Focus Group Methodology

Focus group discussions are a qualitative research method in which a trained moderator guides a small group (typically 6–12 participants) through structured or semi-structured discussion of a specific topic or product. Developed by Merton and Lazarsfeld in the 1950s for market research, focus groups are now widely used in health sciences, education, social sciences, and policy research. The method leverages group interaction to generate rich, contextual insights that individual interviews may not reveal.