How can you make online focus groups more user-friendly?

To enhance user-friendliness in online focus groups, consider simplifying the platform interface, providing clear instructions, offering technical support, ensuring compatibility with various devices, and incorporating interactive features for engagement. Regularly gather feedback to identify areas for improvement and enhance the overall user experience.

To boost online focus group friendliness, opt for a user-friendly platform tailored to your needs 🌟. Choose wisely to ensure seamless interaction, intuitive navigation, and maximum engagement 🚀.

It is nice that there are not choices when it comes to focus group platforms, but choosing can be difficult. There are pluses and minuses to each and cost structures vary considerably as well. Some only allow a small number of participants (less than in person groups). Consider the type of group (chat, video), number of participants, recording / transcript options, back room and quant functions (polls) and so on. The one advantage is the commitment is short lived. If you try a platform for one project and it is not what you want, use another for the next project. if doing B2B, check to make sure firewalls are a problem. I had this and it was a major problem and the platform was like "not our problem." That was unacceptable.

Have everyone test their connection when they get the invite, right? Easier said than done. You cannot control for connectivity and firewall blocks. Always have a back up of something that you know will work like Zoom, Webex (what I use) or teams. Just make sure you can record. I also suggest always having someone to help on the tech end. You cannot do the group, manage tech and keep an eye on the backroom at the same time.

This goes for all qualitative work, whether in-person or online. The rules are the same. Just don't let building rapport take up too much time. Make sure everyone knows the rules up front before you begin and then start recording. And you have to tell them you are recording and come up with a plan in case someone says "no".

Don't just record, use a platform that gives transcripts that can be sorted by participant. This will make your analysis go much faster. A one hour focus group takes at least 4 hours to really listen and take notes.

As part of your planning and recruiting process, consider group size. Try to recruit a few extra people, if possible, to allow for no-shows. But not too many more: just as with an in-person focus group, there is an optimal group size that balances having enough people to get good intra-group discussion and too many to keep the group on track.

To enhance the user-friendliness of online focus groups: 1. **Intuitive Platform**: Select a user-friendly platform for seamless navigation. 2. **Clear Instructions**: Provide straightforward guidelines for participation. 3. **Engagement Tools**: Incorporate interactive features like polls and chat functions. 4. **Tech Support**: Offer reliable technical assistance throughout the session. 5. **Manageable Groups**: Keep groups small to encourage active participation. 6. **Respect Time**: Stick to scheduled timings to respect participants' time commitments.