Cutting Your Teeth – Getting Experience as a New Moderator

Often, when students finish their moderator training at Riva, they are eager to practice these skills as soon as possible. The lucky ones take the course knowing a project is lined up for them to practice their skills soon after. Others might not have that option, so I’ve compiled a list of suggestions and should encourage you to think a little outside of the box when you’re seeking experience.

• If you are routinely doing qualitative research in an organization, spend as much time behind the mirror watching other moderators work. Notice how they handle situations that may arise during the group, how they juggle competing requirements for staying on track, manage participants, and include all in the discussion. Take a stab at developing your own moderator’s guide based on the study requirements as you understand them. Then, compare them to the working guide the moderator will be using and get coached on logic flow and question sequencing.
  
• If your team has scheduled other qualitative research and the project has four or more groups scheduled, ask for the opportunity to lead one of the later groups in the series for practice and experience. By the time more senior moderators have conducted two or three groups, the research direction has been identified and there will not be major changes to the guide. For a new moderator, this is perfect; you’ve got a guide that works, and it’s an opportunity to try your skills.

• Look for opportunities to conduct in-depth interviews. Doing IDIs is an excellent way to exercise the probing muscle and to get practice in increasing your understanding of what the participant has just said without inserting your own opinion.
  
• If the prospects for research studies are further out, turn your attention to other aspects of your life. You can offer your services on a pro-bono basis where both parties benefit. For instance, if you volunteer in an organization, you can approach management and offer to lead focus groups among other volunteers or some of the clients your organization serves in exchange for practice opportunities. A former student once took advantage of the fact she lived in a high-rise apartment building with many other young singles and couples as tenants. The Activity Department of this complex kept very busy offering different activities and opportunities for tenants to socialize. The student approached the activities manager and offered to trade some free research for the Activity Department in exchange for practice time for the moderator. All she required was a meeting room and some refreshments, and the moderator would conduct the groups, analyze the findings, and prepare a report gratis.
  
  

I have joked for years that whenever three or more are gathered anywhere, you have a focus group opportunity. But there are opportunities everywhere in your life when you can strike up a conversation with people you know or don’t know, conduct a quick mini-discussion, practice probing, ask non-directive questions, use J-5 stems, and more. The opportunities exist. All you have to do is create them!

Written by: Jo Ann Hairston, Co-Founder, Master Trainer, & Master Moderator at RIVA