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A Step-by-Step Guide To Case Discussion

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Are you comfortable in Decision Making in a given situation How aptly you analyze the situation with a logical approach How much time do you take in arriving at a decision How good are you in taking the rightful course of action

case study for group discussion

Solved Example:

Hari, the only working member of the family has been working an organization for 25 years. His job required long standing hours. One day, while working, he lost his leg in an accident. The company paid for his medical reimbursement.

Since he was a hardworking employee; the company offered him another compensatory job. He refused by saying, ‘Once a Lion, always a Lion’. As an HR, what solution would you suggest?

Identification of the Problem:

Obvious: accident, refusal of job, only earning member, his attitude, and inability to do his current job Hidden: the reputation of the company at stake, the course of action might influence other employees

Action Plan:

As an HR, you are first expected to check the company records and find out how a similar case has been dealt with in the past. Second, you need to take cognizance of the track record of the employee highlighted by the keyword ‘hardworking’.

Given the situation at hand, he is deemed unfit for his current role. However, the problem arises because of his attitude towards the compensatory job. Hence, in such a case, counselling is required.

case study for group discussion

Here, three levels of Counselling is required: 1.   Ist level is with Hari 2.   IInd level of counselling is required with the Union Leader (if any) to keep the collective interest and the reputation of the company in mind 3.   IIIrd level of counselling is required with his family members as they constitute of the afflicted party

If the counselling does not work, one should also identify a contingency plan or Plan B. In this case, the Contingency Plan would be – hire someone from his family for a compensatory role.

Note that the following options are out of scope and should be avoided: 1.   Increase Hari’s salary so that he gives in and agrees to do the compensatory job 2.   Status Quo – do not bother as long as the Company is making a profit 3.   Replace Hari with someone else

1. Pinpoint the key issues to be solved and identify their cause and effects

2. Start broad and try to work through a range of issues methodically

3. Connect the facts and evidence and focus on the big picture

4. Discuss any trade-offs or implications of your proposed solution

5. Relate your conclusion back to the problem statement and make sure you have answered all the questions

1. Do not be anxious if you are not able to understand the situation well or unable to justify the problem. Read again, a little slowly, it will help you understand better.

2. Do not jump to conclusions; try to move systematically and gradually.

3. Do not panic if you are unable to analyze the situation. Listen carefully to others as the discussion starts, it will help you gauge the problem at hand.

All the best! Ace the GDPI season.

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What Is a Case Study?

Weighing the pros and cons of this method of research

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

case study for group discussion

Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter.

case study for group discussion

Verywell / Colleen Tighe

  • Pros and Cons

What Types of Case Studies Are Out There?

Where do you find data for a case study, how do i write a psychology case study.

A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in many different fields, including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.

The point of a case study is to learn as much as possible about an individual or group so that the information can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective, and it is sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.

While case studies focus on a single individual or group, they follow a format similar to other types of psychology writing. If you are writing a case study, we got you—here are some rules of APA format to reference.  

At a Glance

A case study, or an in-depth study of a person, group, or event, can be a useful research tool when used wisely. In many cases, case studies are best used in situations where it would be difficult or impossible for you to conduct an experiment. They are helpful for looking at unique situations and allow researchers to gather a lot of˜ information about a specific individual or group of people. However, it's important to be cautious of any bias we draw from them as they are highly subjective.

What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Case Studies?

A case study can have its strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is appropriate for their needs.

One of the greatest advantages of a case study is that it allows researchers to investigate things that are often difficult or impossible to replicate in a lab. Some other benefits of a case study:

  • Allows researchers to capture information on the 'how,' 'what,' and 'why,' of something that's implemented
  • Gives researchers the chance to collect information on why one strategy might be chosen over another
  • Permits researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in experimental research

On the other hand, a case study can have some drawbacks:

  • It cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population
  • Cannot demonstrate cause and effect
  • It may not be scientifically rigorous
  • It can lead to bias

Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they want to explore a unique or recently discovered phenomenon. Through their insights, researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might be explored in future studies.

It's important to remember that the insights from case studies cannot be used to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables. However, case studies may be used to develop hypotheses that can then be addressed in experimental research.

Case Study Examples

There have been a number of notable case studies in the history of psychology. Much of  Freud's work and theories were developed through individual case studies. Some great examples of case studies in psychology include:

  • Anna O : Anna O. was a pseudonym of a woman named Bertha Pappenheim, a patient of a physician named Josef Breuer. While she was never a patient of Freud's, Freud and Breuer discussed her case extensively. The woman was experiencing symptoms of a condition that was then known as hysteria and found that talking about her problems helped relieve her symptoms. Her case played an important part in the development of talk therapy as an approach to mental health treatment.
  • Phineas Gage : Phineas Gage was a railroad employee who experienced a terrible accident in which an explosion sent a metal rod through his skull, damaging important portions of his brain. Gage recovered from his accident but was left with serious changes in both personality and behavior.
  • Genie : Genie was a young girl subjected to horrific abuse and isolation. The case study of Genie allowed researchers to study whether language learning was possible, even after missing critical periods for language development. Her case also served as an example of how scientific research may interfere with treatment and lead to further abuse of vulnerable individuals.

Such cases demonstrate how case research can be used to study things that researchers could not replicate in experimental settings. In Genie's case, her horrific abuse denied her the opportunity to learn a language at critical points in her development.

This is clearly not something researchers could ethically replicate, but conducting a case study on Genie allowed researchers to study phenomena that are otherwise impossible to reproduce.

