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Beryl has some great points and I'd second the notion that participant selection is very important. We wanted to find out about one of our Spanish language brochures and ended up contracting with a local person with ties to some of the community organizations that serve Spanish speaking families to recruit our participants. This same person was also the leader of that particular set of focus groups. In another group we were hoping to get feedback from Moms of low-income families, we partnered with an organization that has programming particularly helpful to these Moms and that organization helped us find participants. We offered the participants a gift card to a local variety store, we didn't have a lot of money so it was a pretty modest amount, but I think compensating the participants is also important.
- Len
>>> Beryl Rosenthal <[log in to unmask]> 12/4/2009 7:45 AM >>>
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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They are wonderful for getting at what your audience wants as opposed to what you think they want (or what YOU want!). Market research is everything, you NEVER want to develop anything in a vacuum.
What are you testing for? That needs to be very clear. Is it how they "see" your place? What kinds of programs/exhibits they want (that can be too broad)? Is it how to reach and attract them effectively, particularly in this economy? It works VERY well if you are comparing ideas for exhibits (ie, different approaches, looks, etc.)
You need a very good set of facilitators who know how to probe. The hardest thing for staffers watching behind the window is to stay calm and not say, "they don't get it".
How are you choosing your participants? Are they people who are already committed (members) or are they newbies who you want to target? Age/gender/ethnicity? You need to provide food, and compensate them (cash or free visits).
Just some random thoughts,
Beryl Rosenthal
-----Original Message-----
>From: JT Stone <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Dec 3, 2009 4:21 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Focus Group
>
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>We have the opportunity to have a free focus group conducted by a local
>advertising agency. I would appreciate hearing from any science centers
>that have used focus groups and any advice you may have for us concerning
>how they may best be used. Thank you.
>
>
>
>Janet Stone
>
>Director of Operations
>
>Lancaster Science Factory
>
>454 New Holland Avenue
>
>Lancaster, PA 17602
>
>www.lancastersciencefactory.org <http://www.lancastersciencefactory.org/>
>
>717-509-6388
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
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>For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
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>Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
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