Online synchronous focus group interviews: Practical considerations

Qualitative Research, vol. 23, pp. 1810–1820

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a sudden shift was warranted from face-to-face to digital interviewing. This shift is in line with the existing trend of digitalization. However, limited literature is available on how to conduct focus group interviews online successfully. This research note provides practical guidelines, tips, and considerations for setting up and conducting online synchronous focus groups for eight relevant factors: preparation, the number of participants, the duration, a break, the usability of the online platform, the interaction between participants and researchers, support and roles of the research team, and privacy considerations. These guidelines were formulated based on the available literature and our own positive hands-on experiences. We consider online focus groups to be an excellent option when taking into account the considerations related to the eight factors.

Authors 4

1. Romy Fleur Willemsen corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

   National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

   Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the; Netherlands; National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

2. Jiska Joëlle Aardoom Aachen

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

   National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

   Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the; Netherlands; National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

3. Niels Henrik Chavannes Aachen

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

   National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

   Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the; Netherlands; National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

4. Anke Versluis Aachen

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

   National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands

   Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the; Netherlands; National eHealth Living Lab (NeLL), Leiden, the Netherlands