There are a few different types of case studies that psychologists and other researchers might use:

  • Collective case studies : These involve studying a group of individuals. Researchers might study a group of people in a certain setting or look at an entire community. For example, psychologists might explore how access to resources in a community has affected the collective mental well-being of those who live there.
  • Descriptive case studies : These involve starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are then observed, and the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory.
  • Explanatory case studies : These   are often used to do causal investigations. In other words, researchers are interested in looking at factors that may have caused certain things to occur.
  • Exploratory case studies : These are sometimes used as a prelude to further, more in-depth research. This allows researchers to gather more information before developing their research questions and hypotheses .
  • Instrumental case studies : These occur when the individual or group allows researchers to understand more than what is initially obvious to observers.
  • Intrinsic case studies : This type of case study is when the researcher has a personal interest in the case. Jean Piaget's observations of his own children are good examples of how an intrinsic case study can contribute to the development of a psychological theory.

The three main case study types often used are intrinsic, instrumental, and collective. Intrinsic case studies are useful for learning about unique cases. Instrumental case studies help look at an individual to learn more about a broader issue. A collective case study can be useful for looking at several cases simultaneously.

The type of case study that psychology researchers use depends on the unique characteristics of the situation and the case itself.

There are a number of different sources and methods that researchers can use to gather information about an individual or group. Six major sources that have been identified by researchers are:

  • Archival records : Census records, survey records, and name lists are examples of archival records.
  • Direct observation : This strategy involves observing the subject, often in a natural setting . While an individual observer is sometimes used, it is more common to utilize a group of observers.
  • Documents : Letters, newspaper articles, administrative records, etc., are the types of documents often used as sources.
  • Interviews : Interviews are one of the most important methods for gathering information in case studies. An interview can involve structured survey questions or more open-ended questions.
  • Participant observation : When the researcher serves as a participant in events and observes the actions and outcomes, it is called participant observation.
  • Physical artifacts : Tools, objects, instruments, and other artifacts are often observed during a direct observation of the subject.

If you have been directed to write a case study for a psychology course, be sure to check with your instructor for any specific guidelines you need to follow. If you are writing your case study for a professional publication, check with the publisher for their specific guidelines for submitting a case study.

Here is a general outline of what should be included in a case study.

Section 1: A Case History

This section will have the following structure and content:

Background information : The first section of your paper will present your client's background. Include factors such as age, gender, work, health status, family mental health history, family and social relationships, drug and alcohol history, life difficulties, goals, and coping skills and weaknesses.

Description of the presenting problem : In the next section of your case study, you will describe the problem or symptoms that the client presented with.

Describe any physical, emotional, or sensory symptoms reported by the client. Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions related to the symptoms should also be noted. Any screening or diagnostic assessments that are used should also be described in detail and all scores reported.

Your diagnosis : Provide your diagnosis and give the appropriate Diagnostic and Statistical Manual code. Explain how you reached your diagnosis, how the client's symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria for the disorder(s), or any possible difficulties in reaching a diagnosis.

Section 2: Treatment Plan

This portion of the paper will address the chosen treatment for the condition. This might also include the theoretical basis for the chosen treatment or any other evidence that might exist to support why this approach was chosen.

  • Cognitive behavioral approach : Explain how a cognitive behavioral therapist would approach treatment. Offer background information on cognitive behavioral therapy and describe the treatment sessions, client response, and outcome of this type of treatment. Make note of any difficulties or successes encountered by your client during treatment.
  • Humanistic approach : Describe a humanistic approach that could be used to treat your client, such as client-centered therapy . Provide information on the type of treatment you chose, the client's reaction to the treatment, and the end result of this approach. Explain why the treatment was successful or unsuccessful.
  • Psychoanalytic approach : Describe how a psychoanalytic therapist would view the client's problem. Provide some background on the psychoanalytic approach and cite relevant references. Explain how psychoanalytic therapy would be used to treat the client, how the client would respond to therapy, and the effectiveness of this treatment approach.
  • Pharmacological approach : If treatment primarily involves the use of medications, explain which medications were used and why. Provide background on the effectiveness of these medications and how monotherapy may compare with an approach that combines medications with therapy or other treatments.

This section of a case study should also include information about the treatment goals, process, and outcomes.

When you are writing a case study, you should also include a section where you discuss the case study itself, including the strengths and limitiations of the study. You should note how the findings of your case study might support previous research. 

In your discussion section, you should also describe some of the implications of your case study. What ideas or findings might require further exploration? How might researchers go about exploring some of these questions in additional studies?

Need More Tips?

Here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind when formatting your case study:

  • Never refer to the subject of your case study as "the client." Instead, use their name or a pseudonym.
  • Read examples of case studies to gain an idea about the style and format.
  • Remember to use APA format when citing references .

Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach .  BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011;11:100.

Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach . BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011 Jun 27;11:100. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-11-100

Gagnon, Yves-Chantal.  The Case Study as Research Method: A Practical Handbook . Canada, Chicago Review Press Incorporated DBA Independent Pub Group, 2010.

Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods . United States, SAGE Publications, 2017.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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  • Section 1. Conducting Effective Meetings
  • Section 2. Developing Facilitation Skills
  • Section 3. Capturing What People Say: Tips for Recording a Meeting
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A local coalition forms a task force to address the rising HIV rate among teens in the community.  A group of parents meets to wrestle with their feeling that their school district is shortchanging its students.  A college class in human services approaches the topic of dealing with reluctant participants.  Members of an environmental group attend a workshop on the effects of global warming.  A politician convenes a “town hall meeting” of constituents to brainstorm ideas for the economic development of the region.  A community health educator facilitates a smoking cessation support group.

