Case Study: Emotional Mapping in Focus Group Research

Objective:

To uncover authentic product feedback and improvement opportunities through structured focus group observation.

Approach:

• Conducted an emotional mapping exercise during a trainer focus group, documenting what participants said, thought, felt, and did.

• Analyzed responses to identify patterns in engagement and feedback behavior.

• Recommended conducting an additional focus group with less tenured trainers to ensure diverse perspectives and candid critique.

Findings:

• More tenured trainers demonstrated deep familiarity with the products, which led to limited critique and fewer expressed opportunities for improvement.

• Less tenured trainers provided richer, more actionable feedback, highlighting usability challenges and unmet needs that were overlooked by veteran participants.

Outcome & Impact:

• The second focus group revealed critical insights into product gaps and user experience opportunities.

• Emotional mapping methodology proved effective in distinguishing between experience bias and fresh perspective, ensuring product strategy was informed by a balanced range of user voices.

• Recommendations from this research directly informed future product iterations and training program enhancements.