Method of Approach Adopted for the Project
Focus Group Meetings
Focus groups offer an opportunity of having a two-way dialogue of some depth with a small group of 8 to 10 people. A relaxed and informal setting was selected and this, together with the synergistic effect of being in a group, generates an exchange of information and opinion which it is not possible to obtain using more formal consultation methods. Each focus group session usually lasted about one and a half hours.
In order to ensure that a cross section of opinion was obtained, six focus groups in total were commissioned across three different types of settlements: urban fringe, market town and rural. For each settlement type, one group was conducted with social grades A, B, C1 and one with C2, D, E. The actual locations of the groups were chosen to provide as wide a geographical spread across the Borough as possible. The locations chosen were as follows: West Wellow/Plaitford and North Baddesley/Ampfield (urban fringe); Romsey and Andover (market towns); Middle Wallop/Nether Wallop/Broughton and Wherwell/Longstoke/Leckford (rural).
Recruitment criteria set for each of the groups aimed to ensure that a cross section of people were included in terms of sex, household composition, age, and working status. People were recruited to the groups on the basis that they would subsequently be prepared to attend a follow-up workshop session later in the year. In order to compensate for the investment in time for attending the focus groups, participants were paid an incentive of £20. The groups were well attended and participants reported their experience to have been an interesting and stimulating one.
In order to provide direction for the discussions, a topic guide was prepared by Miller Associates Ltd in collaboration with KLPC and the commissioning clients. Photographs of the Test Valley landscape were used to help discussions but no other material was provided. This approach was designed to ensure that, at this stage, the groups would not be influenced by professional views and would enable a frank discussion based on their own observations and opinions. All six focus groups were tape recorded and the transcripts of these tapes formed the basis of the report.