All of these might be examples of group discussions, although they have different purposes, take place in different locations, and probably run in different ways.  Group discussions are common in a democratic society, and, as a community builder, it’s more than likely that you have been and will continue to be involved in many of them.  You also may be in a position to lead one, and that’s what this section is about.  In this last section of a chapter on group facilitation, we’ll examine what it takes to lead a discussion group well, and how you can go about doing it.

What is an effective group discussion?

The literal definition of a group discussion is obvious: a critical conversation about a particular topic, or perhaps a range of topics, conducted in a group of a size that allows participation by all members.  A group of two or three generally doesn’t need a leader to have a good discussion, but once the number reaches five or six, a leader or facilitator can often be helpful.  When the group numbers eight or more, a leader or facilitator, whether formal or informal, is almost always helpful in ensuring an effective discussion.

A group discussion is a type of meeting, but it differs from the formal meetings in a number of ways: It may not have a specific goal – many group discussions are just that: a group kicking around ideas on a particular topic.  That may lead to a goal ultimately...but it may not. It’s less formal, and may have no time constraints, or structured order, or agenda. Its leadership is usually less directive than that of a meeting. It emphasizes process (the consideration of ideas) over product (specific tasks to be accomplished within the confines of the meeting itself. Leading a discussion group is not the same as running a meeting.  It’s much closer to acting as a facilitator, but not exactly the same as that either.

An effective group discussion generally has a number of elements:

  • All members of the group have a chance to speak, expressing their own ideas and feelings freely, and to pursue and finish out their thoughts
  • All members of the group can hear others’ ideas and feelings stated openly
  • Group members can safely test out ideas that are not yet fully formed
  • Group members can receive and respond to respectful but honest and constructive feedback.  Feedback could be positive, negative, or merely clarifying or correcting factual questions or errors, but is in all cases delivered respectfully.
  • A variety of points of view are put forward and discussed
  • The discussion is not dominated by any one person
  • Arguments, while they may be spirited, are based on the content of ideas and opinions, not on personalities
  • Even in disagreement, there’s an understanding that the group is working together to resolve a dispute, solve a problem, create a plan, make a decision, find principles all can agree on, or come to a conclusion from which it can move on to further discussion

Many group discussions have no specific purpose except the exchange of ideas and opinions.  Ultimately, an effective group discussion is one in which many different ideas and viewpoints are heard and considered.  This allows the group to accomplish its purpose if it has one, or to establish a basis either for ongoing discussion or for further contact and collaboration among its members.

There are many possible purposes for a group discussion, such as:

  • Create a new situation – form a coalition, start an initiative, etc.
  • Explore cooperative or collaborative arrangements among groups or organizations
  • Discuss and/or analyze an issue, with no specific goal in mind but understanding
  • Create a strategic plan – for an initiative, an advocacy campaign, an intervention, etc.
  • Discuss policy and policy change
  • Air concerns and differences among individuals or groups
  • Hold public hearings on proposed laws or regulations, development, etc.
  • Decide on an action
  • Provide mutual support
  • Solve a problem
  • Resolve a conflict
  • Plan your work or an event

Possible leadership styles of a group discussion also vary.  A group leader or facilitator might be directive or non-directive; that is, she might try to control what goes on to a large extent; or she might assume that the group should be in control, and that her job is to facilitate the process.  In most group discussions, leaders who are relatively non-directive make for a more broad-ranging outlay of ideas, and a more satisfying experience for participants.

Directive leaders can be necessary in some situations. If a goal must be reached in a short time period, a directive leader might help to keep the group focused. If the situation is particularly difficult, a directive leader might be needed to keep control of the discussion and make

Why would you lead a group discussion?

There are two ways to look at this question: “What’s the point of group discussion?” and “Why would you, as opposed to someone else, lead a group discussion?”  Let’s examine both.

What’s the point of group discussion?

As explained in the opening paragraphs of this section, group discussions are common in a democratic society.  There are a number of reasons for this, some practical and some philosophical.

A group discussion:

  • G ives everyone involved a voice .  Whether the discussion is meant to form a basis for action, or just to play with ideas, it gives all members of the group a chance to speak their opinions, to agree or disagree with others, and to have their thoughts heard.  In many community-building situations, the members of the group might be chosen specifically because they represent a cross-section of the community, or a diversity of points of view.
  • Allows for a variety of ideas to be expressed and discussed .  A group is much more likely to come to a good conclusion if a mix of ideas is on the table, and if all members have the opportunity to think about and respond to them.
  • Is generally a democratic, egalitarian process .  It reflects the ideals of most grassroots and community groups, and encourages a diversity of views.
  • Leads to group ownership of whatever conclusions, plans, or action the group decides upon .  Because everyone has a chance to contribute to the discussion and to be heard, the final result feels like it was arrived at by and belongs to everyone.
  • Encourages those who might normally be reluctant to speak their minds .  Often, quiet people have important things to contribute, but aren’t assertive enough to make themselves heard.  A good group discussion will bring them out and support them.
  • Can often open communication channels among people who might not communicate in any other way .  People from very different backgrounds, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, from different cultures, who may, under most circumstances, either never make contact or never trust one another enough to try to communicate, might, in a group discussion, find more common ground than they expected.
  • Is sometimes simply the obvious, or even the only, way to proceed.  Several of the examples given at the beginning of the section – the group of parents concerned about their school system, for instance, or the college class – fall into this category, as do public hearings and similar gatherings.

