Focus group interviews
FGI (focus group interview) is a technique used in conducting qualitative research. FGI is a discussion facilitated by a trained moderator working to a research guide.
An experienced moderator using a well-prepared guide knows how to garner the views of discussion participants. Group discussion also has the advantage of providing an environment in which participants can confront their opinions, explore them and then expand their views. A diverse range of techniques can be used in these discussions, including collage, sentence completion tests, personification and many others. Such techniques are typically used to obtain more in-depth knowledge of the subject area and enrich it with less-obvious opinions.
Group discussions feature around eight participants. The discussions typically take place in focus studios equipped with devices enabling audio and/or video recording, a live view of the study through a two-way mirror and online transmission using web-streaming technology (e.g. focus vision in those instances where a client needs to watch the discussion from a remote site).
