When focus groups fail: why local researchers should be involved in project design

Focus groups are a popular qualitative technique among researchers, but group dynamics related to social and contextual factors create challenges for collecting and interpreting data, especially when a project leader is working in unfamiliar contexts. For research conducted by the global North within the global South, qualitative methods may often be used inappropriately or in inappropriate circumstances, and using local researchers in project design in addition to data collection is crucial to the production of quality findings.