Research Techniques

Questionnaires and Focus Groups

Questionnaires

Pros of questionnaires:
1)Cost efficient-one of the affordable ways to conduct research
2)They're affordable
3)Speedy results
4)Scalability
5)User Anonymity

Cons of questionnaires:
1)Dishonesty
2)Lack of consciences response
3)Hard to convey feelings and emotions
4)differences in understanding and interpretation
5)Respondents may have a hidden agenda

Focus Groups
A group of people assembled to participate in a discussion about a product before it is launched or provide feedback on a political campaign, television series, etc.

Pros of focus groups:
1)A group answer can be developed
2)It provides and increased reach
3)Both convenient and fun
4)They can provide a certain level of anonymity
5)Focus groups can be cost effective
6)Question can be altered to fit the needs of the conversation

Cons of focus groups:
1)The results can be altered by strong leadership
2)There may be a lack of direct participation by some
3)Group dynamics sometimes create a personal bias
4)Responses that are non-verbal may be misinterpreted
5)There are always security concerns
6)Moderators can inadvertently can influence the data