Data is often crucial for effective policymaking as it enables officials to gain a realistic understanding of the true state of affairs of their constituents.  Research from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston suggests that online focus groups are an effective way to gather data on even the hardest to reach constituents.

The research was prompted by the wholesale transition towards remote work wrought by the pandemic, which forced the researchers to shift an in-person focus group online.

“We were in the middle of doing traditional focus groups, face to face, when the pandemic hit, and we did not want to stop data collection,” they explain. “We had a good momentum going and did not want to put people at risk.”

Representative sample

The author was concerned that an online focus group would reduce participation and ultimately lower the quality of data collected.  The results disabuse these concerns, however.

The team not only found that they could easily recruit the right number and quality of participants, but those participants also stayed engaged for a similar length of time as with in-person focus groups.  What’s more, they also came from similar demographic backgrounds, which confirms their potential to gain robust insights into the needs of particular communities.  With online focus groups also requiring fewer resources, the researchers are bullish about their potential.

“There is an increased cost to in-person focus groups when compared to online,” they say. “In person, we will compensate participants for parking, and there are also costs to feed the participants or provide snacks in addition to compensating them for their time and participation. With online focus groups, the food and parking compensation are not needed.”

Greater participation

Indeed, the shift to online in some cases made it easier for people to participate because they didn’t have to worry about getting to the venue or take additional time out of their busy schedules.  For instance, the researchers say that transportation was a common cause of no-shows in in-person focus groups, so removing that as a barrier can be hugely beneficial.

This could make online focus groups especially useful when working with vulnerable populations or those with lower incomes as the flexibility and reduced barriers can aid participation.

“During the online focus groups, our preference was for participants to have their video on because it allowed for nonverbal communication. But, the platform does allow people to turn their camera off if they don’t feel comfortable in a group setting,” the researchers explain.

The online medium also afforded the researchers more flexibility with regards to scheduling.  Traditionally they would use weekends as this was the best time for participants, who often work during the week.  By shifting online, however, evenings were also an option as people could join from home.

“I think applying an online video platform to collect data from focus groups is a good method when working with lower-income, vulnerable populations,” the researchers conclude. “We will continue to use this method to reach underrepresented groups.”