Do focus groups represent an effective input to graphic design development?

Focus groups are a commonly used tool of qualitative consumer research. One important limitation of consumer focus groups is that their findings cannot be extrapolated directly onto larger populations. Nevertheless, if their... [ view full abstract ]

Focus groups are a commonly used tool of qualitative consumer research. One important limitation of consumer focus groups is that their findings cannot be extrapolated directly onto larger populations. Nevertheless, if their outputs are to be of any value, they must have some applicability to larger populations within the context of the research conducted. This research examined the degree to which consumer focus group outputs relating to the ranking and development of four package graphic designs could be reliably related to quantitative measurements of consumer reactions to the four original and four developed designs. The results showed that the focus group rankings of the four original designs were largely predictive of the outcomes of the quantitative field trial. The improved designs also consistently outperformed their original equivalents in the field trials. Very large improvements were recorded with respect to the weaker original designs. These results support the applicability of focus group data to larger groups and the continued use of consumer focus groups as a developmental consumer research input.