Why would you specifically lead a group discussion?

You might choose to lead a group discussion, or you might find yourself drafted for the task.  Some of the most common reasons that you might be in that situation:

  • It’s part of your job .  As a mental health counselor, a youth worker, a coalition coordinator, a teacher, the president of a board of directors, etc. you might be expected to lead group discussions regularly.
  • You’ve been asked to .  Because of your reputation for objectivity or integrity, because of your position in the community, or because of your skill at leading group discussions, you might be the obvious choice to lead a particular discussion.
  • A discussion is necessary, and you’re the logical choice to lead it .  If you’re the chair of a task force to address substance use in the community, for instance, it’s likely that you’ll be expected to conduct that task force’s meetings, and to lead discussion of the issue.
  • It was your idea in the first place .  The group discussion, or its purpose, was your idea, and the organization of the process falls to you.

You might find yourself in one of these situations if you fall into one of the categories of people who are often tapped to lead group discussions.  These categories include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Directors of organizations
  • Public officials
  • Coalition coordinators
  • Professionals with group-leading skills – counselors, social workers, therapists, etc.
  • Health professionals and health educators
  • Respected community members.  These folks may be respected for their leadership – president of the Rotary Club, spokesperson for an environmental movement – for their positions in the community – bank president, clergyman – or simply for their personal qualities – integrity, fairness, ability to communicate with all sectors of the community.
  • Community activists.  This category could include anyone from “professional” community organizers to average citizens who care about an issue or have an idea they want to pursue.

When might you lead a group discussion?

The need or desire for a group discussion might of course arise anytime, but there are some times when it’s particularly necessary.

  • At the start of something new . Whether you’re designing an intervention, starting an initiative, creating a new program, building a coalition, or embarking on an advocacy or other campaign, inclusive discussion is likely to be crucial in generating the best possible plan, and creating community support for and ownership of it.
  • When an issue can no longer be ignored . When youth violence reaches a critical point, when the community’s drinking water is declared unsafe, when the HIV infection rate climbs – these are times when groups need to convene to discuss the issue and develop action plans to swing the pendulum in the other direction.
  • When groups need to be brought together . One way to deal with racial or ethnic hostility, for instance, is to convene groups made up of representatives of all the factions involved.  The resulting discussions – and the opportunity for people from different backgrounds to make personal connections with one another – can go far to address everyone’s concerns, and to reduce tensions.
  • When an existing group is considering its next step or seeking to address an issue of importance to it . The staff of a community service organization, for instance, may want to plan its work for the next few months, or to work out how to deal with people with particular quirks or problems.

How do you lead a group discussion?

In some cases, the opportunity to lead a group discussion can arise on the spur of the moment; in others, it’s a more formal arrangement, planned and expected.  In the latter case, you may have the chance to choose a space and otherwise structure the situation.  In less formal circumstances, you’ll have to make the best of existing conditions.

We’ll begin by looking at what you might consider if you have time to prepare.  Then we’ll examine what it takes to make an effective discussion leader or facilitator, regardless of external circumstances.

Set the stage

If you have time to prepare beforehand, there are a number of things you may be able to do to make the participants more comfortable, and thus to make discussion easier.

Choose the space

If you have the luxury of choosing your space, you might look for someplace that’s comfortable and informal.  Usually, that means comfortable furniture that can be moved around (so that, for instance, the group can form a circle, allowing everyone to see and hear everyone else easily).  It may also mean a space away from the ordinary.

One organization often held discussions on the terrace of an old mill that had been turned into a bookstore and café.  The sound of water from the mill stream rushing by put everyone at ease, and encouraged creative thought.

Provide food and drink

The ultimate comfort, and one that breaks down barriers among people, is that of eating and drinking.

Bring materials to help the discussion along

Most discussions are aided by the use of newsprint and markers to record ideas, for example.

Become familiar with the purpose and content of the discussion

If you have the opportunity, learn as much as possible about the topic under discussion.  This is not meant to make you the expert, but rather to allow you to ask good questions that will help the group generate ideas.

Make sure everyone gets any necessary information, readings, or other material beforehand

If participants are asked to read something, consider questions, complete a task, or otherwise prepare for the discussion, make sure that the assignment is attended to and used.  Don’t ask people to do something, and then ignore it.

Lead the discussion

Think about leadership style

The first thing you need to think about is leadership style, which we mentioned briefly earlier in the section.  Are you a directive or non-directive leader?  The chances are that, like most of us, you fall somewhere in between the extremes of the leader who sets the agenda and dominates the group completely, and the leader who essentially leads not at all. The point is made that many good group or meeting leaders are, in fact, facilitators, whose main concern is supporting and maintaining the process of the group’s work.  This is particularly true when it comes to group discussion, where the process is, in fact, the purpose of the group’s coming together.

A good facilitator helps the group set rules for itself, makes sure that everyone participates and that no one dominates, encourages the development and expression of all ideas, including “odd” ones, and safeguards an open process, where there are no foregone conclusions and everyone’s ideas are respected.  Facilitators are non-directive, and try to keep themselves out of the discussion, except to ask questions or make statements that advance it.  For most group discussions, the facilitator role is probably a good ideal to strive for.

It’s important to think about what you’re most comfortable with philosophically, and how that fits what you’re comfortable with personally.  If you’re committed to a non-directive style, but you tend to want to control everything in a situation, you may have to learn some new behaviors in order to act on your beliefs.

