Focus group discussion is a pre requisite in the field of extension practices in various institutions and it serves as a methodology to generate a reliable information from the respondent.
Although there are other methods of generating information such as questionnaire administration, participatory rural appraisal but it is believe that not all information needed can be provided by this methodology so therefore it is necessary to adopt the method of focus group discussion.
For instance if someone want to know about the history of a particular place, using questionnaire administration might not capture all necessary information but adopting a focus group discussion will not only provide details information but rather the respondent might even raise a point that will give the moderator a better understanding of the subject matter.
In focus group discussion, a checklist is very important because it’s a type of informational job aid used to reduce failure by compensating for potential limits of human memory and attention. It helps to ensure consistency and completeness in carrying out a task. A basic example is the "to do list." which lays out tasks to be done according to time of day.
Participants
In a focus group discussion participant are of the major concern as they are the only tools to get the necessary answers to the major question on the subject matter. Ideally participants should reflect a range of ages, levels, professions and patterns of working, with this it is expected that the aim of the research can be achieved as they are old enough to have the knowledge on the subject matter.
Demographic data
This will gives the moderator an insight on who is dealing with weather the information they will provide will capture the subject matter of the discussion. It is important to collect anonymous demographic data from focus group participants. Simple questionnaires for this purpose could be handed out as participants arrive, then collected at the end of the focus group and kept with the tapes of the focus group.
Facilitator/Moderator
The facilitator is the main driver in focus group discussion because an effective focus group discussion requires skills and planning. The training materials like the checklist, audio taping material, books, and pen and also a refreshment should be provided to prepare a Nominal Group Techniques (NGT), which may be helpful in the preparation of focus groups.
A discussion guide may facilitate structuring the focus group discussion by highlighting the topics that need to be covered, in the course of the exercise a checklist should be provided to serve as a discussion guide, although it is not to be used rigidly, like a questionnaire. At the focus group discussion, the facilitator should encourages participants to explore topics in depth, to reflect, and raise their own issues.
Time and Place for Focus Group
The focus group can last about two hours, and can have breaks in between for refreshments. Participants need to receive clear details of where and when the focus group will take place and how long it will last.