HIGHWAY SAFETY IN BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES:
ISSUES AND STRATEGIES
Appendix E - Moderator's Checklist

Time Before Focus Groups Begin

Task

12 weeks
  • Set up 800 number for callers (timing depends on phone company responsiveness)
  • Confirm sites, dates, time, ask about site catering policy

10 weeks
  • Identify, obtain special services (e.g., child care, transcriptionist)

9 weeks
  • Identify target population
  • Design newspaper ad, recruiting flyers
  • Design recruiting script
  • Set up reservation tracking system (name, location, group, phone number)

8 weeks
  • Submit ad to newspapers (The timing will depend to a great extent on the level and intensity of advertising efforts.)
  • Post recruiting flyers
  • Begin taking recruiting calls

7 weeks
  • Design discussion guides
  • Make travel arrangements

4 weeks
  • Monitor recruiting progress, augment recruiting via random calls/letters, larger ad, more geographic coverage if needed
  • Confirm equipment availability, test equipment

2 weeks
  •    Set up catering, child care
  •    Send out reminder letter with map to location

1 week
  •    Confirm special services (child care, transcriptionist, etc.)

3 days
  •    Compile equipment
  •    Prepare sign-in sheets
  •    Prepare name plates (table tents)
  •    Gather incentive money and put in envelopes
  •    Prepare outside signage for on-site directions

1 day (Day 0 of Onsite Schedule)
  •    Call first-day attendees to confirm and remind

(Day 1 of Onsite Schedule)
  •    Call second-day attendees to confirm and remind

(Day 2 of Onsite Schedule)
  •    Call third-day attendees to confirm and remind

(Day 3 of Onsite Schedule)
  •    Call fourth-day attendees to confirm and remind

Note that the schedule will be staggered for each site, since we won't be conducting focus groups in all six communities simultaneously. Therefore, 12 weeks before the focus groups at the first location may be 14 weeks before the focus groups at a subsequent location. We should discuss the optimum order of the groups among the six locations, too.

Onsite Schedule for Focus Group Team

Day

Time

Team Member 1 (Moderator)

Team Member 2 (Analyst)

Day 0 (Sunday)

  
  • Arrive in city
  • Do preliminary inspection of site
  • Scout out grocery store for supplies
  • Arrive in city
  • Do preliminary inspection of site
  • Scout out grocery store for supplies
   
  • Confirm that home office has made reminder calls
 

Day 1 (Monday)

3:00
  • Drop off analyst at site
  • Purchase non-perishable supplies for the week, perishable supplies for the day (See equipment list.)
  • Arrange room configuration
  • Set up recording equipment, props
 

4:30
  • Set up check-in station (name tents, check-in list)
  • Post outside signage, adding specific directions as necessary
  • Order food/coordinate with caterer
  • Set up support services (cups, napkins, silverware, etc.)
  • Ensure that participant incentives are ready
  • Test equipment
  • Meet, set up transcriptionist, child care, etc.
 

5:15
  • Review discussion guide
  • Check in participants
 

5:45
  • Conduct Focus Group #1, distribute incentives
  • Take notes of group, monitor equipment
 

7:45
  • Cleanup, set up food, support services for next group
  • Check in participants, review discussion guide
 

8:00
  • Take notes of group, monitor equipment
  • Conduct Focus Group #2, distribute incentives
10:00
  • Cleanup
  • Pack up equipment, label tapes

Day 2 (Tuesday)

1:00
  • Write Summary Bullet Report of Focus Group #2
  • Write Summary Bullet Report of Focus Group #1
  • Fax or e-mail both reports to Raines, Cordy, Ayres
 

3:00
  • Drop off analyst at site
  • Check inventory of non-perishable supplies, pick up perishable supplies for the day (See equipment list.)
  • Arrange room configuration
  • Set up recording equipment, props
 

4:30 – 9:45
  • Repeat Day 1 schedule
  • Repeat Day 1 schedule

Day 3 (Wednesday)

12:00
  • Check with Raines regarding
    Changes to discussion guide, topics of interest.
  • Make changes as necessary
 
 

1:00 – 10:00
  • Repeat Day 2 schedule
  • Repeat Day 2 schedule

Day 4 (Thursday)

1:00 – 10:00 or 11:00 – 7:45
  • Repeat Day 3 schedule, unless we're conducting a senior citizen focus group.  In that case, push the schedule up two hours and conduct the seniors’ group at 3:45
  • Repeat Day 3 schedule, unless we're conducting a senior citizen focus group.  In that case, push the schedule up two hours and conduct the seniors’ group at 3:45

Day 5 (Friday)

Morning (or late on Day 4)
  • Return home
  • Return home

If we conduct focus groups of teenagers and their parents, it may be helpful to conduct focus groups of those two groups simultaneously, which would require an adjustment to this schedule, along with extra recording equipment.

Equipment List - Carry from Home Base to Site

  • Video Camera and cables
  • Omni directional microphone for camera
  • Backup audio tape recorder
  • Extra Batteries for microphone, tape recorder
  • Enough videotape for 8 two-hour focus groups (may be purchased on site)
  • Enough audiotapes for 8 two-hour focus groups (may be purchased on site)
  • Two or three extension cords
  • Sign-in sheets for each focus group
  • Name tents for each focus group
  • Notepads for taking notes
  • Laptop computer for typing notes, e-mailing bullet summary reports
  • Paper/electronic copies of discussion guides
  • Contact information for site, caterer, transcriptionist
  • Shopping list (see next page)
  • Envelopes with incentive money
  • On-site schedule (see previous page)
  • Any paper/markers/props for focus group activities

Shopping List - Buy on site

Non-Perishables (Buy for entire week)

  • Disposable cups
  • Disposable plates
  • Napkins
  • Disposable silverware
  • Sodas (1 to 1.25 per expected guest)
  • Candy for light snacks

Perishables (Buy each day)

  • Ice
  • Brownies/cookies for heavy snacks