Focus groups are not representative in the way that polls are [see polling] but provide qualitative insights that cannot be found using polling.

A focus group is typically made up of 8 to 10 members of the general public recruited by fieldwork agents around the country according to detailed recruitment criteria agreed with the client. These criteria may include one of, or a combination of, gender; age; region; interest in, or understanding of, a particular subject; lifestyle type, product choice or lifestage – or a large number of different variables.

Groups generally last for 90 minutes and participants are paid an incentive fee to take part, including travel expenses where necessary. People who have taken part in research groups in the previous six months are not eligible to participate. Groups are usually held in private meeting rooms in hotels or other suitable venues.

Deliberative workshops are longer events, often lasting a full day or more, which are used to explore an issue in greater detail than is possible in a focus group. They can be used to take key audiences through complex series of arguments – where all sides of a debate can be presented, where competing arguments can be tested, witnesses examined, and facts scrutinised. Using a combination of video, audio and real life situations, deliberative workshops give real understanding into how people make up their minds and will react to complicated arguments.