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How to organise focus groups

Goal

Reach a considered, shared score from a group of stakeholders, for example your executive team.

Introduction​

A focus group is a facilitated session where participants discuss each question and agree on one score. It is the heaviest method and the most valuable one: it weighs six times a survey, and the discussion produces the reasoning your report needs. Use it for your decision makers, a works council or any group that benefits from consensus.

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A focus group session with the participant list and the current question.

Steps​

Step 1: Enable focus groups for the group​

In the group's data collection methods, enable Focus group. Focus groups always ask all questions assigned to the group.

Step 2: Prepare the session​

  • Invite 5 to 10 participants. Fewer than 3 is an interview, not a focus group.
  • Plan two hours for 20 to 30 questions. Send the topics in advance.
  • Assign a facilitator who leads the discussion and a note taker who records in the platform.

Step 3: Start the session and log participants​

Click Start session and log every participant with their name and email. Logging each participant matters for the calculation: the group's answers are weighted by the number of participants who contributed to them.

Step 4: Run the session​

For each question, present the IRO, let the group discuss, record one consensus score (with the breakdown by criterion where possible) and summarise the discussion in the comment field. When the group cannot agree, note the range of views in the comment and record the score the majority supports.

Step 5: Close​

Scores are saved as you go. Review the comments with the note taker right after the session, while the discussion is fresh. The session can be resumed through Manage sessions if you run out of time.

When the focus group is your sign-off body​

Many companies use their ESG steering committee both as a focus group and as the body that signs off the results. Keep the two moments separate: score first, review the results later with the full picture. The sign-off session needs a pre-read with the draft results and minutes that record the decision.

Output​

  • One consensus score per question, weighted by the number of participants logged.
  • A written summary of the discussion per question, which is the richest qualitative material in your report.