Put people at ease

Especially if most people in the group don’t know one another, it’s your job as leader to establish a comfortable atmosphere and set the tone for the discussion.

Help the group establish ground rules

The ground rules of a group discussion are the guidelines that help to keep the discussion on track, and prevent it from deteriorating into namecalling or simply argument.  Some you might suggest, if the group has trouble coming up with the first one or two:

  • Everyone should treat everyone else with respect : no name-calling, no emotional outbursts, no accusations.
  • No arguments directed at people – only at ideas and opinions .  Disagreement should be respectful – no ridicule.
  • Don’t interrupt .  Listen to the whole of others’ thoughts – actually listen, rather than just running over your own response in your head.
  • Respect the group’s time .  Try to keep your comments reasonably short and to the point, so that others have a chance to respond.
  • Consider all comments seriously, and try to evaluate them fairly .  Others’ ideas and comments may change your mind, or vice versa: it’s important to be open to that.
  • Don’t be defensive if someone disagrees with you .  Evaluate both positions, and only continue to argue for yours if you continue to believe it’s right.
  • Everyone is responsible for following and upholding the ground rules .
Ground rules may also be a place to discuss recording the session.  Who will take notes, record important points, questions for further discussion, areas of agreement or disagreement?  If the recorder is a group member, the group and/or leader should come up with a strategy that allows her to participate fully in the discussion.

Generate an agenda or goals for the session

You might present an agenda for approval, and change it as the group requires, or you and the group can create one together.  There may actually be no need for one, in that the goal may simply be to discuss an issue or idea.  If that’s the case, it should be agreed upon at the outset.

How active you are might depend on your leadership style, but you definitely have some responsibilities here.  They include setting, or helping the group to set the discussion topic; fostering the open process; involving all participants; asking questions or offering ideas to advance the discussion; summarizing or clarifying important points, arguments, and ideas; and wrapping up the session.  Let’s look at these, as well as some do’s and don’t’s for discussion group leaders.

  • Setting the topic . If the group is meeting to discuss a specific issue or to plan something, the discussion topic is already set.  If the topic is unclear, then someone needs to help the group define it.  The leader – through asking the right questions, defining the problem, and encouraging ideas from the group – can play that role.
  • Fostering the open process . Nurturing the open process means paying attention to the process, content, and interpersonal dynamics of the discussion all at the same time – not a simple matter. As leader, your task is not to tell the group what to do, or to force particular conclusions, but rather to make sure that the group chooses an appropriate topic that meets its needs, that there are no “right” answers to start with (no foregone conclusions), that no one person or small group dominates the discussion, that everyone follows the ground rules, that discussion is civil and organized, and that all ideas are subjected to careful critical analysis.  You might comment on the process of the discussion or on interpersonal issues when it seems helpful (“We all seem to be picking on John here – what’s going on?”), or make reference to the open process itself (“We seem to be assuming that we’re supposed to believe X – is that true?”). Most of your actions as leader should be in the service of modeling or furthering the open process.
Part of your job here is to protect “minority rights,” i.e., unpopular or unusual ideas.  That doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, but that you have to make sure that they can be expressed, and that discussion of them is respectful, even in disagreement. (The exceptions are opinions or ideas that are discriminatory or downright false.)  Odd ideas often turn out to be correct, and shouldn’t be stifled.
  • Involving all participants . This is part of fostering the open process, but is important enough to deserve its own mention. To involve those who are less assertive or shy, or who simply can’t speak up quickly enough, you might ask directly for their opinion, encourage them with body language (smile when they say anything, lean and look toward them often), and be aware of when they want to speak and can’t break in.  It’s important both for process and for the exchange of ideas that everyone have plenty of opportunity to communicate their thoughts.
  • Asking questions or offering ideas to advance the discussion . The leader should be aware of the progress of the discussion, and should be able to ask questions or provide information or arguments that stimulate thinking or take the discussion to the next step when necessary. If participants are having trouble grappling with the topic, getting sidetracked by trivial issues, or simply running out of steam, it’s the leader’s job to carry the discussion forward.
This is especially true when the group is stuck, either because two opposing ideas or factions are at an impasse, or because no one is able or willing to say anything.  In these circumstances, the leader’s ability to identify points of agreement, or to ask the question that will get discussion moving again is crucial to the group’s effectiveness.
  • Summarizing or clarifying important points, arguments, or ideas . This task entails making sure that everyone understands a point that was just made, or the two sides of an argument.  It can include restating a conclusion the group has reached, or clarifying a particular idea or point made by an individual (“What I think I heard you say was…”).  The point is to make sure that everyone understands what the individual or group actually meant.
  • Wrapping up the session .  As the session ends, the leader should help the group review the discussion and make plans for next steps (more discussion sessions, action, involving other people or groups, etc.). He should also go over any assignments or tasks that were agreed to, make sure that every member knows what her responsibilities are, and review the deadlines for those responsibilities.  Other wrap-up steps include getting feedback on the session – including suggestions for making it better – pointing out the group’s accomplishments, and thanking it for its work.

Even after you’ve wrapped up the discussion, you’re not necessarily through. If you’ve been the recorder, you might want to put the notes from the session in order, type them up, and send them to participants. The notes might also include a summary of conclusions that were reached, as well as any assignments or follow-up activities that were agreed on.

