Maximizing qualitative research with teens

They're neither big children nor small adults

Editor’s note: Christine Efken is senior research associate at Doyle Research Associates, Inc., Chicago. She can be reached at cefken@doyleresearch.com. This article is adapted from a presentation given at the Qualitative Research Consultants Association National Conference on October 21, 2005.

They care about what other teens in the discussion group think about how they look and what they say - or they don’t care at all. They give you open and honest responses - or they gladly make it all up. They care deeply about the product - or they are only participating in your study because they want the money. They are predictable and unpredictable. Yet, they are a powerful consumer segment that in 2005 spent a projected $159 billion in the United States alone. They are teenagers.

Do you have what it takes to effectively research teens?

There is an old adage: If you want to catch a fish, think like a fish. You may be long past your teenage years, but in many ways, you need to think like a teenager to research teens and catch their true responses to concepts, products and advertising. As difficult as it may be, you’ll need to try to remember what it was like to be a teen and empathize with them. You’ll need a sincere and genuine interest in this population to succeed with them. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll need the ability to be non-judgmental about the opinions they express. Absorb their insights without passing judgment on either the way they express themselves or the ideas themselves. The response of each teen is important since it likely represents the opinions of a significant population that isn’t represented in that particular group.

Prior to conducting a qualitative research study with teens, you’ll want to immerse yourself in their world. Update yourself on teen trends. Listen to their music. Observe them shopping or using their cell phones, MP3 players, laptops and other electronics. Also, it’s easy enough to read their blogs (e.g., www.myspace.com), visit Web sites designed specifically for teens or to thumb through the teen magazines to stay up to date and better understand their interests.

While you seek to immerse yourself in the teen world, you are more likely to gain their respect if you stay grounded in your own. For example, don’t dress like a teen, yet don’t be too conservative in your dress either. Conveying an image of a judgmental authority figure will probably not encourage teens to fully open up to you and disclose their deepest emotions.

Also keep in mind that teen years can be fraught with insecurity, popularity contests, angst, acne, gossip, worries about college, cars, and just about anything else you can think of. Make their research sessions focused - talk about the subject matter at hand in a non-threatening way by welcoming and treating each teen as a unique individual and an equal. Never talk down to them.

Teens are neither big children nor small adults. They have their own take on the world around them, which is sometimes more “controlled chaos” than anything else. Be willing to be an advocate for them and differentiate yourself from being just an adult who pushes a product at them. Also remember that a successful moderator of teen consumer groups should have a sense of humor; show them you can have some fun while doing some serious work.

Study design considerations

As with all consumer research, researchers and qualitative consultants need to select a method and design a study that will glean the insights needed to meet the project objectives. While traditional mini-group discussions or in-depth interviews may be most effective for some projects, others studies may benefit from non-traditional methods. Consider the following:

• Ethnographic research. By observing teens outside of the walls of a focus group facility, you can focus on their lifestyles, experiences, feelings and emotions. Through ethnographic studies researchers can uncover the various factors that influence teen behaviors, how they make decisions, the role and degree of influence that friends and family members play in a teen’s world, how they relate to others in their personal worlds, and the way they use and interact with your (or your competitors’) products. You’d be amazed how often those elusive “ahas” are revealed when you’re talking with them in their space.

For example, consider observing teens riding the roller coasters at theme parks, and then conducting interviews with them immediately after the experience. You can gain much richer insight into what they think at that moment, rather than waiting for them to join a focus group discussion days or weeks after the experience.

When selecting a research venue, think creatively about locations that make the most sense for exploring the particular issue at hand such as their homes, coffee houses, school gyms, malls, concerts, restaurants, bus stops, train platforms or beaches.

• “Wired” interviews. Today’s teens are unbelievably tech-savvy and use technology to stay connected and informed 24/7. Researchers can capitalize on teens’ use of technology by incorporating various electronic and/or telecommunication devices in their research designs.

For example, to better understand the challenges teens face when shopping for a product at a local retailer, why not ask them to use their cell phone to call you from the store or mall to talk about their shopping experience. Ask the teens to send photos to you via their camera phone to help illustrate the experience as it takes place. This type of in-depth interview provides valuable on-site insight and captures the teens’ feelings and emotions during the critical decision-making stage in the purchase process.

