Guide to Advanced Empirical
Computer-Mediated Focus Groups
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3299771.3299772, BF01324126
| 4. Computer-Mediated Focus Groups This section describes and evaluates the application of computer-support in the conduct of focus groups. In particular, the emphasis here is on face-to-face focus groups mediated by Group Support Systems (GSS) technology (Nunamaker et al., 1991). The benefits and drawbacks of GSS-mediated face-to-face focus groups are compared to traditional focus groups, and also to online (distributed) focus groups that have recently gained popularity with increased use of the Internet. Figure 1 illustrates the framework of our analysis (cells with patterned background are analysed. Examples of software engineering research applications are also mentioned in this section. 4 The Focus Group Method as an Empirical Tool in Software Engineering As early as in the late s, Management Information Systems researchers developed so-called Group Support Systems (also called Electronic Meeting Systems, to alleviate the common process problems caused by task-oriented group work, such as brainstorming (Nunamaker et al., 1991). These process problems result from, for example, the need to wait for one’s own turn to speak, or the dominance of one or a few participants. The strengths of computer-mediated GSS- sessions are built on. Simultaneous and anonymous contribution via computers. Structured agenda. Real-time voting and multi-criteria analysis possibilities. Group memory during and after the sessions. Complete records of the electronic discussions GSS technology is conventionally employed in a same-time same-place mode, where the interaction between the participants is for the most part conducted via personal computers. The majority of the meeting time maybe used in deliberating why participants think the way they do, and what to do about it. This is due to the fact that finding out what people are thinking can be conducted in a few minutes due to the parallel input mode – even with large groups of more than 15 participants. Field research results on GSS show savings up to 50% of individual work hours and 90% of project time when compared to regular meetings and group work (Fjermestad and Hiltz, Extensive research on GSS usage exists, see for example the laboratory, case and field research reviews (Fjermestad and Hiltz, 1999, 2000), or a recent study profiling GSS research articles (Bragge et alb. Despite the vast amount of research studies on GSS, only a few of them have touched explicitly how the application of GSS may benefit the conduct of focus group studies (Clapper and Massey, 1996; Easton et al., 2003; Klein et al., 2007; Kontio et al., 2004; Massey and Download 1.5 Mb. Share with your friends:
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