Moderators On Moderating

Despite my unapproachable nature, I occasionally meet new people. And they always ask me: What do you do? (This question, while not particularly specific, has come to be understood as an inquiry about one's profession.)

So I repeat what Scott Taylor once told me that he told people who asked such questions: that we're a market research firm that helps large organizations better understand their customers and potential customers, that we obtain evidence and analyze it, that we work in industries like entertainment and technology and pharmaceuticals and many others.

And before they completely tune me out, I tell them that half of our work consists of focus groups.

Everyone has heard of focus groups (often in a not-so-positive light, like in politics, where a "focus grouped candidate" is used as a pejorative description), so sometimes that sparks a reply. I tell them focus groups are basically in-depth conversations with a small number of targeted respondents, to gain insight into the reasons behind people's opinions.

And then it becomes clear I've talked enough, as their inquiry was a polite conversation-starter and I've gone on too long. So I return the favor: And you?

But there's more to say about focus groups -- a lot more about the art of moderating, different techniques and approaches, and the pursuit of a successful group.

In an attempt to capture some of this, we've put together a short video of our moderators talking about their craft. It's available here or by clicking the button on our homepage.

Check it out. Soon we'll release extended one-on-one interviews with our moderators; those will also be available on our website.

And coming this summer, for the number-crunchers: a quantitative video!