Group Interview

Group Interview

Survey Method Options

A group interview is simply an interview that includes more than one respondent. Generally, the group includes 5-7 respondents in addition to the moderator (or interviewer). The interaction between the respondents themselves adds great richness to the discussion. Respondents, stimulated by the comments of others, generate more ideas and discuss topics from a variety of perspectives.

What is the aim of a Group Interview?

A group interview aims to create "rich" or "deep" information about a topic in order to discover consumers' real attitudes, values, and needs. Because this information is richer than the information from a quantitative survey, group interviews help to deepen understanding, sharpen insight, and fuel creative marketing thinking.

When is the Group Interview method useful in the research program?

As preliminary research for a quantitative survey

Through a broad discussion of the marketing topic from a variety of viewpoints, critical marketing factors are identified. These factors form the basis for building the quantitative survey questionnaire.

As follow-up research for a quantitative survey

The statistically-based results of the quantitative survey are discussed and compared with the real-world experiences of the respondents to provide "face validity" of the results based on actual consumer experience. In addition, respondents add rich descriptive detail to the quantitative results.

As the primary survey method

The discussion uncovers the relationships between consumers' behaviors, attitudes, needs, and values. A marketer, by experiencing the discussion through direct observation, receives a vivid impression of these relationships.

How is a Group Interview analyzed?

Qualitative research methods are effective for exploring concepts and building vocabulary for new or underdeveloped topics.

Qualitative research can be used for much more than confirming or categorizing consumers' reactions. NRC utilizes an array of methods to fully explore meaningful themes.

These methods include:

  • Concepts for new products
  • Product packaging
  • New product designs
  • TV commercials and print ads
  • Taste of foods, beverages, and other products

Group Interview Facilities

NRC's offices have purpose-built interviewing suites that include an interviewing room for conducting the group interview and an observation room for clients to observe and discuss the group interview.

The interview room provides a relaxed atmosphere and optimal interviewing environment to promote open and meaningful conversation. State-of-the-art audio/video monitoring/recording systems capture all the nuances of the discussion for later review.

The observation room allows clients to view the group directly through a two-way mirror-window and to listen to the discussion in either the original language or a simultaneous translation.