Abstract

This article analyzes the use of focus groups for the evaluation of a safety manual. To avoid one of the possible disadvantages of using focus groups, namely, sequencing or dominance problems, the method was combined with a troubleshooting text evaluation method: the plus-minus method. The combined approach produced valuable information about complex acceptance and relevance problems—information that could not easily have been obtained with other methods—part of which became available only after extensive discussion, during which opinions often changed. Information from the focus groups appeared to form a solid basis for decisions on revising or maintaining the text. Group discussion of critical remarks clarified whether the problems were related to the text or the company situation in which the manual functioned. In this way, problems with the text could sometimes be avoided by changing the situation or by explaining the situation to the readers.