FOCUS GROUPS

Focus groups (typically 7-10 people) are commonly used to help agencies understand how and why people feel, behave and think about various topics or experiences. They are a powerful means to evaluate services or test new ideas, as group discussion often stimulates memories, ideas, and experiences in participants that would not have been identified in an individual interaction. Focus groups are less expensive than most other evaluative methods, and allow for the production of results relatively quickly. They also serve as a complementary addition to complete program evaluations.

WHAT FOCUS GROUPS CAN TELL YOU:

• Give information on how groups of people think or feel about a particular topic
• Give greater insight into why certain opinions are held
• Help improve the planning and design of new programs
• Provide a means of evaluating existing programs
• Produce insights for developing strategies for outreach¹

Focus Groups are well-suited for performance-measurement and providing direction for continuous-improvement clinical-practice and service areas.