What's Needed When Planning
Selecting the Right Moderator
Who should moderate the focus groups? Sometimes it is an automatic decision. It is the principal investigator, the head researcher, the person who did focus groups last time, or a staff member who wants to gain experience with focus groups. Don't limit yourself to these choices. Consider the skills needed for the task as well as the preferences and characteristics of your target audience. Listed below are some factors that we've found to be important.
Moderators' respect for participants may be one of the most influential factors affecting the quality of focus group results. The moderator must believe that the participants have wisdom no matter what their level of education, experience, or background. Indeed, they may have limited knowledge on the topic, hold opposing values to that of the researchers, or seem to have fuzzy logic, but the moderator listens attentively with sensitivity, trying to understand their perspective. Often after the fourth or fifth group, the moderator will have heard the topic discussed in a variety of ways, and many of the concerns and key ideas will have been said several times. At this point, some information is old stuff to the moderator, but it still deserves the respect and active listening that were present the first time it was heard. Lack of respect quickly telegraphs to the participants and essentially shuts down meaningful communication. Why share your personal feelings when the moderator seems dismissive?
We've observed hundreds of moderators over the years and found that respect can be communicated in a variety of ways. In fact, we've worked with colleagues who do, indeed, care deeply about the participants but had difficulty exhibiting signals. The signals are the little things that let participants know that you care about them. The moderator shows interest in their lives and what is happening in their environment. The moderator interacts informally before and possibly after the focus group. The moderator looks at participants and gives the appearance of active listening. Some moderators will lean forward as they listen; others will take notes of key points. The moderator is not dismissive of comments and makes an effort to listen to each person in the group. The moderator shouldn't see moderating as a "job" that needs to get done but as an honor that he or she gets to hear what these people have to say on the topic.
Empathy and positive regard are critical qualities of the moderator. This attitude must permeate the entire focus group environment. Here's a meditation developed by Jack Kornfield that reflects how we try to approach moderating focus groups. We hope that those planning to moderate might find it beneficial.
Picture or imagine that this earth is filled with Buddhas, that every single being you encounter is enlightened, except one- yourself! Imagine that they are all here to teach you. Whoever you encounter is acting as they do solely for your benefit, to provide just the teachings and difficulties you need in order to awaken.
TIP
Show That You Care
It is not enough that the moderator cares about the participants. This concern must be reflected in behaviors that are observable to those in the focus group. We once did a study for a large medical facility that wanted to know what patients looked for in their health care. Over and over we heard patients say they knew they received good care when they felt the doctors and nurses cared about them as people. We asked patients to tell us how they could tell when the staff cared. Patients described how caregivers would stop them in the hallway and ask how they were doing. They" took time to listen. Also, it was particularly meaningful when the caregivers remembered the patient's name and asked about family members or events in the patient's life. These concrete ways were signs to patients that their medical providers cared about them. And they felt that when the caregivers cared about them as people, then they got good health care. Moderators also need to go beyond saving they care and show it by their behavior.
Sense what lessons they offer to you. Inwardly thank them for this. Throughout a day or a week continue to develop the image of enlightened teachers all around you. Notice how it changes your whole perspective on life. (Kornfield, 1993, p. 82)

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The moderator must have adequate background knowledge on the topic of discussion to place comments in perspective and follow up on critical areas of concern. Some successful moderators are able to use naivete to an advantage by prompting participants to amplify their comments, but if used in excess, it can become tiresome and inhibit complicated responses. Naivete is a two-edged sword. In some circumstances, it elicits considerable new information that may have been assumed-sometimes incorrectly-by the moderator. Furthermore, it can produce eloquent statements that place the topic of discussion into a larger context. Unfortunately, this same tactic can become infuriating to knowledgeable participants who feel the moderator has not yet earned the right to ask questions.
CAUTION
Keep Questions Clear
Sometimes in an effort to be helpful, the moderator will ask a question in several different ways. The moderator usually assumes that this strategy helps the participant, but in fact, it often does just the opposite. If the questions are perceived as different, then respondents become confused with the intent. Moreover, it makes analysis difficult because you are not sure which question was actually answered.
The moderator must be able to communicate clearly in writing and orally. The questions asked by the moderator are the backbone of the focused interview, and if these questions are convoluted or confusing, or reflect fuzzy thinking, then the entire process is in jeopardy.
