Ci Research – specialists in conducting focus groups
Ci Research is an established and experienced full service agency that offers a flexible, intelligent and tailored approach to market research and research consultancy.
Focus groups are a qualitative research method allowing agencies and clients to get a more thorough, deeper and colourful understanding of the issues being explored. A simple ‘rule of thumb’ is that if a question is pre-fixed with “why” or “how” then it tends to be qualitative, whereas a “what”, “who” or “how many” would tend to be quantitative.
Focus groups typically include either 6 or 8 participants and a moderator, although there are a number of variations and possible combinations. Participants (or ‘respondents’) are recruited through a screening interview (normally conducted either face-to-face or via the telephone). This screening interview ensures the participant matches the profile required for that particular focus group. They are often around 90 minutes in duration (though can be longer or shorter) and are sometimes held in specialist viewing facilities (so clients can observe without making respondents feel ill-at-ease).
Various alternative forms of focus group exist, including:
- Mini-groups (fewer respondents = greater depth)
- Extended-groups (longer duration)
- Conflict groups (the screening process identifies people with conflicting opinions, to generate more debate)
- Reconvened groups (group re-convenes after a task or after a stage of creative development)
- In-store groups (Allowing for moderation at POP and in-store ‘tasks’)
- Workshops (More hands-on with specific tasks and objectives – often for b2b audiences)
- Mutual-understanding sessions (viewing clients and respondents swap places behind the ‘mirror’)
- Research carousels / research events (a one day research event perfect for covering multiple issues with multiple stakeholders)
We often use projective techniques in order to get beyond top-of-mind rational response and to generate deeper insight. Project techniques recently used include ‘Planets’, Guided fantasy / Psycho drawings, Treemen, Brand personification / Brand party, Brands as a... car, dog, restaurant..., Related worlds, Time machine, Role-play / 3rd person, Withdrawal techniques, Voting / private response, Pre-Post tasks / Homeworks, “Bring an item that makes you think of...”, Mood boards and “Courtroom drama”.
Our expert moderators are adept at dealing with quiet and dominant respondents, holding attention and keeping interest and engagement levels high.
The following pages of this website provide further detail on
who we are, what we do and
who we do it for.
For more detailed information about Ci Research please visit our main corporate website by clicking on the link to the right.