Make arrangements for the setting, equipment, food and drinks, and child care if necessary. Prepare data and analyze. The membership of each group should be homogeneous, representing a particular segment of the population, but group members should not be close friends. The aim is to create conditions that promote both comfort and independence of thought, in order to maximize discussion and self-disclosure. Focus groups can consist of 4 to 12 members, in addition to the moderator and the recorder.
Smaller groups tend to be dominated by one or two members.
On the other hand, larger groups inhibit participation by all members. Seven to eight has been shown to be a good number for many types of group interactions, yielding both variety of viewpoints and good participation. A time limit of approximately one and one-half hours is desirable, and two hours is the maximum for a focus group session. Beyond two hours, any group discussion loses momentum. The sampling frame is developed by identifying key population groups that are likely to represent different views of the topic at hand.