- There can be some dominant members in the group whose views may cover that of the rest.
- It will require expertise and competence to do the analysis of responses from a focus group.
- Adopting a focus group may limit the number of people to carry out the research on.
- There may be no separate view; one view usually depends on another in the guise to avoid confronting other members.
- It will take a trained and capable moderator to facilitate a focus group.
- The researcher's bias in analysing viewpoints cannot be overlooked.
All of these points can influence the credibility of research results.
References
Focus Groups - How to Run Them. Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/focus-groups.shtml
Focus Groups - Advantages and Limitations. Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http://www.frontend.com/design/focus-groups-advantages-limitations.html
I agree with your view Taiwo. Straight and to the point.
ReplyDelete"There can be some dominant members in the group whose views may cover that of the rest."
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good point, some members have a habit to force their opinions on everyone else, especially those who are less likely to form their own when faced with a focus group.
And also the level of expertise involved to correctly facilitate a focus group is very high, the researcher has to correctly involve the members with the subject at hand and ensure the right questions are asked to inspire members to form their opinions.
Very valid points Taiwo and Mark, perhaps all Focus Groups should attempt to gather answers individually followed by collectively - so as to gather both a wide range of views, and the consensus.
ReplyDelete