 Welcome to Conducting Focus Groups, part of the Research and Assessment Cycle Toolkit offered by the Association of Research Libraries, and made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. This presentation is part of a module that focuses on collecting data, evidence, input, or other information for library assessment projects. It describes focus group methods for library assessment projects, including focus group structures and preparation. We hope the content is useful to library practitioners seeking to conduct library assessment projects. At the close of the presentation, you will find a link to a feedback form. Please let us know what elements were useful to you. After library assessment professionals determine what they need to know or want to learn as a result of an assessment undertaking, and have considered the wide range of choices of assessment methods that will allow them to gain that knowledge or understanding. The process of developing one or more methods is at hand. The library practitioners select focus groups as an approach to a particular assessment project or need. It is important to think through focus groups as a general method, the roles of facilitators and participants, necessary preparation for a successful focus group process, as well as guiding principles for focus group scripts and scheduling. Focus groups are generally considered a qualitative research approach, and typically involve guided group discussions with five to eight participants. In academic library contexts, individuals might include library users, those who do not yet use or engage with libraries, representatives of various library or institutional communities, stakeholders, or even library colleagues. Participants may be selected due to shared characteristics, areas of expertise, or experiences, or because they represent a range of some criterion. From lasting about 45 to 90 minutes, focus groups are considered a time-intensive assessment option, particularly when one considers the preparation involved, the processing of transcripts or recordings, and subsequent analysis. Some of the benefits of this approach include the opportunity to hear directly from participants, individually, and in engagement with each other, and gather their experiences and stories. Focus groups can also offer the chance to follow up on questions or seek clarifications or further detail, an option that is not always possible with other assessment methods. Having said that, focus groups can also have drawbacks in addition to the time-intensive nature of the approach. Participants might not always be accurate or candid in their responses due to a desire to avoid conflict or create social discomfort in some other way with the participants or facilitator. Facilitators can also potentially lead participants individually or the discussion overall to the responses that they hope to hear. Focus groups can be used in a variety of ways, including identifying users' concerns, attitudes, beliefs, or feelings, fleshing out responses gleaned from other assessment approaches or studies, engaging users in participatory design, or testing out future possible designs or scenarios for services, resources, or systems. Advantages to using a focus group approach include gaining a detailed understanding, surfacing agreements and disagreements, and relatively easy adoption to various audiences, contexts, and questions. Disadvantages include difficult coordination, participants who may dominate or disappear in group discussion, the emergence of groupthink or dismissal of varying opinions, and the common practice of using convenient samples that may obscure or omit diverse perspectives. Focus groups as an assessment method require preparation involving facilitators, participants, and technology or facilities. To ensure a positive focus group experience and best results in terms of eliciting useful input, facilitators should be trained in focus group techniques and provided ample opportunities to practice. Facilitators should put participants at ease and ensure that the focus group process is comfortable and not subject to facilitator bias. Facilitators should not ask leading questions or influence participant responses or discussions through their verbal or written language, affect, or body language. It may help, in many situations, to use a facilitator that is not perceived as or actually representative of the issue, topic, service, resource, or space being explored in the discussion. This may encourage participants to be more candid in their discussion. Ideally, a focus group facilitator will be accompanied by a recorder or note taker so that the facilitator can focus on the task of guiding the participant's discussion. Participants in a focus group should be enough in number to stimulate discussion and represent variations in experiences or expertise sufficient to the assessment project purpose, but not so many that the discussion becomes unwieldy or doesn't provide adequate time for all to be engaged and heard. Typical recommendations for focus group size are around five to eight participants, but some recommendations may expand that number to up to ten participants. Other attendees of a focus group may include the facilitator and a recorder and or note taker. Sometimes, other observers may also attend. Focus group venues may be in person or online through conferencing technology. Focus groups are often recorded and transcribed so that no content is lost. Other preparation for focus groups may include preparing for recording, developing structures for the focus groups, supporting participant involvement, and adherence to other basic guidelines. Recording a focus group might take the form of note taking, audio, or video recording. This will typically also involve signed consent, and individual library assessment practitioners will want to follow library, institutional, local, and IRB-related processes in this area. Note takers will likely want to begin with skeleton notes, pre-structured materials, checklists, or forms that are designed to align with the intended focus group structure, with plenty of room to make note of departures from any script designed in advance. Using recording or note taking allows the facilitator to focus on the participants, enables the capture of cues, including those that are non-verbal, and so on. Recordings can be used to transcribe responses verbatim or validate notes taken in the session. Recordings also allow others to view the exchange and consider multiple interpretations beyond the facilitators alone. Basic focus group structures typically include five to eight participants over 45 to 90 minutes, with both a facilitator and a note taker and or recorder present. A general starting place for a focus group structure may begin with five or six questions with follow-up prompts. Plans should include ensuring that the space is accessible and comfortable for the discussion. Generally, a focus group will begin with consent processes, the purpose of the focus group, clear instructions, and a welcome and or icebreaker. At the close of the focus group, facilitators will typically review or summarize the discussion and thank participants. It's good practice to check recordings right away and review notes shortly after the session. Generally, both the facilitator and note taker will write focus group summaries independently soon after the session ends. Checklists that a library assessment practitioner may prepare in advance of a focus group based assessment will likely include preparing recruiting and consent processes according to requirements and best practices, ensuring that the space used for the focus group, either virtual or physical, are safe and accessible. Instructing participants on any materials or preparation they need to be aware of prior to the focus group and reminding them of the time and venue, asking participants about any accommodations that will facilitate their participation, and creating a plan for the possibilities of nonattendance by some or even many participants. Other recommendations for being prepared for focus groups include ensuring questions, props, note taking materials, recording technology, and so on is ready to go. Piloting questions in advance using participants that are like those that will attend the coming sessions. Preparing facilitators, note takers, recorders, and any other study side personnel. And investigating any costs like transcription that might be helpful for analysis and eventual reporting. While cultural competence is necessary in all library assessment interactions, the interpersonal nature of focus groups makes cultural competence especially important. Library assessment practitioners should reflect on their focus group plan and procedures to check for the following. Are the issues under examination relevant to participants? Are participants reflective of the diversity you seek to include? Is the same diversity and inclusion evident in your study team as well? Does your planned communication style suit the situation and relationships you anticipate occurring through the focus group process? Have you been completely transparent with your participants? Have you built in plans for reciprocity, empowerment, and benefits for participants? In preparing to use focus groups as an assessment method, a few more suggested practices for focus group schedules and scripts are worth reflecting upon. In terms of the general focus group schedule, generally one should begin with confirmation of consent and the purpose for the discussion. Facilitators should share a clear timeline and instructions as well as any parameters or guidelines for the focus group. After the focus group discussion is concluded, facilitators should review the conversation briefly, provide information about ways participants can follow up, and demonstrate appreciation for the participant's time and engagement. Other recommendations for structuring focus groups, scripts include beginning with a welcome, the purpose, relevant ground rules, and brief introductions or an icebreaker. In discussion, using four to five to six core questions with follow-ups, consider the logic and flow of the questions to ease the flow of discussion. Close with a summary and expression of appreciation along with the time frame for when results and follow-up actions might be expected. After the close of the focus group, recordings should be checked, notes reviewed, and summaries composed, and then analysis can begin. Thank you for viewing this presentation on collecting data, evidence, input, or other information for library assessment projects. Please use the link provided to complete a feedback form on the usefulness of this information for your purposes.