Transcript Presentation Slides (PowerPoint file)

CIL-NET Presents
Practicing Consumer Control:
Using Focus Groups in Your Strategic Plan
A National Teleconference & Webcast
Monday, August 31, 2009
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
Presenters: Daisy Feidt and Pam Smith
PSmith
Consulting
Today’s Discussion
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Determine when and how to consider qualitative research
in support of organizational objectives as well as describe
various approaches to assessing constituent and
consumer needs
Plan, prepare and conduct successful focus groups
Describe the process of coding and analyzing data,
interpreting reporting themes and patterns, and
determining how to best communicate findings to
interested parties
Integrate solutions for CIL service improvements and
operations based on the results of an effective needs
identification process
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Practicing Consumer Control: Using
Focus Groups In Your Strategic Plan
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Introduction
Strategic Planning - Getting Started
Types of Community Assessment
Focus Groups:
 Preparation
 Conducting a Focus Group
 Analyzing Respondent Data
Strategic Planning - Integrating Solutions
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started
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Start early! Process will take 6-9 months
Determine timeframe and audience
Establish committee
Consider hiring a consultant
Develop plan/process
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 2
Establishing a Committee
 Determine committee purpose: hire
consultant, process driver, feedback loop
and brainstormers.
 Determine committee makeup: Board,
staff (non Managers/ managers), active
client or volunteer?
 Determine meeting schedule.
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 3
Benefits of working with a consultant
 Expertise and experience
 Focus on the project
 Objectivity
 Ability to effectively engage & probe
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 4
How to select a consultant
 Request for Proposals
 Recommendations from peers
 Review of credentials
 Interviews
 References if desired
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 5
Role of the consultant
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Suggests a plan/process to achieve the
organization’s goals
Handles planning details and logistics
Solicits input and maintains communication with
contact person or committee
Moderates the focus groups
Delivers final report; maintains integrity of
research
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 6
How much does a consultant cost?
 Hourly rates vary from $50-$150 +
depending on experience and region of the
country
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 7
Developing a Process
 What external feedback/input is important
to you?
 What types of qualitative research will
you do?
 Who will you involve internally?
 Who will be involved in decision
making/plan approval?
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 8
Access Living’s Process
 Setting the Framework
 Discovery
 Creation of Plan
 Evaluation/Plan Adjustment
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 9
Access Living’s Process – Setting the
Framework
 Formed Steering Committee
 Hired Consultant
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 10
Access Living’s Process – Discovery
 Surveyed staff and board
 Conducted storytelling interviews
 Interviewed community partners
 Conducted focus groups with clients
 Conducted client survey
 Compiled and analyzed trending data
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 11
Access Living’s Process
Creating the Plan
 Agency Retreat
 Development of strategic directions
 Workgroups to develop goals
 Consultant drafted plan
 Management/board input
 Board approved plan
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Strategic Planning:
Getting Started, cont’d 12
Access Living’s Process – Evaluation
 Developed reporting tool with
measurable goals, person responsible,
and timeline
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Types of Community
Assessment
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Questionnaires
One-On-One Interviews
Field Observation
Ethnography
Case Studies
Focus Groups
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What Do You Want To Know?
The research method you choose depends on
how you want to use and interpret the data.
With regard to a particular issue or experience:
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What people are doing?
What they are thinking or feeling?
Who or what is influencing their behavior?
What are their priorities; their fears?
How do they perceive their own power; the power of
others?
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Why Use Focus Groups?
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A combination of methods
Get feedback on perceptions, attitudes,
programs, etc.
Test concepts and messages
Brainstorm the organization’s future
Inform organizational decision making
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
Before the Session
Preparation
 Who do you want to reach?
 Formulating questions
 Participant recruitment
 Logistics
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
Before the Session, cont’d 2
Preparation
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Group Structure
Demographic mix
Number of groups
Recruit 14 to get 8-10 people
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
Before the Session, cont’d 3
Recruitment
 Recruitment Screener to qualify participants
 demographics, regions, clients / potential
clients
 Logging calls /reminder calls
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
Before the Session, cont’d 4
Logistics
 Location and supplies
 Observation / Integration/ or Learning
conveyed by moderator
 Refreshments
 Incentive checks; record keeping
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
Before the Session, cont’d 5
Developing Questions
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Input from organization
Possible topics: services, quality, future,
community, communications, etc.
Mostly open-ended questions
Consultant develops Moderator’s Guide
Organization responds; revisions made
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
During the Session
Opening Your Group
 Welcome and Introductions
 Background information
 Ground Rules
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
During the Session, cont’d 2
How To Probe
Try to avoid Why /Why Not
Effective probes:
 What message do you want me to take
from that?
 How important is that to you?
