT
Ripple Effect

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PTI
Slogan of
Change
Example

42. References
Berg, B.L. (2008) Qualitative Research for the Social Sciences.
Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
David, M. and Sutton, C. (2004) Social Research the Basics.
London: Sage, Ch 4.
Flick, U. (2009) An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London:
Sage.
Krueger, R.A. (1988) Focus groups: A practical guide for applied
research. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, Inc.
Mason, J. (2002) Qualitative Researching. London: Sage.
Merriam, S.B. (2009) Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and
Implementation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Silverman, D. (2009) Doing Qualitative Research. London: Sage.
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43. Online resources
http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpsubject/socsci/topbib/me
thsocial/methodsresearch.pdf
http://www.qrca.org/?page=whatisqualresearch
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