If the session was one-time, or was the last of a series, your job may now be done. If it was the beginning, however, or part of an ongoing discussion, you may have a lot to do before the next session, including contacting people to make sure they’ve done what they promised, and preparing the newsprint notes to be posted at the next session so everyone can remember the discussion.

Leading an effective group discussion takes preparation (if you have the opportunity for it), an understanding of and commitment to an open process, and a willingness to let go of your ego and biases. If you can do these things, the chances are you can become a discussion leader that can help groups achieve the results they want.

Do’s and don’ts for discussion leaders

  • Model the behavior and attitudes you want group members to employ . That includes respecting all group members equally; advancing the open process; demonstrating what it means to be a learner (admitting when you’re wrong, or don’t know a fact or an answer, and suggesting ways to find out); asking questions based on others’ statements; focusing on positions rather than on the speaker; listening carefully; restating others’ points; supporting your arguments with fact or logic; acceding when someone else has a good point; accepting criticism; thinking critically; giving up the floor when appropriate; being inclusive and culturally sensitive, etc.
  • Use encouraging body language and tone of voice, as well as words .  Lean forward when people are talking, for example, keep your body position open and approachable, smile when appropriate, and attend carefully to everyone, not just to those who are most articulate.
  • Give positive feedback for joining the discussion .  Smile, repeat group members’ points, and otherwise show that you value participation.
  • Be aware of people’s reactions and feelings, and try to respond appropriately . If a group member is hurt by others’ comments, seems puzzled or confused, is becoming angry or defensive, it’s up to you as discussion leader to use the ground rules or your own sensitivity to deal with the situation. If someone’s hurt, for instance, it may be important to point that out and discuss how to make arguments without getting personal.  If group members are confused, revisiting the comments or points that caused the confusion, or restating them more clearly, may be helpful.  Being aware of the reactions of individuals and of the group as a whole can make it possible to expose and use conflict, or to head off unnecessary emotional situations and misunderstandings.
  • Ask open-ended questions .  In advancing the discussion, use questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no.  Instead, questions should require some thought from group members, and should ask for answers that include reasons or analysis.  The difference between “Do you think the President’s decision was right?” and “Why do you think the President’s decision was or wasn’t right?” is huge.  Where the first question can be answered with a yes or no, the second requires an analysis supporting the speaker’s opinion, as well as discussion of the context and reasons for the decision.
  • Control your own biases .  While you should point out factual errors or ideas that are inaccurate and disrespectful of others, an open process demands that you not impose your views on the group, and that you keep others from doing the same.  Group members should be asked to make rational decisions about the positions or views they want to agree with, and ultimately the ideas that the group agrees on should be those that make the most sense to them – whether they coincide with yours or not.  Pointing out bias – including your own – and discussing it helps both you and group members try to be objective.
A constant question that leaders – and members – of any group have is what to do about racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks, especially in a homogeneous group where most or all of the members except the leader may agree with them.  There is no clear-cut answer, although if they pass unchallenged, it may appear you condone the attitude expressed. How you challenge prejudice is the real question.  The ideal here is that other members of the group do the challenging, and it may be worth waiting long enough before you jump in to see if that’s going to happen.  If it doesn’t, you can essentially say, “That’s wrong, and I won’t allow that kind of talk here,” which may well put an end to the remarks, but isn’t likely to change anyone’s mind.  You can express your strong disagreement or discomfort with such remarks and leave it at that, or follow up with “Let’s talk about it after the group,” which could generate some real discussion about prejudice and stereotypes, and actually change some thinking over time. Your ground rules – the issue of respecting everyone – should address this issue, and it probably won’t come up…but there are no guarantees.  It won’t hurt to think beforehand about how you want to handle it.
  • Encourage disagreement, and help the group use it creatively .  Disagreement is not to be smoothed over, but rather to be analyzed and used.  When there are conflicting opinions – especially when both can be backed up by reasonable arguments – the real discussion starts.  If everyone agrees on every point, there’s really no discussion at all.  Disagreement makes people think.  It may not be resolved in one session, or at all, but it’s the key to discussion that means something.
All too often, conflict – whether conflicting opinions, conflicting world views, or conflicting personalities – is so frightening to people that they do their best to ignore it or gloss it over.  That reaction not only leaves the conflict unresolved – and therefore growing, so that it will be much stronger when it surfaces later– but fails to examine the issues that it raises.  If those are brought out in the open and discussed reasonably, the two sides often find that they have as much agreement as disagreement, and can resolve their differences by putting their ideas together.  Even where that’s not the case, facing the conflict reasonably, and looking at the roots of the ideas on each side, can help to focus on the issue at hand and provide solutions far better than if one side or the other simply operated alone.
  • Keep your mouth shut as much as possible .  By and large, discussion groups are for the group members.  You may be a member of the group and have been asked by the others to act as leader, in which case you certainly have a right to be part of the discussion (although not to dominate).  If you’re an outside facilitator, or leader by position, it’s best to confine your contributions to observations on process, statements of fact, questions to help propel the discussion, and clarification and summarization.  The simple fact that you’re identified as leader or facilitator gives your comments more force than those of other group members.  If you’re in a position of authority or seen as an expert, that force becomes even greater.  The more active you are in the discussion, the more the group will take your positions and ideas as “right,” and the less it will come to its own conclusions.
  • Don’t let one or a small group of individuals dominate the discussion .  People who are particularly articulate or assertive, who have strong feelings that they urgently want to express, or who simply feel the need – and have the ability – to dominate can take up far more than their fair share of a discussion.  This often means that quieter people have little or no chance to speak, and that those who disagree with the dominant individual(s) are shouted down and cease trying to make points.  It’s up to the leader to cut off individuals who take far more than their share of time, or who try to limit discussion.  This can be done in a relatively non-threatening way (“This is an interesting point, and it’s certainly worth the time we’ve spent on it, but there are other points of view that need to be heard as well.  I think Alice has been waiting to speak…”), but it’s crucial to the open process and to the comfort and effectiveness of the group.
  • Don’t let one point of view override others , unless it’s based on facts and logic, and is actually convincing group members to change their minds.  If a point of view dominates because of its merits, its appeal to participants’ intellectual and ethical sensibilities, that’s fine.  It’s in fact what you hope will happen in a good group discussion.  If a point of view dominates because of the aggressiveness of its supporters, or because it’s presented as something it’s wrong to oppose (“People who disagree with the President are unpatriotic and hate their country”), that’s intellectual bullying or blackmail, and is the opposite of an open discussion.  As leader, you should point it out when that’s happening, and make sure other points of view are aired and examined.
Sometimes individuals or factions that are trying to dominate can disrupt the process of the group. Both Sections 1 and 2 of this chapter contain some guidelines for dealing with this type of situation.
  • Don’t assume that anyone holds particular opinions or positions because of his culture, background, race, personal style, etc .  People are individuals, and can’t be judged by their exteriors.  You can find out what someone thinks by asking, or by listening when he speaks.
  • Don’t assume that someone from a particular culture, race, or background speaks for everyone else from that situation .  She may or may not represent the general opinion of people from situations similar to hers…or there may not be a general opinion among them.  In a group discussion, no one should be asked or assumed to represent anything more than herself.
The exception here is when someone has been chosen by her community or group to represent its point of view in a multi-sector discussion.  Even in that situation, the individual may find herself swayed by others’ arguments, or may have ideas of her own.  She may have agreed to sponsor particular ideas that are important to her group, but she may still have her own opinions as well, especially in other areas.
  • Don’t be the font of all wisdom .  Even if you know more about the discussion topic than most others in the group (if you’re the teacher of a class, for instance), presenting yourself as the intellectual authority denies group members the chance to discuss the topic freely and without pressure.  Furthermore, some of them may have ideas you haven’t considered, or experiences that give them insights into the topic that you’re never likely to have.  Model learning behavior, not teaching behavior.
If you’re asked your opinion directly, you should answer honestly.  You have some choices about how you do that, however.  One is to state your opinion, but make very clear that it’s an opinion, not a fact, and that other people believe differently.  Another is to ask to hold your opinion until the end of the discussion, so as not to influence anyone’s thinking while it’s going on.  Yet another is to give your opinion after all other members of the group have stated theirs, and then discuss the similarities and differences among all the opinions and people’s reasons for holding them. If you’re asked a direct question, you might want to answer it if it’s a question of fact and you know the answer, and if it’s relevant to the discussion.  If the question is less clear-cut, you might want to throw it back to the group, and use it as a spur to discussion.

