What is a group interview ?
The group interview involves the interaction and
creativity of the participants to enrich and consolidate
the collected information. In particular, it can help
participants to form an opinion on a topic they
unfamiliar . It is especially interesting to
analyze themes or areas that are of
differing opinions and involve a confrontation
viewpoints .
The focus group can have many possible uses .
Most often , the technique brings together a number of stakeholders
program (managers, recipients and / or operators concerned public ) and
collect many qualitative information in a relatively short time
through the comparison of lived realities . Focus groups can also be
used in a prospective and identify examples by preferences
actors in the proposal of several scenarios .
Thus involving actors and recipients of a program in the works
assessment , the conclusions of the study will also be more credible and easily
accepted.

Why use this tool
evaluation?
A focus group is a type of group interview consisting of
those involved in policy development or
response. It is intended to obtain information about
their opinions, attitudes and experiences or to clarify their
expectations vis-à-vis the policy or intervention. it
is therefore a method of rapid qualitative survey.
The focus group is of interest to be used in evaluating
projects and programs, particularly for studies
land to beneficiaries and intermediate players.
When used as a result of a program to evaluate
impact, it helps to understand, analyze and decompose the
basis of the views expressed by the participants.

Sources:
CHN Focus group
My blog
Focus group
PDF
Google Book