One person acts as a facilitator and is in charge of conducting the focus group. The other person is in charge of recording devices, taking notes, and may act as a co-facilitator. The participants should be given name tags and asked to use their first name or a fictitious name if they want to. The facilitator should set the stage for the focus group. Conduct the focus group in a location that is free from distractions.
Distractions can include telephones or areas with high foot traffic.
Be careful to avoid rooms where there is background music, ventilation, or street noise that will interfere with the quality of the recording. The facilitator should insure that all participants have a chance to respond to the questions. Be careful not to let one or two participants dominate the interaction. We suggest that your organization or research group use this book as a reference for conducting focus groups. This book is currently available for use through the Assessment Core Library.