A group convened to generate ideas, where a facilitator uses nondirective interviewing to stimulate discussion. Fern (1982) found that such groups are most useful when, in the real situation, people’s responses depend to some extent on their peers’ beliefs. This could include responses to visible products, such as clothing or automobiles. Focus groups might be used to generate ideas about variables for judgmental bootstrapping or conjoint analysis when the forecasting problem involves visible products. In general, however, there are better (and less expensive) ways to obtain information, such as personal interviews. Focus groups should not be used to make forecasts. (Alas, in the real world, they are used to make poor but convincing forecasts.)