Focus Groups, and Unfocused Groups
Sometimes useful revelations come from focus groups. If you ask the right group of people really good questions, you can validate (or disprove) a theory. Sometimes you can identify customer problems that provide opportunities for new product solutions. Sometimes . The trick is going in with the right expectations, and knowing when alternative methods, such as customer interviews and surveys, may be better. I've used focus groups to explore customer attitudes, and to validate the viability of product concepts. Careful questioning about "how you do it now" can be useful, especially when the group becomes engaged and discusses their personal experiences. This is where focus groups can work: getting people to open up, describe their experiences and compare notes about current problems. (Important note: Having a top-notch moderator is essential: if you can't shut down a loudmouth, your group will be a waste of time. But it can be hard finding a good moderator who unders