Moderating requires the ability to listen and the self-discipline to control your personal views. Focus groups have been jeopardized because novice moderators could not hold back their own opinions. Moderators who have a personal commitment to the topic need to be careful to keep their personal views to themselves and focus on understanding the perceptions of the group participants. It's hard to listen to people who don't know the program as well as you do or who criticize a program near and dear to your heart. Harder yet is to smile and say "thank you" after they've ripped up your sacred program. Some moderators make the mistake of defending or explaining rather than just listening. Professional focus group moderators have a distinct advantage in this respect because they are emotionally detached from the topic of the study. It is easier to be open and listen.
Participants must feel comfortable with the moderator. They should feel that the moderator is the appropriate person to ask the questions and that the answers can be openly discussed. There are few absolutes about the physical characteristics of the moderator because much depends on the situation and the past experiences of the participants. It is more than having the participants comfortable with the moderator's dress and appearance. Consideration should be given to factors such as gender, race, age, language, socioeconomic characteristics, technical knowledge, and perceived power differences. Each of these, depending on the circumstances, has the potential for inhibiting communication. A simple example is that it is probably easier for men to talk about prostate problems with a male moderator than with a female moderator.
The moderator is a person, a member of a racial group, an age category, a gender, and so on, and any one of these factors could inhibit or prompt openness within the group. A valuable asset of many nonprofit and public institutions is the ability to recruit volunteer moderators who are not researchers but who possess the characteristics essential for success.
Finally, a friendly manner and a sense of humor are valuable assets. Just a smile from the moderator can help people feel like this might be an OK experience. Smiles typically connote warmth, caring, and empathy and are powerful factors in promoting conversation. Humor is a powerful bonding agent, particularly when it is spontaneous and not at anyone's expense. Excessive efforts at humor can fall flat, be misinterpreted, and be counterproductive. However, if someone says something funny, don't hold back your laugh.
The Moderating Team
Consider using a moderator team: a moderator and an assistant moderator. Each has certain tasks to perform. The moderator is primarily concerned with directing the discussion, keeping the conversation flowing, and taking a few notes. The notes of the moderator are not so much to capture the total interview but rather to identify a few key ideas, to remember comments to be rewoven into the later conversation, or to jot down questions that might be asked at the end of the group. The assistant, on the other hand, takes comprehensive notes, operates the tape recorder, handles the environmental conditions and logistics (refreshments, lighting, seating, etc.), and responds to unexpected interruptions. Near the end of the discussion, the moderator may ask the assistant if he or she wants to ask any additional questions or follow up on anything. The assistant may be asked to give a short (two-minute) summary of the key points of the discussion. Also, the assistant is key during the postmeeting analysis of the session.
The assistant moderator is not usually used in private sector market research projects unless as an apprentice. This limited use of assistant moderators is due to additional labor and travel costs. We have found assistant moderators well worth the investment in the public and nonprofit environment, particularly in situations when you do not have the special rooms with one-way mirrors. A second set of eyes and ears increases both the total accumulation of information and the validity of the analysis. Furthermore, an assistant provides a means for dealing with distracting interruptions to the focus group interview, such as latecomers, unwanted background music, or switching tapes.
Public and nonprofit organizations have a potential advantage in the use of assistant moderators. Within many organizations, individuals are willing to "sit in" on the focus group due to curiosity or concern and help with assigned functions. In some circumstances, these individuals may have background characteristics similar to those of the participants, and as a result, they may offer valuable assistance in analysis. Some care must be taken to ensure that the newly recruited assistant moderator understands the roles and responsibilities and doesn't inadvertently upstage the focus group. This can be solved by explicitly outlining the purpose and rules of the session. An example of assistant moderator responsibilities is included in Practice Hint 5.2.
EXAMPLE
Getting the Right Moderator
An AIDS researcher was planning on conducting focus group interviews with prostitutes who were also intravenous drug users. The topic was on the use of condoms and sterilized needles in AIDS prevention. This situation presented difficulties to the focus group researchers, who understood little of the culture or environment of the target audience. Also, the researchers would have to spend a great deal of time developing trust with the prostitutes. The best strategy in this situation may be to enlist the help of a drug-using prostitute to moderate the focus groups.
TIP
Be Alert: Are They Answering the Question?
Beginning moderators are so darn glad that people are talking that they sometimes miss that people aren't answering the question they asked. Participants may be answering an earlier question. Or they may be off on a tangent. Or they may be skirting the question. It may all be fascinating, but it may not be answering the question. The moderator has to be mentally alert to spot this and must bring the group back to the question.