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Focus Group Moderator Training
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Provider:
Burke Institute
Topic(s):
Customer Service & Sales > Marketing
Who Should Attend?
Marketing managers, marketing researchers
Full Seminar Description
In this limited-enrollment, four day seminar, participants will learn through hands-on experiences: how to moderate a focus group by participating in a series of skill-building workshops and personal feedback sessions; to assess their development by watching multiple videotapes of themselves moderating group sessions; and how to consult with clients from design to final results presentation. Four days. Fee per person: $2,995.This limited enrollment, intensive 4-day workshop is designed to train you to become a focus group moderator. Specifically, you will learn:
- How to communicate with your "clients" to understand their needs and then to design a focus group study from start to finish to meet those needs.
- How to moderate focus groups. This is accomplished by participating in a series of hands-on skill building workshops using real respondents followed by one-on-one feedback sessions with the seminar leader. Multiple videotapes of yourself moderating actual groups will be used to provide constructive feedback.
- How to ask questions that will elicit the best quality response using a number of hands-on skill building workshops.
- How to interact with research users to enhance the effectiveness of your efforts and to prevent misuse of the results.
- How to handle the mechanics associated with obtaining facilities, recruiting respondents and working with difficult participants.
COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE
First Day
TIME SESSION
8:30 - 8:45 Introduction
8:45 - 10:30 I WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?: How does qualitative research fit into the overall research scheme and how can it be used most effectively. Determine which qualitative research strategy is most effective for your project including pointers for using in-depth interviews, ideation sessions and other qualitative techniques.
10:30 - 10:45 Coffee Break
10:45 - 12:15 II HOW TO DESIGN A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT: Pointers on determining how many groups, which respondents to invite, which cities to select and the appropriate moderator. How to create and use an inference ladder to design qualitative projects. Typical costs and fees.
12:15 - 1:30 Lunch Break
1:30 - 3:30 III HOW TO CREATE EFFECTIVE DISCUSSION GUIDES: How to create a discussion guide; sequencing of topics and questions; what should and shouldn’t be included in a guide; the inverted pyramid approach; the four main stages of a discussion guide. Sample discussion guides.
3:30 - 3:45 Coffee Break
3:45 - 5:00 IV HOW TO CREATE EFFECTIVE DISCUSSION GUIDES (EXERCISE): Using a real-life case study, learn through a "hands on" opportunity to create a guide and compare ideas.
Second Day
TIME SESSION
8:30 - 10:15 V HOW TO ELICIT RESPONSES: Review three levels of eliciting responses; nonverbal communication techniques; questioning skills – direct and non direct questions, probing, the why question and how to avoid it; how to avoid asking biasing questions; unconditional positive regard and other moderator management skills.
10:15 - 10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 - 12:30 VI INTERVIEWING SESSION: One-on-one practice interviews to incorporate the questioning and moderating skills explored in previous sessions.
12:30 - 1:30 Lunch Break
1:30 – 3:00 VII HANDLING PROBLEMS UNIQUE TO FOCUS GROUPS: Learn how to "liven up" and bring energy to dull sessions. Video clips and examples of how to handle non-responsive, unqualified or dominant respondents. What to do when respondents ask questions; dealing with other group related dynamics.
3:00 – 3:15 Coffee Break
3:15 – 5:00 VIII WORKING WITH FOCUS GROUP FACILITIES AND RECRUITERS: How to locate a facility, design a screener and answer questions regarding recruiting problems. How to work with the facility the day of the groups to have the most impactful sessions.
Third Day
TIME SESSION
8:30 - 9:45 IX EFFECTIVE CLIENT INTERACTIONS: How to develop quality communication through a series of groups, including effective listening skills from behind the one-way mirror and debriefing.
9:45 - 10:00 Coffee Break
10:00 – 11:45 X EFFECTIVE CLIENT REPORTING: Pointers for writing actionable research reports; analyzing qualitative data; videotapes and transcripts.
11:45 – 12:45 Lunch Break
12:45 – 5:00 XI MODERATE A FOCUS GROUP: Practice the skills and behaviors learned during the seminar by moderating a group discussion. (Note: A 15-minute break will be provided during this session.)
Fourth Day
TIME SESSION
8:30 - 8:45 Overview of the Day's Workshops/Schedule
8:50 - 12:30 XII VIDEOTAPING OF FOCUS GROUP MODERATION: An opportunity to moderate a group of actual respondents which will be videotaped.
12:30 - 4:30 INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK SESSIONS: Rotating schedule of feedback times for all participants. Lunch will be provided during the feedback session.
4:30 Concluding Remarks
Sponsor Background:
Applying Knowledge - Improving Decisions
Burke is one of the premier international research and consulting firms in the world. For 75 years, Burke has helped manufacturing and service companies understand and accurately predict marketplace behavior. Burke's employee owners add value to research and consulting assignments by applying superior thinking to help clients solve business problems.
