The Tools of Our Trade [5.01.09]

“If all you ever have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Ancient Business Proverb...

When people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m a focus group moderator.  That often draws a blank stare so I have to continue a bit.  Usually I mention that I “interview” people about new products, ads, and ideas.  After a while, they usually get it and say, “Oh you always ask people how they feel about things.”  “Well, yes...kind of,” I say while thinking it might be easier to move to the next topic.

As moderators, our most valuable and least valuable tool is our voice.  We use it to question our respondents and help uncover the truths that will ultimately help our clients.  However, we often use it too much.  Some of the best tools involve the moderator turning participants loose with some fairly basic instruction and some simplistic tools.

Here are two examples:

Draw a picture of the user.  For positioning insights, we often ask people to draw the users of various brands in a category.  With pictures we can tease out little nuances that words can never capture.  The image of a Volkwasgon driver with a bold red nylon backpack (versus a staid leather hard case) says volumes about the brand's appeal.  If we had simply heard, "Young urban professionals drive VWs," the ad agency might be scratching its head when it comes time to write the creative brief.

Storyboarding.  To understand how a product or service fits into someone’s life, we can ask participants to “walk us through their days.”  Doing so is no easy task for them.  When asked, people usually say things like,  “You know, I get up. Get ready for work.  Go to work.  Go to the gym. Come home.  Eat dinner.  Relax.” 

Wait - there’s a lot more there that we need to work through.  Did you brush you teeth and floss?  Did you eat in the car?  What type of exercise did you do?  Did you microwave or cook that dinner?  All this can be tedious to ask verbally - especially when there are seven other people in the group! - so it’s best to have participants draw it out.

“Storyboarding” is a simple technique that involves drawing each key scene during the day.  With a picture, we can see where the action took place, who was involved, and even whether it was fun or not.

Many participants will get hung up on the quality of their drawings - it is important to remind them that they need not be Michelangelos.  We’re after the insight not the art.

Something about drawing puts people at ease and more in touch with their feelings. I’ve never had a participant not enjoy a drawing exercise and always have them say they had fun. 

It’s amazing how fun and learning often go together.