In the context of product ownership analysis, focus group studies are used by the product management function to learn and perform customer research. However, POA Practitioners also play a vital role in assessing the impact of the focus group outcomes, and how they relate to the product. The POA Practitioner also collaborates in selecting the:

• Target customer group,
• Focus group objectives, and
• Questions that need answers from focus group participants.

Focus groups provide an efficient and direct way of eliciting feedback from customers during product development and can provide information to inform product decisions. Focus group outcomes can be used by the team to modify the:

• Product strategy,
• Roadmap,
• Planned features, and
• Release plan scope.

The focus group is used by POA Practitioners to learn how target customer groups react to specific product features or planned features.

Focus Groups and the POA Domains

POA Domain	Focus Groups
Applying Foundational Concepts	At later stages of product development, the outcome of focus groups may affect the product alignment to enterprise objectives.
Cultivate Customer Intimacy	Focus group questions must be carefully crafted to be: Relevant, Concise, and Empathetic yet neutral, to all representative members in a focus group. The setting and schedule must be comfortable for all participants so that they are open to sharing their reactions and motivations.
Engage the Whole Team	For a focus group, engaging the whole team requires the moderator to elicit information from all participants. There may be different customer perspectives for the product or features.
Make an Impact	The focus group needs to clearly articulate the focus group objectives and emphasize the importance of participants' feedback. The moderator, or the POA Practitioner acting as the moderator, should not influence or bias the feedback with their opinion.
Deliver Often	Focus groups require planning to: Identify participants, Manage their schedules, and Provide participants with incentives. The gains from a focus group must be balanced with the effort and budget. Focus groups are planned for important events in the product lifecycle, like MVP releases, significant feature releases, or failed launches.
Learn Fast	Applied as a learning tool where customer feedback is analyzed and decisions are made. The subjective opinions from the focus group participants can be corroborated with product metrics.
Obsess About Value	Practitioners should ensure that the questions and the information elicited from focus group participants are assessed for value. Questions need to be carefully crafted and the moderator must take steps, such as asking for clarification if the feedback is not clear.