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"Conversation. What is it? A Mystery! It's the art of never seeming bored, of touching everything with interest, of pleasing with trifles, of being fascinating with nothing at all. How do we define this lively darting about with words, of hitting them back and forth, this sort of brief smile of ideas which should be conversation?" Guy de Maupassant

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Focus Groups - Eight Traps to Avoid

Some good advice for Clients attending focus groups - Women's Focus Groups: Eight Traps to Avoid - by Jen Drechsler.  She seems a little annoyed with Clients who don't really listen.  I fully understand this :).

There are eight traps to beware of during qualitative research. If you hear yourself saying any of the following, you should stop for an immediate reality check:

1. "She's not our customer"

. "The moderator didn't get to..."

3. "They don't know what they want"

4. "They are just saying what they think we want to hear"

5. "She's a professional"

6. "What did we learn?" (usually asked within seconds of the group ending)

7. "We already knew this"

8. "My wife always says that"

And ends with some advice :

"Break the glass and dare to sit in the room where the research is happening. Don't take copious notes. Rather, sit quietly and listen.

Take heed not to shake your head when one of the participants disagrees with your favorite idea. Try a smile every now and then. She has given you her time (albeit for a small fee); the least you can do is be interested in her life. Remember, she pays your salary. "

 

 



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