FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION
Focus group discussion (FGDs) comes under qualitative methods. In this method the researcher forms groups of 8-10 people and discusses with them the issues of research interest. It may help if two researchers conduct FGD. One of them would ask questions and the other person would note down the answers. Care must be taken that no single person in the group dominates the discussion. FGD differs from group interview in the sense that in FGD we do not ask direct questions as we do in group interview. We raise certain issues and the group discusses them. Here both the outcome of discussion and the way the group arrives at the outcome are important. This method is of great help in developing narratives. Sometimes researchers fail to see the distinction between survey questions and checklists prepared for the focus groups. Survey questions have a degree of fixity about them. However, checklists are only guides and are flexible. Moreover, while in survey questions are normally directed to elicit life and views of respondents, in FGDs checklists are prepared to develop themes and hypotheses. As far as possible, in FGDs direct and personal questions should be avoided. Efforts should be made to understand the cultural context and patterns of behaviour and social representations.
I benefited immensely from use of FGD in training needs assessment of elected representatives (ERs) of gram panchayats and panchayat secretaries/sahayaks in Himachal Pradesh. I called the ERs at a particular level – district, block and village – to sit in groups and discuss among them what kinds of competence are required to function effectively as ER, what importance they attach to various activities and tasks, and how competent they feel to carry out these activities and tasks. Their meetings were arranged by the administration at district and block levels. I could identify various needs of the ERs and PSs and develop a training programme and a training module on that basis. I also made recommendations about the composition of trainees etc. which were found to be quite useful by the government. Obviously, there were challenges. |