We provide our customers with data, information, guidance and far more. Burke strives to become a valued business partner who focuses on finding and implementing solutions to the most critical problems facing our clients today. We give our customers a competitive edge.
Burke: 100% Employee-Owned
Burke is 100% employee owned. In 2004, Burke formed an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), ensuring that all employees are able to participate in stock ownership and have a personal stake in helping to contribute to the company's success. The ESOP, representing broad based employee ownership across all positions of the company, currently holds approximately 60% of the shares of Burke, and is expected to own 100% by 2008.
Our Mission
To provide superior decision support services that enable our clients to succeed.
Our Business Commitments and Values
- We will "do what it takes" to meet our commitment to our clients.
- We will display honesty and integrity in all our endeavors.
- We will take a disciplined approach to our work, based on scientific standards and best practices.
- We value smart people doing smart things.
- We value seeking, sharing, and applying knowledge.
- We value organizational agility and flexibility.
Our Commitment to Employees
We will hire and retain only the best people for all positions in the company.
Employees will have a work environment and tools needed to perform their jobs at maximum quality and efficiency.
Employees will be given opportunities for career development and training to enhance their skills.
Employees will be compensated fairly, based on standards of performance and contribution, and will share in the financial success of the company. Employees will treat each other with respect and dignity, recognizing the worth, quality, and importance of each individual.
We will foster an environment where open communication exists among all employees.
The work climate will be free of strict rules and structures, where employees are empowered to take risks and affect change to achieve our common vision.
Burke Timeline
1931
Alberta Burke starts Burke Marketing Research as a data collection agency.
1952
Don Miller, marketing research director for Cincinnati's WLW radio, joins Burke and begins development of the Day-After Recall (DAR) for testing TV commercials.
Late 1960's
Burke expands to international markets, adding locations in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Tokyo and Mexico City.
Mid 1980's
Industry image study rates Burke as number one research firm in study design capability and analytical sophistication.
1990
Burke Customer Satisfaction Associates (BCSA) is established to better serve businesses in listening and reacting to the "voice of the customer".
1995
Burke changes official name from Burke Marketing Research Inc., to Burke, Inc. The name change reflects Burke's broader research and consulting activities outside traditional custom marketing research.
2004
Burke re-acquires 100% of its shares and becomes 100% employee-owned. Burke establishes ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) to allow for broad based employee ownership. Burke re-acquires 100% ownership of the Burke Institute.
2005
Becomes 100% Employee-Owned
Burke Quick Facts
- Headquarters: Cincinnati, OH USA
- Founded: 1931
- Employees Full Time: 202
- Employees Part time: 178
- Total Revenues (2005) worldwide: $44.1 m
- President & CEO: Michael Baumgardner, Ph.D.
Quote From Past Participants:
"A memorable experience - dynamic, enthusiastic, expert on his subject. He is on a par with the best professors I had at Harvard Business School" - Manager, Kimberly-Clark Corporation"Superb! Informative, fast-moving, excellent examples tailored for individuals in the audience. Extreme clarity in presentation. Thank you!" - Marketing Research Analysis, Westwood Pharmaceuticals
"Outstanding. To me he is the finest speaker I have ever heard regarding quantitative analysis. (I have an MBA with concentration in quantitative methods, so I have heard many speakers.) Very practical. Magnetic personality." - Marketing Research Analyst, SC Johnson Company
Past Participants Include:
- Adolph Coors Company
- Alcon Laboratories
- Allied Research, Inc.
- American Express Company
- B.C. Telephone
- Bank of America
- Barbados Telephone Co., Ltd.
- Beatrice US Foods
- Bergen Brunswig
- Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- Campbell Soup
- Canadian Parks Services
- Dannon Company
- Day-Timers, Inc.
- Del Monte USA
- E&J Gallo Winery
- El Paso Electric
- Ernst & Young
- Fia
- Frito-Lay, Inc.
- General Mills Inc.
- Glaxo Wellcome Inc.
- Hallmark Cards Inc.
- Harte-Hanks
- Hewlett Packard Company
- IBM
- IMS America
- John Hopkins Hospital
- Jostens
- K Mart Canada
- Kaiser Permanente
- LL Bean, Inc.
- Lands End
- M&M Mars
- Microsoft Corporation
- Nabisco
- Ontario Hydro
- Procter & Gamble
- Purolator
- R.J. Reynolds Tobacco
- RJR
- Sandoz
- Schering-Plough
- Taco Bell Corporation
- Texaco
- U.S. Army
- Union Gas Ltd.
- VHA Inc.
- Warner Cable
- Wrangler
- Xerox
- Zenger Miller
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