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Focus Group TrainingFocus Group TrainingConducting Focus Groups with Visitors Conducting Focus Groups with Visitors

who Are Blind/Low Visionwho Are Blind/Low Vision

© 2011 Museum of Science, Boston, © 2011 Museum of Science, Boston, Research and Evaluation Department andResearch and Evaluation Department and

Art Beyond Sight, New York CityArt Beyond Sight, New York City

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Focus group purposeFocus group purpose

To gather information that can inform the To gather information that can inform the development of pilot programs that meet development of pilot programs that meet the needs and interests of visitors who are the needs and interests of visitors who are blind or have low visionblind or have low vision

To provide professional development for To provide professional development for museum professionalsmuseum professionals

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Why conduct evaluationsWhy conduct evaluations

It is a critical element in…It is a critical element in… Creating responsive institutionsCreating responsive institutions Acknowledging diversity Acknowledging diversity Promoting self-directed learningPromoting self-directed learning Testing our assumptionsTesting our assumptions Proving our worthProving our worth Improving our effortsImproving our efforts

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Focus groups as evaluation toolFocus groups as evaluation tool

Helpful for learning about visitor interestsHelpful for learning about visitor interests Identify broad themes and trendsIdentify broad themes and trends Encourage discussionsEncourage discussions Not useful for quantifying responsesNot useful for quantifying responses Not useful for closed-ended questionsNot useful for closed-ended questions

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Focus group logisticsFocus group logistics

Take IRB online course on research with Take IRB online course on research with human subjects (if needed)human subjects (if needed)

Recruit focus group participantsRecruit focus group participants Have participants complete a pre-focus Have participants complete a pre-focus

group surveygroup survey Prepare participant consent formsPrepare participant consent forms Arrange accessible space and test your Arrange accessible space and test your

recording equipmentrecording equipment Arrange to have one or two note takersArrange to have one or two note takers

IRB online course We advise the person leading the focus group museum

to go the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Training site (link below) and take the training on research with human subjects. It is not legally required for people running focus groups for their own information, but is if the results are to be shared outside the institution. Should you and/or any partners you have re the focus group want to publish information about the outcomes, it would be good to have all bases covered.  If you’ve run focus groups before, you or the person who runs them has probably taken this online training.

http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php

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RecruitmentRecruitment

Adults who are blind/have different types of Adults who are blind/have different types of low visionlow vision

Adults who are interested in culture (art and Adults who are interested in culture (art and architecture, history, the sciences)architecture, history, the sciences)

Individuals with diverse experiencesIndividuals with diverse experiences Museum-going habitsMuseum-going habits Professions/interestsProfessions/interests Disability (blind and low vision)Disability (blind and low vision)

People with disabilities – People with disabilities – notnot service service providersproviders

Recruitment sources Colleagues – ask if staff at the museum or on its

Board have relatives or friends with vision loss National Federation of the Blind: Contact your

state chapter for referral to members in your area

American Council for the Blind: Another national membership group

Lighthouse and other service organizations in your area

Blinded Veterans Association or local veterans organizations

Senior centers, state libraries for the blind

Release form

When participants arrive for the focus group, ask them to sign a release form (see sample provided). If possible, have this form available in braille and large print. If this is not possible, read the form and use a signature guide or ask if you may position the person’s hand on the signature line.

Recruitment and pre-focus group survey tips

You need a minimum of 8 people with vision loss at the focus group. Because of transportation difficulties for people who cannot drive, expect last-minute cancellations. Thus, consider inviting 10 or 12 people.

Ask participants if, generally, they are accompanied on museum visits by a family member/sighted guide. If yes, invite that person to the focus group, too. Just be sure to indicate in your notes and transcript which statements were made by a companion.

Get the pre-focus group survey (see sample provided) from all participants before the day of the event. It could be done by email, or via a short phone interview.

Space, audio recording

Let participants know where the restrooms are (give precise directions) and, if you have coffee, tea, water and any snacks available, let them know where they are in the room.

Check recording equipment to ensure that all participants can be heard.

Make a little seating chart (map) for yourself to refer to, if necessary, so you can address participants by name – helpful for when the tape is being transcribed and also for people who cannot see to know who is speaking.

