FELLOW TO FELLOW
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
GET FOCUSED
Conducting a Focus Group with Current Humphrey Fellows
A focus group with Humphrey Fellows will offer qualitative data of the Fellows’ experiences while applying for the program and their expectations for the Fellowship. These intentional conversations provide more elaborate and specific answers than surveys or sweeping studies.
In a focus group, the moderator directs the dialogue while still allowing fluidity. The success of the focus group relies on the moderator, therefore it is important they are prepared. The following steps and tips will help guide a successful focus group:
Step 1: Planning
Before scheduling the space or ordering the snacks, determine the purpose of the focus group. It is important to outline expected and desired results to keep the conversation on target.
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Before deciding who does what, draft the questions. Think about the purpose of this focus group and turn that idea into a question and build from there. If you want to know how expectations compared to the reality Fellows experienced during the program, perhaps you would ask, "what were your initial expectations for the program when you applied?", "what did you think you would learn and experience?", and "looking back, how does the your experience in the Fellowship compare so far to your initial expectations?" Open-ended questions evoke the most valuable answers, so if you must ask a yes or no question, always request elaboration. In the same vein, break up double-barreled, or complex questions in order to elicit the most well developed responses.
Once you've decided what you want to ask, put them in an order that makes the most sense chronologically. Begin with broad, introductory questions and move toward more specific ones, making subjects more comfortable and likely to respond. Sporadically padding tough questions with easier ones helps maintain balance and engagement in the conversation. The kind of information you want to know and level of vulnerability of the questions will help determine the best fit for the moderating role.
Next, choose one or two other people to document and record. While the moderator ensures a smooth-running focus group, identify another one to two people to take notes and capture audio recordings of the responses for later analysis.​ Apps such as Voice Memos on iPhone allow for easy recording.
Moderator
Documenter
Recorder
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Now it's time to it's time to contact the participants and schedule a time. Depending on the size of the group or subgroups you plan to meet with, you can choose and reserve a location. It is important for focus group participants to feel comfortable and free to speak their minds. A private area such as a conference room, classroom, or even a picnic table under a ramada can prompt great round-table dialogue.
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Before the conversation commences, you may want to create name tags for everyone involved to prevent any confusion for the moderator, record keepers, and participants. This way participants can identify the moderator and recorders and the moderator and recorders can accurately identify who speaks when in their notes and on tape.
While you're at it, print off the list of questions you've determined for the moderator and recorders to reference. Additionally, it's a good idea to put together a short list of the most important questions and provide copies for all participating Fellows. This will help everyone stay focused on the purpose of the discussion.
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Lastly, it's always a good idea to have a few snacks or even a full meal and something to drink while hosting a focus group. Not only is food a good incentive to come, it also lends to more candid conversation. While you are planning the menu, be sure to consider any dietary restrictions of those involved.
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Step 2: Leading
Once everyone has settled in and grabbed a bite to eat, introduce yourself and the purpose of this focus group. It's important that the Fellows know who is acting as moderator, why everyone is there and the desired outcome. This introduction sets the tone for the rest of the meeting, so keep it light, cheerful, and engaging.
One last thing before you can dive into the questions: you must get consent to record. Be transparent about the purpose of capturing their responses, what you intend to use the data for, and whether or not you plan to use the recording or direct quotes for anything beyond analysis. Secure verbal or written consent before the focus group begins and only proceed to record if Fellows agree.
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Now that you are off to the races, keep the conversation rolling by asking guiding questions. The moderator is key to leading the discussion and keeping respondents on task. The moderator should go off-script to ask follow-up questions, but always bring the discussion back to the original question sheet. The moderator should stay focused and leave all documenting to the recorders. It is important to be attentive and promote a fluid, friendly dialogue with all participants. This means you must allow equal speaking opportunity for all participants. It is important to listen to the ideas from everyone since all Fellows have different backgrounds and beliefs. Avoid allowing one Fellow to dominate the conversation, and instead encourage other Fellows to speak, even if that means asking a few pointed questions to specific individuals.​
Quick Tips
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The moderator should remain neutral, yet sympathetic to responses.
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If food is provided, be sure it's culturally sensitive and not too messy or distracting.
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Start with general questions and move toward the more difficult.
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If a subject’s answer is unclear, ask them to expand.
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Remember, the Fellows' time and attention is most likely limited. Keep tangents - though often interesting and fun - to a minimum.
Step 3: Analyzing
Congratulations! You just completed a successful focus group. Now, you get to get your hands dirty with all this wonderful qualitative data you've collected.​
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First, save and back-up all notes and audio recordings taken during the focus group. Though it seems time-consuming, the most efficient way to sort through the audio is to transcribe it either manually or with a software or service. If you don't transcribe, you will have a difficult time using the data gathered from the audio files effectively.
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Next, pair responses to the questions that were asked and look for patterns. In this stage, you may be able to turn this qualitative data into quantitative data by adding up how many positive and negative responses you got to certain questions, etc.
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You can get lost in this data and all the insight it provides. Once you find answers to the questions you had, see what else you can discover in these patterns. Repeating this focus group exercise periodically and comparing the results over time will provide even more in-depth understanding of the program, the people, the problems, and the solutions going forward.
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