Lb Qualitative Research shares its passion for group exercises with independant consultant Daphné

Organizing group events is all about energy, group chemistry and technique...
Daphné: Organizing group events is all about energy! Sometimes, group leaders say their consumer participants were dull and nothing was learned during the session. But there are no good or bad consumers! It's the energy the moderator brings to the discussion that makes all the difference. What makes a good group discussion is having an energized moderator.

Laure: But Daphné, how do you recognize whether there is energy in a given group?

Daphné: Energy is all about putting people at ease so you can come to know their perspectives and emotions! It's putting yourself into it, being approachable and likable so that people can trust you and reveal their thoughts and feelings. It's wanting to meet them, to understand what their perceptions are without reserving judgement, with all the empathy possible. And, in order to really get there, you have to attend to their well-being, get them involved in the session, reassure them about the timing, defuse any nascent tensions...

Laure: But doesn't it feel a little fake? We're inviting them into well-established facilities, we film them, we compensate them...

Daphné: Indeed, it can seem daunting for them to come to a group room or auditorium, and that's why the group presentation and the moderator's empathy plays such a crucial role to make sure he or she is in tune with the feelings and emotions of the participants.

Daphné: Beyond the energy we need to bring to the table, leading group activities also has to do with the moderator's ability to create a good group dynamic. All of the participants have to be involved and be part of this dynamic to create true synergy. When it works, the moderator could almost slip away and let them discuss the subject of the study between them.

Daphné: Finally, leading group activities is a very deliberate, organized exercise where timing must be respected, all the study materials reviewed and, most importantly, the objectives met! In order words, you have to make sure that the group helps answer the partner's questions.

Laure: So how would you describe moderating group activities in a nutshell?

Daphné: It the most fundamental part of our job! A well-moderated discussion will allow for clear and precise analysis, while a "dull" discussion, where nothing much is going on, will require more thorough and advanced analysis based less on consumer perceptions.

Daphné: In fact, moderating group discussions is a kind of magical connection we like to make in this profession of ours. Clients know how to recognize a good moderator. A moderator who knows what he's doing and does it well can be instantly recognized!

Laure: How do you see group discussions evolving over time?

Daphné: It seems that there has been a decline in the quality of how groups are being moderated in recent years. Institutes are spending less and less time to train their teams about moderating techniques, and analysis is often promoted instead. But I would argue that we cannot progress in our analyses without first improving our fieldwork. The two go together!

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