NH UPA March Meeting: Are Focus Groups Worth It?
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 by Kyle Soucy| March 24, 2010 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
Focus Groups have always been part of the design research toolkit. Sometimes focus groups get a bad rap as too soft, or too biased, or not helpful enough. But, done effectively they can really help inspire innovation and guide the design process. Please join us for the March 24th NH UPA meeting where RIVA-certified Master Moderator, Kay Corry Aubrey, will share her expertise on moderating focus groups. RSVP to info@nhupa.org if you plan to attend so we can plan appropriately.
Kay will cover:
When it’s appropriate to run focus groups (dispelling some myths and showing when and how it can work)
Where insights from focus groups fit into design research (capturing user trends, perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes on a product or service)
How to plan a group (putting together the moderator guide, crafting questions, designing activities, strategic use of group process)
What it takes to be a good moderator (and how being a good moderator also makes you a better interviewer)
How to deal with issues (keeping people on topic, ensuring no one dominates)
What you can expect to learn:
Gain an accurate understanding of the type of user insights focus groups produce
Where focus groups fit into Usability and UI Design
How to create hybrid studies that combine focus groups with usability testing, card sorts and other traditional research methods
Skills you need to run them
Where you can go to learn these (Kay will provide a bibliography of resources)
When:
Wednesday March 24th
Refreshments & Networking: 6-7pm
Meeting: 7pm – 8ish
Where:
PixelMEDIA
75 New Hampshire Avenue, Suite 100
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Please note: this is a new location for PixelMEDIA in the Newmarket International building on Pease Tradeport
About the speaker
Ms. Kay Corry Aubrey is the owner of Usability Resources, which specializes in qualitative research for user-centered design. Kay has 20 years experience in applying qualitative research methods and usability testing to technology products. She has led user research, usability, and design efforts for dozens of clients including AT&T, Avaya, Monster World Wide, the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Mayo Clinic, and Staples. She is on the faculty of Northeastern University where she teaches graduate courses in usability, user research, and interaction design. She is the business editor of the QRCA VIEWS magazine, a market research journal that is read by over 5000 qualitative research consultants and buyers.
About our host
PixelMEDIA provides the strategic, creative, and technical expertise needed to increase revenue opportunities and reduce costs. Services include web and mobile design, user interface design, application development, search marketing, brand identity, and interactive media. PixelMEDIA’s customers include industry leaders such as ECCO Shoes, Logica, Bauer, Computer Associates, Liberty Mutual, Elavon, and Boston Beer. Learn more at www.pixelmedia.com.
RSVP:
Please RSVP to attend, as we need a head count for food and refreshments. Send RSVPs to info@nhupa.org.
NH UPA meetings are ALWAYS open to anyone who is interested in attending. Membership to the UPA is NOT required.
