UR
Focus Groups
A practical research method for exploring attitudes, reactions, and how opinions form in a group setting.
How to use focus groups to understand perceptions, shared views, and how people talk about products, ideas, and services together.
Quick take
If you want to explore opinions, reactions, and group dynamics quickly, use focus groups.
Related Services
What it is
Focus groups are a qualitative UX serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service method where a small group of participants discuss a topic, product, or concept together, guided by a moderator.
They are used to explore perceptions, attitudes, and reactions through group conversation rather than one-to-one interviews.
Unlike guideUser InterviewsDirect conversations with users to understand behaviours, needs and motivations.Open guide, focus groups introduce social dynamics. Participants influence each other, which can reveal shared views, disagreements, and collective glossaryPatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term.
The goal is to understand how people think and talk about a topic, and how opinions form and shift in a group setting.
Focus groups are useful when the discussion itself matters, not just the individual answers within it.
When to use it
Use this method when you want to explore attitudes, language, and reactions across a group.
It is most useful when:
It is less useful when:
Focus groups are often used alongside user interviews and surveys to balance depth and scale.
Key takeaway
Use focus groups when you want to hear how people react, compare, and influence each other around a topic.
How to run it
Set up properly.
Before you start, be clear on what topics or concepts you want to explore, how many participants to include, and how the glossarySessionA session is a single period of user interaction with a product, from entry to exit within a defined timeframe.Open glossary term will be structured.
A typical group size is 5 to 8 participants. Keep the group relevant to the topic.
Run the method.
A good focus group is well moderated and balanced.
Set clear expectations and ground rules. Guide the discussion without controlling it. Encourage all participants to contribute. Manage dominant voices and draw out quieter ones. Keep the conversation focused on the topic.
Use glossaryPromptA prompt is the input or instruction given to an AI system to guide its output or response.Open glossary term and stimuli where helpful, such as concepts, designs, or scenarios.
Capture and make sense of it.
The value comes from group glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term and shared themes.
Look across glossarySessionA session is a single period of user interaction with a product, from entry to exit within a defined timeframe.Open glossary term to identify common opinions and attitudes, differences between participants, language and terminology used, and moments of agreement or disagreement.
Pay attention to how opinions form and change during discussion.
What to look for
Focus on:
Where it goes wrong
Most issues come from:
If everyone agrees too easily, you may not be getting honest glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term.
What you get from it
Done properly, this method gives you:
Key takeaway
It helps you understand how people think together, not just individually.
Get in touch
If this sounds like something you need, we can help you explore how people think, react, and talk about your product or glossaryServiceA service is a component or function that performs a specific task within a system.Open glossary term.
No guesswork. No assumptions. Just clear glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term you can act on.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this method.
What are focus groups in UX?
Focus groups are a serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service method where a small group discusses a topic or product to explore opinions and reactions.
When should you use focus groups?
Use them when you want to understand perceptions, attitudes, and group discussion around a topic.
How many people should be in a focus group?
Typically 5 to 8 participants to allow for balanced discussion.
What is the difference between focus groups and user interviews?
Focus groups involve group discussion and glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term, while guideUser InterviewsDirect conversations with users to understand behaviours, needs and motivations.Open guide are one-to-one and more in-depth.
Are focus groups reliable?
They are useful for understanding opinions and perceptions, but should not be used to understand actual glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term.