To better understand at-home activities, consider an electronic interview (e.g., e-mail correspondence) with respondents. In addition to participating in an ongoing dialogue, teens are often willing to take photos using their digital camera and send them to the interviewer as a means of bringing their conversations to life. For example, if the research objective is to better understand the role of after-school snacks, teens can photograph their kitchen pantries or the shelves of their refrigerators to illustrate the products they consider for snacks as well as what they ultimately elect to consume.

• Online focus groups.  The benefit of these groups (and telephone focus groups) are that they minimize peer pressure and insecurities, as they allow anonymity for the participants. They are extremely helpful for products in areas that may be sensitive for teens, such as bed-wetting, feminine hygiene products, teens with diabetes or abused or raped teens. With this method, respondents participate in research discussions over the Internet either in a real-time chat session or in a bulletin board session over the course of three or four days. Additionally, the depth of learning and the quick turnaround time are key benefits of this method.

Bulletin board sessions are typically comprised of 15 to 20 participants and offer key advantages over other kinds of qualitative discussion groups. Rich, thoughtful discussion usually results from bulletin board groups in that more thought is given to responses and they are usually better articulated, as the teens can take the time to phrase and type their opinions. Replies can be better thought out and slower typists can be accommodated, so there are fewer time constraints. Participants appreciate having the ability to go back and review others’ comments and answers over the course of a few days.

Real-time sessions offer the advantage of a quick and immediate response. These sessions are typically scheduled for 75 minutes and include six to eight participants.

• Telephone focus groups. Telephone groups offer a cost-effective way to get the opinions of the teen crowd. Further, the phone is a natural communications device for teenagers and they are more willing to admit to interests and behaviors that are not cool. However, drawbacks of phone groups include missing non-verbal expressions and less group interaction. The moderator must pay attention to who is not being heard from and make certain everyone is included.

Online and telephone group discussion sessions are ideal for teens in that:

— They use technology with which teens are highly comfortable.

— Age, race and gender barriers are minimized and teens can be more candid. Moreover, physical appearance issues (e.g., height, weight, acne/skin conditions, etc.) are simply not an issue as respondents have no idea what the other participants look like.

— Geographic coverage is wide; teens in rural locations can be included, and time zones are not a factor or hindrance.

— With bulletin board sessions, clients and moderators can tailor each day’s content based on the responses from the previous day. Additional questions can then be posted on the board to probe responses. The back room client feature allows observers to post messages exclusively to the moderator and each other.

— With bulletin board sessions, masking features can be used that ensure that participants answer questions first before they are able to see others’ responses. This creates an environment for unbiased opinions.

Recruiting considerations

Once you have selected your research design and method, researchers then need to think about various recruiting considerations, such as:

• Screening. First, you will have to screen the teen participants carefully to get an effective and dynamic group. When screening the teens, include articulation questions that avoid yes-or-no answers. Consider questions like, “What things do you most cherish and why?” Or, “If you were the principal of your school, what rules would you keep and what rules would you change, and why?” You’ll want to get teens onboard who are quick thinkers and who can help share insights. Consider over-recruiting for each session to allow you the opportunity to select the teens for your sessions that best meet your consumer profile or represent the diversity you are seeking.
• Parental involvement. Keep in mind that teens are still minors and you will need parental permission for their participation. Parents can help give demographic information about the household, but don’t depend on them to give information about key product usage by their teens.
• Age. Segment as much as possible by age and grade. The way you talk to a 12-year-old and the way you talk to an 18-year-old will be very different. A 14-year-old high school freshman has a far different perspective than a 14-year-old in eighth grade. So try to put freshmen and sophomores together, and juniors and seniors together, for example. A rule of thumb is that there be no more than a two-year age/grade span within the group.
• Gender. When conducting traditional mini-group discussions, you will often get different responses from mixed-gender groups than from single-gender groups. Some teens who are typically very talkative in single-sex groups become self-conscious and withdrawn when in mixed-gender groups; others try to flirt or posture to try to impress the opposite sex. They may state opinions they think will impress the group, rather than saying what they truly feel. Mixed-gender groups tend to be more cautious in their responses. Some examples of topics best addressed in single-sex groups are appearance, nutrition and social issues. Ask yourself if the group would be best served by gender segmentation.
• Smaller group size. Construct a more intimate group by limiting the number to five to seven teenagers, slightly smaller than the average adult group, which will help to keep them focused and give you a deeper and richer understanding of their viewpoints. The larger the group, the easier it is for teens to let others carry the conversation. A smaller group size lets each teen have more time to express their thoughts and allows you to develop a stronger connection with them individually. You can often gain a greater understanding of teens’ opinions from four teens than from a group of eight.