Group discussions are common in our society, and have a variety of purposes, from planning an intervention or initiative to mutual support to problem-solving to addressing an issue of local concern.  An effective discussion group depends on a leader or facilitator who can guide it through an open process – the group chooses what it’s discussing, if not already determined, discusses it with no expectation of particular conclusions, encourages civil disagreement and argument, and makes sure that every member is included and no one dominates.  It helps greatly if the leader comes to the task with a democratic or, especially, a collaborative style, and with an understanding of how a group functions.

A good group discussion leader has to pay attention to the process and content of the discussion as well as to the people who make up the group.  She has to prepare the space and the setting to the extent possible; help the group establish ground rules that will keep it moving civilly and comfortably; provide whatever materials are necessary; familiarize herself with the topic; and make sure that any pre-discussion readings or assignments get to participants in plenty of time.  Then she has to guide the discussion, being careful to promote an open process; involve everyone and let no one dominate; attend to the personal issues and needs of individual group members when they affect the group; summarize or clarify when appropriate; ask questions to keep the discussion moving, and put aside her own agenda, ego, and biases.

It’s not an easy task, but it can be extremely rewarding.  An effective group discussion can lay the groundwork for action and real community change.

Online resources

Everyday-Democracy . Study Circles Resource Center. Information and publications related to study circles, participatory discussion groups meant to address community issues.

Facilitating Political Discussions from the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at Tufts University is designed to assist experienced facilitators in training others to facilitate politically charged conversations. The materials are broken down into "modules" and facilitation trainers can use some or all of them to suit their needs.

Project on Civic Reflection provides information about leading study circles on civic reflection.

“ Suggestions for Leading Small-Group Discussions ,” prepared by Lee Haugen, Center for Teaching Excellence, Iowa State University, 1998. Tips on university teaching, but much of the information is useful in other circumstances as well.

“ Tips for Leading Discussions ,” by Felisa Tibbits, Human Rights Education Associates.

Print resources

Forsyth, D . Group Dynamics . (2006). (4th edition).  Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. 

Johnson, D., & Frank P. (2002). Joining Together: Group theory and group skills . (8th edition).  Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Tips for Discussion Group Leaders

case study for group discussion

Once the program begins, each discussion group is assigned a leader who serves as the facilitator for each case study. Here are some tips for leading an insightful and productive exchange.