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
During the Session, cont’d 3
How To Probe cont’d
 Give me an example
 Who can build on that?
 Describe to me what it’s like…
 What might happen if…
 So how do you deal with that?
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
During the Session, cont’d 4
Recording and Translation
 Importance of verbatim comments
 Determine if any groups might be
conducted in Spanish
 Be culturally aware
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
After the Session
Transcription and Data Analysis
 Have tapes transcribed
 Code responses
 Interpret themes and patterns
 Select representative quotes
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How to Conduct a Focus Group:
After the Session, cont’d 2
Findings
 Final Report
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Format, themes, quotes
Verbal presentation to interested parties
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Strategic Planning:
Integrating Solutions
Synthesize data/discuss findings
 Prioritize/determine feasibility
 Create strategic directions
 Determine goals/objectives
 Create tracking/reporting tool
 Determine process for reporting progress
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Strategic Planning:
Integrating Solutions, cont’d 2
Conducted Retreat
 Mix of board and staff
 Reported/discussed findings
 Did visioning exercise
 Prioritized broad goals
 Strategic Planning Committee developed
strategic directions from broad goals
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Strategic Planning:
Integrating Solutions, cont’d 3
Organized Work Groups
 Grouped strategic directions into themes
 Organized small board and staff groups
to develop goals to accomplish each
strategic direction
 Brainstormed/prioritized goals
 Top 4 or 5 made it into the plan
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Strategic Planning:
Integrating Solutions, cont’d 4
Created Reporting Tool
 Consultant drafted reporting tool with
measurable goals, responsible staff and
timeline.
 Tool will be used to report progress to the
board and for staff to track progress
toward accomplishing goals.
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Strategic Planning:
Integrating Solutions, cont’d 5
Tips for Creating Tracking Tool
 Determine audience
 Easy to understand/use
 Include timeline
 Include who is responsible
 Include measurable goals
 Takes into account other tracking
mechanisms already in use
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Putting It All Together:
Access Living Case Study
Finding from external interviews and
focus groups:
Access Living needs more effective
marketing about what we do and we
need to use media more effectively to
change attitudes about people with
disabilities.
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Access Living Case Study cont’d 2
Probing questions considered at retreat
 How can we use PR and media outreach to
increase AL’s visibility, better promote what
Access Living is and does, and create a more
favorable opinion of us among other
organizations?
 What ideas do we have about education
campaigns that could address stereotypical
attitudes and stigma and engender greater
respect towards people with disabilities?
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Access Living Case Study cont’d 3
Probing questions from retreat con’t
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What under-represented groups should
be reached and engaged?
What skills do we need to gain to develop
a greater Internet presence and evaluate
social media strategies?
How can we increase recognition of AL
among elected officials?
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Access Living Case Study cont’d 4
Strategic Direction:
Access Living will assess its public image
and messaging and implement strategies
that better define us, extend our reach,
promote our principles and attract more
people to the disability movement
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Access Living Case Study cont’d 5
Year 1
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Develop a clearer and more concise statement of
AL’s mission, vision and goals.
Develop a PR plan to support our legislative and
policy work on behalf of the disability community.
Develop new website elements to engage the
disability community and our allies (e.g. blogs,
interactive website components, advocacy
software such as CapWiz).
Use AL’s Facebook page and other social media
to support our strategic plan goals.
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Access Living Case Study cont’d 6
Year 2
 Create a plan/timeline to develop a public
affairs department within AL to further our
strategic goals. Consider including a
volunteer consumer speaker’s bureau as
part of this department
Year 3
 Find resources to support development
of a public affairs department within AL
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Access Living Case Study
cont’d 7
Example From Tracking Tool:
 Goal: Develop a clearer and more
concise statement of AL’s mission, vision
and goals.
 Indicator: Revised Statement of
Mission, Vision and Goals.
 Lead: PR Coordinator, Development
Director
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Access Living Case Study
cont’d 8
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Progress shared and assessed with
senior management quarterly.
Shared with the Board Bi –
Annually.
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Wrap Up and Evaluation
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Closing remarks
Please remember to complete the
evaluation at the following link:
https://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/12291g3f3c5
Your feedback is very important!
Thank you!
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Credits
Support for development of this
Webcast/teleconference was provided by the
U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation
Services Administration under grant number
H132B070002-08. No official endorsement of
the Department of Education should be
inferred.
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Credits, cont’d 2
Permission is granted for duplication of any
portion of this PowerPoint presentation,
providing that the following credit is given to
Access Living, PSmith Consulting and the CILNET project:
Presented as part of the CIL-NET, a program
of the IL NET, an ILRU/NCIL/APRIL National
Training and Technical Assistance Project.
Material in this presentation created and
copyright owned by Access Living and
PSmith Consulting.
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