Making the connection

Parents and high-school educators will tell you how difficult it can be to establish rapport with teens. Qualitative research consultants can maximize the research experience and add value by considering the following tips:

• Give unconditional positive regard. As a moderator, acknowledge what a participant says despite what you think. Keep the lines of communication open and accepting to maintain rapport with this group. Remember that what one teenager says might represent many teens who are not in the group.

Further, a moderator’s verbal and non-verbal responses can encourage or discourage participant communication. Be careful with your facial expressions and not to cross your arms, as teens may think you are closed to their communication and not receptive to their thoughts.

• Set ground rules. Assure teens that they will be respected, but that there will be some structure to the group. No one individual will be allowed to dominate the group session or to simply sit and listen and offer no responses at all.
• Establish a comfort zone. Teens need to trust the environment. Tell them you understand their needs. Let them know they can use their language. You’re not passing judgment on their language, but you recognize it’s a part of their world, even if it seems harsh or coarse to you. However, do not use their language or slang. Respect that their language is theirs, not yours. You don’t want them to think you are trying too hard to be one of them. At the same time, you may have to rephrase some of your language to fit the age group. For example, don’t say “frozen novelty” when you mean “ice cream bar or ice cream sandwich.”

In addition, when conducting group discussions at a traditional research facility, if possible, try to make the group room warm and inviting by using over-stuffed chairs or love seats as opposed to the more typical boardroom-type settings.

• Pay an “adult” incentive and pay in cash. Teens generally don’t want a specific product as payment because they may already own the product or may not think highly of it. The best incentive is cash, which helps teens feel they are being paid for a job, commits them to the project, and tends to make them take their work seriously.
• Take time to warm up. Let respondents know you will not pass judgment on their opinions. Encourage varied points of view and emphasize there will be no wrong answers. Let them know they will be expected to show respect for the opinions of others, as well.
• Listen for contradictions. Ask the same questions in different ways. Show them you are listening closely. Challenge them without criticizing. Allow them to articulate what they really mean in a variety of ways. It can be frustrating to hear teens contradict themselves, but keep in mind that you are listening for common themes from session to session.
• Observe body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. Do they reflect passion and excitement or boredom?
• Encourage them to take chances by rewriting or reworking the client’s concept or repositioning statements.

Stimulate their creativity

During the group discussion, to enhance the conversation and to keep teens actively involved in the dialogue, researchers should also think about using projective exercises to help teens more easily articulate their thoughts and opinions. Photo sorts, paint chips, mind mapping, collages and other visual aids can be used as stimulus to help articulate abstract thoughts. Be creative when helping teens put their thoughts into language. Encourage them by saying, “Tell me more” or “I find that interesting, how might others view this issue?”

For example, in one session, high school seniors were asked to give their thoughts about their college plans. To help them frame their thoughts, they were given a wide variety of colored paint chips. One teen picked up a black chip and described his feelings as, “a black hole,” and then said that he doesn’t know where he’s going, he has no direction. Another chose green to signify the color of money it would cost to go to college, and then added that her parents just don’t have the money. Another chose red because she’s getting so angry about all the essays she has to write to get into a good school. Colors helped them verbalize their thoughts.

Another worthwhile research tool to include in your sessions is to ask teens, prior to the discussions, to complete a pre-research assignment. This commits them to the project and gets them thinking about the subject in advance of the session so they can jump into the meat of the discussion much quicker. Some examples of pre-research assignments include:

• sending teens a disposable camera to make a photo journal about their lives;
• asking them to create a 10-minute video that illustrates how they use a particular product or what activities are involved in a specific meal-time setting;
• asking teens to complete a diary, journal or blog;
• letting them go wild in creating collages that convey their aspirations (and perhaps their fears);
• giving them time capsules to fill with their most important possessions;
• giving them money to shop a specific category and report back to the group about the experience and how they decided which brand to purchase;
• asking them to go online to pull information for a pre-research assignment and then, in the sessions, surfing the Internet with them to review the sites they liked and those they did not.

A challenge

Working with teens can be a challenge. However, learning what really makes them tick from the give and take of qualitative research can provide amazing insight into their worlds. So, open your mind, learn from them, keep them focused and you will serve your teens and your clients well.