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Taking notesTaking notes

Designate a note-taker(s)Designate a note-taker(s) Develop a participant key for note takers, Develop a participant key for note takers,

too, i.e., map of the table re participantstoo, i.e., map of the table re participants Note who says what during the Note who says what during the

conversation; also note non-verbal conversation; also note non-verbal interaction (e.g., nodding by group)interaction (e.g., nodding by group)

Do not paraphrase: Record exact words Do not paraphrase: Record exact words and phrasesand phrases

Record the questions and the responsesRecord the questions and the responses

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Asking questionsAsking questions

Use the protocol as a guide, not a scriptUse the protocol as a guide, not a script Start with required questionsStart with required questions Probe and ask clarifying questions Probe and ask clarifying questions

Make sure all voices are heardMake sure all voices are heard Record names during introductions and use Record names during introductions and use

names to encourage responsesnames to encourage responses Encourage positive and negative responsesEncourage positive and negative responses Use a round-robin technique if necessaryUse a round-robin technique if necessary

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Asking questions Asking questions —— probing probing

Probes are questions you ask to learn Probes are questions you ask to learn more about statements already made more about statements already made

Strong probes are open-endedStrong probes are open-ended ““Tell me more about thatTell me more about that””

Weak probes are…Weak probes are… Leading Leading – – point toward a point toward a ““correctcorrect”” answer answer Closed-ended Closed-ended – – limits the responselimits the response

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Asking questions Asking questions —— listening listening

Note participant comments you would like Note participant comments you would like to learn more aboutto learn more about

Refer back to participant statementsRefer back to participant statements Pause and allow time for silencePause and allow time for silence Do not correct participants Do not correct participants Do not provide information about the Do not provide information about the

museum (until the end)museum (until the end)

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Asking questions Asking questions —— clarifying clarifying

Effective listening helps you to ask Effective listening helps you to ask clarifying questions:clarifying questions: ““You mentioned that your last visit to the You mentioned that your last visit to the

museum was uncomfortable. What made the museum was uncomfortable. What made the visit uncomfortable?visit uncomfortable?””

““II’’d like to go back for a moment to something d like to go back for a moment to something you mentioned earlier, how you said you like you mentioned earlier, how you said you like experiences that are hands-on. Could you tell experiences that are hands-on. Could you tell me more about what you think of when you me more about what you think of when you say say ‘‘hands-onhands-on’’??””

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What we hope to learnWhat we hope to learn

What are the elements of a museum What are the elements of a museum education experience that are important education experience that are important for visitors who are blind/have low vision? for visitors who are blind/have low vision?

What kinds of experiences will encourage What kinds of experiences will encourage repeat visits?repeat visits?

What kinds of experiences might What kinds of experiences might discourage future visits?discourage future visits?

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Focus group protocolFocus group protocol

Divided into three sectionsDivided into three sections Welcome and introductionWelcome and introduction Current museum experiencesCurrent museum experiences Future museum experiencesFuture museum experiences

Open-ended questionsOpen-ended questions Closed-ended questions can be asked on a Closed-ended questions can be asked on a

surveysurvey Required and optional questionsRequired and optional questions

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Personalizing the protocolPersonalizing the protocol

You can…You can… Make slight changes to question wordingMake slight changes to question wording Add one or two new questionsAdd one or two new questions Write your own program descriptionsWrite your own program descriptions Provide museum information at the ENDProvide museum information at the END

ProbingProbing

Probing elicits deeper responsesProbing elicits deeper responses Strong probes…Strong probes…

Are open-endedAre open-ended Directly connect to the participants responseDirectly connect to the participants response Encourage explanation and elaborationEncourage explanation and elaboration

Weak probes…Weak probes… Are closed-endedAre closed-ended Make assumptionsMake assumptions

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ProbingProbing

What questions might you ask in response What questions might you ask in response to the following statement:to the following statement:

Q: Do you go to museums often? Q: Do you go to museums often? A: Not anymore. I used to. I used to A: Not anymore. I used to. I used to

basically live in them. When I traveled I basically live in them. When I traveled I always spent all my time in museums. always spent all my time in museums.

Example probes

Stronger probes What changed for you that you no longer go? What could a museum do to make you want

to visit again? What did you enjoy about your visits?

Weaker probes Does this make you angry? Would you visit if a museum was free?

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ProbingProbing

What questions might you ask in response What questions might you ask in response to the following statement:to the following statement:

A: I like an art museum to show me A: I like an art museum to show me something I've never seen before or to see something I've never seen before or to see things in a new way.things in a new way.

Example probes

Stronger probes Tell me more. Would you mind sharing an example with the

group? Weaker probes

Is this because you go to museums to learn something?

Do tactile experiences help you to see things in a different way?

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Practice runPractice run

If possible, have a few colleagues serve as If possible, have a few colleagues serve as ““participantsparticipants”” in a run-through of the focus in a run-through of the focus group. group. This will give you an idea of how much time you can This will give you an idea of how much time you can

give to each section of the protocol. (The focus group give to each section of the protocol. (The focus group should be under two hours, including time spent should be under two hours, including time spent getting consent forms signed.)getting consent forms signed.)

It will help you develop effective prompts.It will help you develop effective prompts. It will also provide practice for your note taker(s). in It will also provide practice for your note taker(s). in

writing down exact quotes rather than paraphrasing writing down exact quotes rather than paraphrasing responses.responses.