A framework and approach for analysis of focus group data in information systems research

Abstract

A significant part of information systems research studies people as a part of a system, organization, network, or community. Since this research focuses on data related to the interaction of individuals, focus groups can provide data that cannot be obtained through any other method. However, compared with the abundance of handbooks and guidelines on how to plan and conduct focus groups, little methodological literature is available on how to analyze focus group data. In this tutorial paper, we provide a systematic and integrative approach for qualitatively analyzing different types of focus group data (e.g., group level content and interaction data) for information systems (IS) researchers. While we focus on IS research, our framework is also relevant to other applied business fields.