Solid State UX

Photo Credit: curiouslee

Focus groups are probably the most difficult moderating challenge.  And I know this because I was terrible at conducting them until I learned a few tricks…

1) POLL the room frequently. Recap (or let the respondent recap) and then ask the room to raise their hands for who agrees. For those who disagree, ask them to state why? Don’t forget, observers usually want to understand what the group thinks about a certain question, and polling delivers.

2) ASK FOR COUNTERARGUMENTS. Control for ‘groupthink’ by asking “C’mon, Doesn’t anybody want to argue the opposite point?”

3) GO AROUND THE TABLE every so often. Periodically go around the table letting each person answer the question in turn. This will distribute the talking around the room, allow you to control the flow, and respondents will give shorter answers if they realize everyone needs to chime in on a particular question.

4) MINIMAL YES/NO QUESTIONS. Try to ask open ended questions, not ones that are easily confirmed or denied. (e.g. Not “Does this meet your needs?” but “Tell me how you would use this.”)

5) NO LEADING QUESTIONS. Moderating 101. But still the hardest thing to get right unless you are a pro. (e.g. Not “Does this look busy?” but “How do you feel about the amount of information on the screen?”)

6) DON’T FEEL YOU NEED TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS. Remember, you’re from planet Mars. Say. “I don’t know. How do YOU think it works?”

7) FUNNEL OF VAGUENESS. Start broad (“ What is going on here?”) Gradually get more specific (“So is “Pizza Master” the right term for this sort of thing?”)

8) SHUT DOWN HEAVY TALKERS by not making eye contact. Off-topic or overly in-depth comments get the retort “That’s Another Focus Group.” Call on quiet respondents by name and control the flow.

9) KEEP EVERYONE FOCUSED ON THE STIMULI, NOT SPEAKING IN THE ABSTRACT Keep reminding them to tell you how they would improve things on the screen, page, etc., and ask them to imagine they are using it.

10) KEEP SOME SUGAR AND CAFFEINE READY Especially for evening groups, folks get tired. If a group exhibits signs of low energy, bust out the Mini-Snickers, the Mint Milanos, and the Diet Coke.