Moderator Guide

Focus Group UC Davis, Coursera

May 16, 2017
Mock, New, and Updated Cell Phone Features
(Have group get food and sit down in their seats.)

I. Background:
Welcome, and thank you for coming to our focus group discussion about cell
phones today. I am Susan Berman, my independent research firm Impact
Research was hired to get your feedback about the most important attributes
that drive you to buy a new cell phone.
The company wants to find out what features they should include in this
cellphone to make it the most attractive of the newest and hottest cellphones
on the market.

II. Rules of Focus Group

We want you all to talk freely about your opinions today. Remember there are
no right or wrong answers so please share openly. We want to hear from
everybody, just not at the same time.

We appreciate that you agreed to participate in what will become an

example of a focus group that will be used as part of an online
course for UC Davis Extension on Qualitative Research.

The consent form you signed allows us to use audio and video
segments from this group for instructional purposes only.

Since this is for a course, there may be times throughout the group where we
will need to ask you to repeat one of your comments if the videographer
missed it. We appreciate your cooperation in advance.

When a report is written, there will not be any identifying factors

in the report; your name or likeness will not be used.
 The group should last no longer than 90 minutes. Please refrain from leaving
the room until the group is over and make sure to turn off your cell phone.

Please face your table-tent with your name towards me so I can see it.

Ill. Introductions (10 Minutes)

As you know, I am Susan Berman, the instructor for the course on Qualitative
Research and the one who recruited you last week.

Before we start, I want to go around the room, state your first

name, tell me what you are studying at UC Davis and what you like
to do in your free time.

I will start, "Hello my name is Susan. I studied Human Development and

Communications at UC Davis and Stanford and do market research for a
living. I love to play tennis and go to the beach with my Labrador.

IV. Background Questions on Current Cell Phone:

(30 minutes with backup Q and probes)
When I recruited you for the group, you stated that you have bought a high-
end cell phone within the last couple of years.

(FOR EVERYONE) (Reverse direction)

Q1. Let's start by going around the room again and tell me first what cell phone
brand and model you have and what features you like about your current cell
phone.

(WRITE DOWN THE IMPORTANT FEATURES)

Q2. What made you choose that brand in the first place?
Responses...Others
Probe:
If you considered another type of phone when you were buying your current
one, what made you decide not to buy that one?
Probe:
Did you switch from another brand?
What made you decide to buy this one over that one?
 Probe:
What are things you don't like about your cell phone compared to
others?

Probe:
When do you use your cell phone for the most?
***Leading... like at school, work, with family, friends or all of those

V. Features and Apps (20 minutes)

Q3. What features or Apps are the most important on your cell
phone? You named some already.

(Go to flipchart, list and write: Photos, email, Texting, Skype/What's

App, Calendar, Books, YouTube, Twitter)

Q4. Thinking about some these phone features or apps you

mentioned, as I read each one by raising your hand, which would you
say is the most important to you? Then least important?
(Read each one and get count of hands).

Probe:
Did we miss any other features?

VI. Phone Attributes (20 minutes with probes)

Q5. Thinking about specific attributes/technical specs, what sold you

on the cellphone when you are making a decision to purchase? What
were most important to you? (Write on flipchart)
(Write) data privacy and security, storage, longer battery life, better
camera, speed, durability (impact-resistant, waterproof), LCD
resolution.

(Rate by show of hands) Then ask, “Least important?”

 Probe:
(By show of hands) How many of you would NOT buy a phone if it had poor
performance with each attribute. (Go through each attribute on the
flipchart).

VII. Price (10 minutes with probes)

Q6. How do you feel about the price you paid for your cell phone?
Was it worth the cost?

Probe:

Thinking about a cellphone price, what do you think would be the

most acceptable price range and payment plan for a cellphone that
had all of the most important features you have mentioned?

VIII. Design (size and weight) (fun question) (5 minutes)

Q8. If you could design a new cell phone, what would it look like and
what would it do?

IX. The Social Aspect of the Phone (10 minutes)

Q9. What are you feelings about how cell phones either help or hurt
face-to-face communication with friends or family?

Anything else you want to add?

X. Closing

We have shared a lot of important information today about what types are
things are important to you about your cell phone experience. We all have
interesting priorities when it comes to our cell phone.

Once again, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule
to come to the focus group tonight. We hope you had a good time.

Incentives