Do Focus Groups Have a Future?

Probably not a bright future. There is a growing frustration that focus groups are not producing honest or useful results.

Which is not surprising given that the researchers have paid a group of people with frankly nothing better to do than sit and discuss products in an artificial and manufactured environment. One should expect conservative and more uniform answers.

And the alternative?

Get out and listen to or watch consumers in their environments. Or let them answer in private via the Internet or SMS without peer group influence.