3 Key Characteristics Of A Focus Group Note Taker

If you’ve been following the FPG blog, then you know that objectivity, efficiency and charisma are the primary traits of a good focus group moderator. Now we’d like to turn your attention to the characteristics that make up another critical member of your marketing research team: the note taker.

While most, if not all, focus group sessions are recorded with some sort of audio/visual equipment, when it comes to capturing the subtle vocal hints, gestural cues and behavioral nuances of your focus group respondents, even the most state-of-the-art technology is incapable of replacing an attentive human note taker.

The note taker’s observations serve both as a supplementary documentation of your focus group discussion as well as a backup record in the event that one or more of your recording systems fail. For this reason, it is essential that your note taker possess not only a keen eye for detail, but also the ability to translate that detail to the page with clarity and consistency. Each note should be documented with the expectation that it could very well be of vital importance days or weeks later when memories of the focus group session have faded.

In addition to these three key characteristics, a good note taker should have the foresight and planning capabilities necessary to coordinate with the focus group moderator before each session, asking in-depth questions like: Is the moderator expecting near verbatim notes? What kind of information is the client looking to capture? How should the note taker communicate with the moderator during the session?

 For more information on how a good note taker helps you gather the most detailed qualitative research data and impacts the success of your marketing research projects, stay tuned to the FPG blog or click on the button below to schedule a consultation with one of the experts at Focus Pointe Global.