Graffigna, Bosio, Figure 1

Focus groups conducted in a virtual research setting can take the following forms:

FORUM: This is a virtual board where participants can interact without their having to be online at the same time (asynchronous communication) as they write their messages and read others’ over periods of time that can vary from 4 days to several months, depending on the research objectives and purposes. This implies that the time between one message and the next can vary greatly and that this could make the discussion slow and rarefied. Moreover, in this type of discussion, a moderator tends to intervene as little as possible, limiting him- or herself to introducing the themes or probes, focusing attention on the main topic, and facilitating the interaction. In the literature, this format of online discussion is described as being particularly suitable in cross-cultural research or in studies involving participants from different parts of the world: the asynchronicity of the medium allows time differences to be overcome and also allows participants to take their time in translating the messages of others and to write and edit their own messages.

MAILING LIST (MEGS): In this type of group, participants communicate by e-mail messages. In some cases, they send messages directly; in others, a moderator mediates by receiving the messages, then summarizing and circulating them. In this way, a synthesis and a first elaboration of the content are negotiated among the participants. This format of online discussion is currently used less than in the past, and some authors consider it a group interview rather than a focus group technique (Di Fraia, 2004).

CHAT: Participants access the Internet contemporaneously, and they interact in the same way as in a face-to-face exchange (synchronous communication): hence, some authors consider this format of discussion the closest to a face-to-face focus group (Sweet, 2001). There is no full consensus as to the ideal number of members for this type of online focus group, although a small number is generally preferred for better management of interaction and flow of conversation.

MIXED GROUP: In the literature, this kind is less frequent than the others, and there is no generally accepted definition of it. It consists of the combination of the two styles of communication (synchronous and asynchronous) for a more varied and articulate discussion and to allow a richer data collection.