A classmate wants to do research on the topic of biking, and understanding how people make sense of biking in urban areas. She targeted us as a group suitable for a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), because we are in similar circumstances. We started with a short presentation round, and we touched upon childhood, where we grew up, when we used to bike… then, the conversation was supposed to go on, and it certainly did (because that’s the point). I enjoyed the process, and the cookies were amazing 😀 My classmate shared with us her reflections afterwards, such as:
“One of the participants touched upon one thing that I found very interesting, but then the group went on. Later, I brought them back to this, by saying that what she said was interesting. Here my wording was a bit messy, so rather than leading them into what I found interesting they went in a different direction.”
“Another improvement is to bring in the previous studies earlier. The study is partly what has made me interested in the topic, and it also enabled the participants to discuss the things I was the most interested in.”
Conclusion: It is necessary to practice!.