From the course: Minimizing Bias in Focus Groups with Q-Sort Method
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Encouraging diverse, balanced participation in focus groups
From the course: Minimizing Bias in Focus Groups with Q-Sort Method
Encouraging diverse, balanced participation in focus groups
So imagine you're in a focus group session right now. As the facilitator, it's your job to ensure that everyone gets a fair shot to share their thoughts. Doing this minimizes bias. So I want to run through some tried and true tips for managing over-talkers and under-talkers and a couple of other tricky personality types in focus groups. First up, what to do about the over-talker. You know the one. They dominate every session, leaving everyone else struggling to get a word in edgewise. First, restate what that person has just said. Sometimes people repeat themselves and end up talking too much when they're not sure if they're being heard and understood. So reflect back their answers. Summarize things for them. Second, use a polite but firm redirect, like "Thanks for sharing. Let's hear from someone who has a different take." This type of statement makes the over-talker feel acknowledged and signals it's time to move on. Also, don't be shy about calling on quieter participants by name…
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