Sometimes groups know embarrassingly little about a given topic. Some groups talk too much. Others talk hardly at all. Some respondents dominate the discussion. Others can barely put sentences together.
Experienced moderators know the scenarios well.
They also know that the discussion taking place by clients behind the one-way mirror can often spell success or failure. How a moderator prepares for political contingencies in the back room is a critical, though often overlooked, variable in his or her success. The moderator would conduct both groups, while the associate would sit in the back room with the client and other observers to answer questions and take notes. This time was different, however. As they finally settled in to observe the group, the back room formed several factions, each reacting independently of the others.