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June 15, 2001
The Power of Focus Groups
The focus group process is an old one in the world of politics but a new one in the world of education. Unlike the all-too-typical committee meeting that can kill any initiative simply through boredom, focus groups are specialized fact-finding meetings in which you take the time to listen to each constituency's positions and concerns well before presenting a final plan.
One reason for the failure of many initiatives is that buy-in has not occurred by the various groups being affected. To get buy-in for a technology initiative, you must be willing to hear everyone's voice. The focus group allows for that opportunity. Even those who could be hostile to a technology initiative should be warmly brought into this process. Ultimately, anyone who would be a part of the project once it is done should be a part of it before it has begun.
Organizing and Conducting Focus Groups
Timing The entire focus group process optimally consists of three to five sessions over a two-month period. The individual sessions should be short-90 minutes at most-and held in comfortable surroundings with refreshments; indeed, there is a direct correlation between the quality of the refreshments and the quality of participation.
Note taking Participants should have large newsprint pads onto which they can write various points. After the session, these notes will be a valuable resource for you. In addition to a facilitator, a dedicated note taker should write down all of the questions, opinions, and ideas presented. You may even wish to record these sessions for later review.
Open-ended questions The key to running these sessions is to keep an air of friendly, cooperative brainstorming. You are not there to present a finished plan. These sessions are crafted to unearth the attitudes, opinions, and questions of the various groups before they even hear about your plan. While you may present background information to frame the discussion, make sure that the concept of "more questions than answers" is clear to all. This will save frustration on the participants' side and minimize anxiety on yours.
After a couple of icebreaker activities, you-or your facilitator-might begin with some of the following questions:
- What should our schools focus on?
- What do you think are the district's strengths and weaknesses?
- What role do you see technology playing in our school(s), now and in the future?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the way we use educational technology in our district now?
Presenting options Once the group has had an opportunity to discuss answers to these questions, present them with three to four possible scenarios for district technology projects (one of which is your alternative). These scenarios can range from maintaining the status quo to becoming a totally connected school with PalmPilots for everyone. Descriptions of each scenario should be about a paragraph long and include who would get the technology, how it would work, and what its potential strengths and weaknesses might be.
Discussing scenarios After reading each scenario, have the groups discuss and question the scenario. Facilitators should direct the group to discuss all aspects of each option with the following questions:
- How does this scenario address the issues talked about earlier?
- How would this choice impact students, teachers, and tech support?
- What would participants need to know, or what would need to happen, before they could choose that scenario, if at all?
Ongoing communication Conclude the session by reinforcing how much you truly appreciate everyone's input and encourage their continued participation in the process as it develops.
Using the results to build a FAQ list Now comes the real work. Go back over every question, issue, and concern. Categorize them and write them down in one list. This is now your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list, the tool that will help you sell your proposal to various constituencies. Your job is now to discover how your particular technology solution answers these questions and concerns. Wherever possible, draw comparisons between alternatives, highlighting where and how your solution works best. The language of the FAQ should be simple, clear, and truthful. While presenting your solution in a positive light, address weaknesses head-on. By creating an honest, detailed, accurate, and understandable FAQ, you are creating a powerful tool in the battle to gain the buy-in essential for the success of your project. For a sample FAQ sheet, see "Frequently Asked Questions".
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