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Focus groups are a somewhat informal technique that can help you assess user needs and feeling both before interface design and long after implementation. In a focus group, you bring together six to nine users to discuss issues and concerns about the features of a user interface. The group typically lasts about two hours and is run by a moderator who maintains the group's focus. Focus groups often bring out users' spontaneous reactions and ideas and let you observe some group dynamics and organizational issues. The paper discusses the use and misuse of focus groups.
Jacob Nielsen (Wed,) studied this question.