How to Conduct Qualitative Formative Research

"Formative research is an activity conducted at the beginning of the SBCC [social and behaviour change communication] project design process. It is used to gain insight into the health issue or behavior the project intends to address; relevant characteristics of primary and secondary audiences; communication access, habits and preferences; and the main drivers of behavior. Formative research is critical to developing program materials, tools and approaches that are culturally and geographically appropriate."

From Health COMpass, this resource for practical application explores the use of formative research to address health issues through SBCC strategies. This kind of research can use a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods; however, this guide focuses on qualitative methods, which may be used when programme planners have limited resources, lack formal training to collect and analyse quantitative data, or do not need to estimate the proportion of an attribute in the population. In particular, it examines focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). "These methods are effective for gaining insight into what motivates individuals and communities to behave a certain way and how they view the world or the community around them." As indicated in the resource, the reasons for choosing FGDs versus IDIs are different - and researchers often opt for a combination of the two - but the process of creating, executing, and analysing FGDs and IDIs are similar in some regards.

So, the resource outlines 11 steps, including:

1. Identify needs - sample question: "What is already known about the issue and the audience? For example, what is already known about attitudes or determinants of behavior among members of the intended audience regarding the health issue being explored?"
2. Define objectives - sample action: "Identify reasons why women do not talk to their husbands about family planning."
3. Recruit the respondents - sample insight: "[W]omen who are currently breastfeeding might have different attitudes, knowledge, and practices than women who breastfed years ago. If both subgroups of women are part of the intended audience, then more discussion groups or interviews may be needed to understand the differences between them.
4. Determine the number of focus groups or in-depth discussions - sample suggestion: "On average, 6-12 people participate in each focus group because fewer than six participants generate less than a critical mass of conversation and interaction; groups larger than 8-10 people can be hard to manage and it can be difficult to give everyone a chance to voice their opinions."
5. Create the questions - sample suggestion: "Questions should be open-ended (i.e. they cannot be answered simply “yes” or “no”) in order to invite ideas and stimulate conversation. Ensure that the questions are unbiased and do not have leading language that might encourage participants to answer in a specific manner. Once the questions have been refined, order them so that they move from the more general to the specific and in a way that will be comfortable for the participants."
6. Select facilitators/interviewers - sample insight: "Both facilitators and interviewers should be able to diplomatically keep the discussion on track and ensure that every participant is heard. They must be open-minded, flexible, patient, observant and good listeners. They should also be deeply familiar with the study topic and the larger project objectives so that he or she can help keep the conversation centered on the purpose and needs of the study."
7. Develop a script - involves: an opening, the questions created in step 3 (above), and a closing.
8. Choose a location - considerations described include: accessibility, privacy, comfort, appropriateness (e.g., consider when conducting an FGD with women whether the chosen location might bias the discussion).
9. Conduct the FGDs or IDIs - tips include, amongst other things, allowing some flexibility when it comes to using the script.
10. Transcribe the interviews - sample tip: "The quicker an FGD or IDI is transcribed, the less likely there are to be mistakes due to lapses in the facilitator's memory."
11. Analyse the information - sample suggestion: "Coding by theme allows for better organization of data when extracting results and key findings. These findings should be put into a report that details the methods of the study, the results of the discussions and/or interviews, and the resulting implications for the health campaign or program."

The resource concludes with a list of resources, tips and recommendations, a glossary and list of concepts, and sources and citations.