USER FOCUS GROUPS Poll Question 1 How would you rate your libraries - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Charmaine Scott Training Officer Staff Development Washington University Libraries St. Louis, Missouri GETTING STARTED WITH USER FOCUS GROUPS

Poll Question 1 How would you rate your libraries’ experiences with focus groups?  None  A little  Somewhat experienced  Much experience

Focus groups in marketing

Which one tasted better?

“Steve” (nods, agreement all around)

Steve was delicious…

“Yes. Steve had just eaten…”

Steve sees the sharks when he enters…

Smiling shark: “Eat both squares please”

PROCESS: 1. Purpose 2. Define 3. Questions 4. Recruiting 5. Conducting 6. Analyzing

Poll Question 2 What are you hoping to get from today’s session? Choose the most important for you.  When to use focus groups  Writing questions  Skills needed by a facilitator  Recruiting participants  Steps in data analysis

1. Purpose

Clarifying your purpose

Choosing the right tool Assessment method Pros Cons Sample use Private, anonymous, everyone has Can’t ask follow up questions; self- LibQual; Survey via paper, online, same questions, control the answers, reporting may be unreliable; hard Indirect Costs Survey phone; one-on-one quick to get results; shorten prep time to get people to respond (return interviews by using previous surveys; easy to rate); sample size may be hard to analyze figure Only need a few participants; have a Analysis takes time; may not be University of Rochester Case study holistic view of those participants applied to whole population daily movement study Data already exists; fast to gather it; Doesn’t cover potential; could be Analysis of circulation Content Analysis/Analyze representative of what is actually outdated; info might not exist; not statistics existing data happening sure if reliable methods were used to gather the data Results are reliable; don’t need to Creep factor — hard to be watched; Observation of Art Observation seek participants the motivation for the observed library grad study behavior is not apparent; no room demographics — not know who you are observing Open discussion’ ideas -free form; can Difficulty recruiting participants; Follow up a survey; Focus group use to get ideas for survey; easy to get off topic; difficult to start with focus groups unexpected feedback occurs analyze data; time consuming to set to decide what to put up and implement on a survey

Tool: Survey Assessment Pros Cons Sample use method Survey via Private, anonymous, Can’t ask follow up LibQual; paper, online, same questions for questions; self- Indirect Costs one-on-one everyone, control the reporting may be Survey interviews, answers, quick to get unreliable; hard to phone results; shorten prep get people to respond time by using previous (return rate); sample surveys; easy to size may be hard to analyze figure

Tool: Case Study Assessment Pros Cons Sample use method Case study Only need a few Analysis takes time; University of participants; have a may not be applied to Rochester holistic view of those whole population daily participants movement study

Tool: Content Analysis Assessment Pros Cons Sample use method Content Data already exists; Doesn’t cover Analysis of Analysis/ fast to gather it; potential; circulation Analyze representative of what could be outdated; statistics; existing data is actually happening info might not exist; blogosphere not sure if reliable studies methods were used to gather the data

Tool: observation Assessment Pros Cons Sample use method Observation Results are reliable; Creep factor — hard Observation don’t need to seek to be watched; of Art participants the motivation for Library the observed graduate behavior is not student study apparent; room no demographics — not know who you are observing

Tool: Focus Groups Assessment Pros Cons Sample use method Focus group Open discussion Difficulty recruiting Follow up a ideas free-form; can participants; easy survey; use to get ideas for to get off topic; start with survey; unexpected difficult to analyze focus groups feedback occurs-- data; time to decide cascading consuming to set up what to put and implement on a survey

Use a focus group: When you want to….  understand motivations and attitudes  provide insights about how people perceive a situation

Legitimate technique?  Quantitative vs. Qualitative data  Process of disciplined inquiry  Systematic and verifiable

Data Interpretation  Purpose is to understand perceptions  Can not generalize to whole population INFER

2. Define Focus Groups

Functions: 1. Size 2. Duration 3. Atmosphere 4. Common factor

Size http://www.cnelson.com/gallery/cart-photos/small-person-or-big-chair 

Duration Scott Kerber, Enterprise Publications at http://www.enterprisepub.com/sports/lady-eagles-soar-to-win-at-logan-view/article_80a31860-66c5-  11e0-98bf-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=image

Open Atmosphere http://www.ocregister.com/articles/county-499134-human-relations.html?pic=2

Common factor http://ingesidee.de/page.php?pgid=74&lang=en

Functions: 1. Size 2. Duration 3. Atmosphere 4. Common factor

3. Questions

Stimulate discussion

Question Characteristics  Conversational  One idea per question  Non-threatening or non-embarrassing  Free of bias

From surface to the deep Easy to answer surface More thought below needed Deeper attitudes and perceptions

Open ended • What is your reaction to…? • How do you feel about…? • What is your thinking on…?

Introduce a Subject  “Please think back…”  “Please think about…”  “When…”  “Let’s talk about…”

Test Your Questions one or two people 1. typify the audience 2. test for understanding 3. Toss or Write Test Rewrite Test keep?

Example: Focus Group Guiding Questions on eLearning Let’s talk about your Current Usage • What is your level of expertise with eLearning? • What do you use eLearning for? • What do you like about eLearning? Let’s talk about Usability • What do you think about eLearning’s interface? • What improvements do you need? Let’s talk about Tools in a Learning Management System? • What do you like about the tools you are currently using in eLearning • What do you not like about these tools? • Which tools are essential?

Example: Library Service Quality Survey (LibQUAL 2004) Follow up Project Graduate Students American History Focus Group Questions: 1. First, we’re interested in finding out about the strengths & weaknesses of the library collections in American History. a. How would you say the collections have changed since you started your program? i. Have they improved? Remained the same? Weakened? ii. Does anyone else have a different take on it?’ b. Which collections or resources are indispensable to you? (Why?) c. Which major resources are we missing that you would use regularly? i. Do you use Mobius often? ii. For what kinds of materials do you end up going to Mobius?

…Continued from previous slide Library Service Quality Survey (LibQUAL 2004) Follow up Project Graduate Students American History Focus Group Questions: II. We’re also interested in how we interact with you. a. What can we do to better support your teaching? i. Are there any projects in your classes …? ii. Have you ever considered … ? iii. How well is the reserve process working for you? b. What can we do to better support your research?

Focus group for Domino’s Pizza

“How many of you believe Domino’s cheese is real cheese made from milk?” No! No! No!

The “Reveal” cows farmer

4. Recruiting

Poll Question 3 If you have participated in a focus group, why did you do it?  Curious  Incentive was offered  Wanted to give my opinion  Went along with a friend  Never participated

Recruiting – target audience  Homogeneity  Gender  Age  Status  Social connections

Recruiting- finding them  Nomination  Self-selection  Volunteer bank  Class rolls  Past events  Campus groups  Office of Undergraduate Research  Writing Center  Student government

Recruiting Follow-up  Over-invite – 10-20%  Respond a.s.a.p. to each inquiry  Give a contact name  Send reminders

Incentives  Food at session  Gift cards  Class assignment/credit from faculty

Location and schedule  Accessible venue  Comfortable temperature, well lit  Seating allows participants to see each other  Food is permitted  Directions/signage  Time of day  Day of week

Demographics  Participants Form  Name  Phone  Email address  Program/Major  Year in program  Expected date of graduation  How you would like to be contacted?  Interested in giving feedback in future?