Conducting Online Focus Groups: Practical Advice for Information Systems Researchers

Video-based online focus groups present an emerging opportunity for IS researchers to collect rich data. They allow researchers to assemble participants from all over the world who collectively discuss contemporary IS phenomena. In order to realize the full potential of online focus groups for IS research, we need to understand the challenges and uncover possible solutions for designing and conducting online focus groups. We review prior (online) focus group literature in and beyond the IS discipline. Additionally, we provide a detailed account of our own experiences with seven online focus groups in the context of digital platforms. In supplementing our own experiences with those of others in prior literature, we present the conditions under which online focus groups are especially appropriate, summarize the challenges inherent in the online focus group method and provide practical advice on its application.