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Training Course Summary:

At the end of this software subject course participants will be able to:

Understand the benefits and uses for focus groups
Develop the key skills of a facilitator
Understand and effectively deal with group dynamics
Prepare to facilitate a focus group
Effectively facilitate a focus group

Who Should Attend:

Anyone who intends to lead a variety of focus groups, project meetings or working groups and wishes to become more effective at guiding people to solve problems and make decisions.

Training Course Overview/Content:

Introduction
What are the objectives for the task?
What are your objectives?
Types of focus group
The role of a facilitator
Preparation
Putting together aims & objectives
Identifying group 'ground rules'
Selecting group members
Venue, materials and techniques
Facilitator skills
Listening, questioning and probing
How to generate ideas and thoughts
Idea & solution generation techniques
Decision making techniques
Creativity techniques
Establishing and retaining control
Staying ahead
Importance of feedback
Increasing personal impact and creditability
Maximising verbal and visual communication skills
Group Behaviour
Understanding group dynamics
Diagnosing the development of a group
Dealing with group conflict
Dealing with individual behaviour
Group size and participation

Facilitating a group
Setting 'ground rules'
Establishing the objectives
Encouraging discussion
Avoiding negativity
Handling group dynamic 'problems' (examples: attention seekers, silence, off track discussions, dominating characters)
Closing the group down
Analysing Information from Focus Groups
Practical Sessions
Practical sessions are based on workplace situations and recreating small focus groups. This is done by either reproducing 'live' situations or by using scenarios. Focus groups can be based on:

Quality Improvement
Process Improvement
Employee Feedback
Customer Feedback
Strategy & Planning
Delegates will get an opportunity to facilitate a focus group and receive feedback on their style and skills.