Focus Groups

Rainbow Research can manage all phases of a focus group process:  developing the guide, recruiting participants, facilitating and note-taking, compiling and analyzing responses, and reporting findings.

We also conduct training in all aspects of focus group research for organizations and groups wanting to use the methodology on their own.

Rainbow Research uses focus groups in evaluation, needs assessments, and other studies to qualitatively gather opinions and feedback from a selected group of 8 to 12 respondents for a moderated discussion, usually 1.5 to 2 hours long.

Focus groups have been particularly useful in populations that respond poorly to surveys. These can include some cultural communities, particularly those with oral traditions, people who are not literate, persons with disabilities, children, the elderly and the homeless.

We also use focus groups to develop survey items and test reaction to them or to revisit close-ended survey responses and understand why people answered as they did.