  • Before you begin, make sure that all members understand the value of the discussion group process. You may find it helpful to have a brief conversation about the Discussion Group Best Practices listed above.
  • Think of yourself as a discussion facilitator. Your goal is to keep the group focused on moving through the case questions. Don't feel that you need to master all the content more thoroughly than the other group members do.
  • Guide the group through the study questions for each assignment. Keep track of time so that your group can discuss all the cases and readings, instead of being bogged down in the first case of the morning or afternoon.
  • The study questions are designed to keep the group focused on the key issues that will contribute to an effective discussion in the larger classroom meeting. Don’t let your peers stray too far into anecdotes or issues that aren't relevant.
  • If a subset of your living group appears to be dominating the discussion, encourage the less vocal members to participate. They'll be more apt to speak up if you ask them to share their unique perspectives on the topic at hand.
  • If you have questions about how to handle a specific situation that may arise in your group, please reach out to the faculty or staff for assistance. We’re here to help you get the most out of your group discussions.

What happens in class if nobody talks? Dropdown down

Professors are here to push everyone to learn, but not to embarrass anyone. If the class is quiet, they'll often ask a participant with experience in the industry in which the case is set to speak first. This is done well in advance so that person can come to class prepared to share. Trust the process. The more open you are, the more willing you’ll be to engage, and the more alive the classroom will become.

Does everyone take part in "role-playing"? Dropdown down

Professors often encourage participants to take opposing sides and then debate the issues, often taking the perspective of the case protagonists or key decision makers in the case.

What can I expect on the first day? Dropdown down

Most programs begin with registration, followed by an opening session and a dinner. If your travel plans necessitate late arrival, please be sure to notify us so that alternate registration arrangements can be made for you. Please note the following about registration:

HBS campus programs – Registration takes place in the Chao Center.

India programs – Registration takes place outside the classroom.

Other off-campus programs – Registration takes place in the designated facility.

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Focus Group Discussion as a Tool to Assess Patient-Based Outcomes, Practical Tips for Conducting Focus Group Discussion for Medical Students—Learning With an Example

Balaji zacharia.

1 Department of Orthopedics, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India

Puneeth Katapadi Pai

2 Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India

3 Department of Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Center, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Patient-based outcomes (patient-reported outcomes) of any intervention can change according to factors like age, gender, region, culture, education, and socioeconomic status. Most of the available outcome measuring tools have a surgeon-related bias. Focus group discussion (FGD) is a simple and effective way to assess the outcome of an intervention. In FGD, people from similar backgrounds and experiences discuss a specific topic of interest. Our objective is to discuss the problems of common outcome measuring tools for patient satisfaction and to understand the method of conducting an FGD. We have set our own published article on patient-based outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) as an example for explaining the method of conducting an FGD. The planning, advantages, disadvantages, practicalities, and problems of conducting an FGD are explained. In conclusion, many of the tools used for assessing patient satisfaction is surgeon-centered. Focus group discussion is simple, cost-effective, requiring a small number of participants, and can be completed in a short period. It is an effective tool for assessing patient-based outcomes in TKA.

Introduction

The patient satisfaction assessment is very important in medical practice. It helps to improve medical care and make the patient happier ( 1 ). A patient’s expectation after a procedure is defined as the anticipation of certain events happening during or after surgery ( 2 ). Patient dissatisfaction can result either from inappropriate expectations or from a lack of proper information regarding the outcomes. The surgeon gives importance to procedural success. They are usually unaware of patient dissatisfaction. Regional, social, cultural, and economic factors have a bearing on the outcomes of any treatment ( 3 ).

Surgical outcomes refer to data regarding operation results, including information about mortality and morbidity, recovery time, operative numbers, and repeat rates ( 4 ). This is different from the surgeon’s expectations about the outcome which vary with the type of surgery, the seriousness of the condition, the age and fitness of the patient, the experience of the surgeon, and the volume of surgery done. Most of the tools used to find out the outcomes and measure the ability of the surgeon to produce statistically significant data using certain prescribed parameters ( 5 ). The surgeon judges the success of surgery based on the anatomical, radiological, and functional outcomes. The majority of the tools used for measuring the outcomes of surgery are based on the fact that the patient and the clinician have a common viewpoint about the outcome. This is not always true as the patient and the doctor have different perceptions about all domains of outcomes. This is true in subjective quality-of-life domains like emotional and social functioning ( 6 ). This may be probably due to the differing priorities of the 2 groups. This discrepancy between patient and clinician in the validation of health-related outcomes has guided the development of many validated patient-related outcome measures like Short Form 36 (SF 36), Eating disorder Quality of life (ED-QOL), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Oxford Knee Score, and so on. These tools allow patients to rate their health and they are the center of outcome assessment ( 7 ).

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common surgery done for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee worldwide. It has a major effect on the activities of daily living. The geographical, social, cultural, economic, and many factors of a population can influence the outcomes of TKR. Expectations after the knee replacement will differ entirely among different populations ( 8 ). A successful TKR may not be a satisfactory one for the patient due to differences in factors determining the outcome measures ( Table 1 ). Many previous studies have looked into the patient-reported outcomes of TKR ( Table 2 ).

A Comparison Between the Factors Affecting the Outcomes in a Successful Total Knee Replacement and Patient Satisfaction After a Total Knee Replacement.

Abbreviation: TKR, total knee replacement.

The List of Few Previous studies to Assess Patient-Reported Outcomes After Total Knee Replacement With the Methods Used for Assessment and Their Conclusions.

Abbreviations: FGD, focus group discussion; HOOS, Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score; KOOS, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score; ODI, Oswestry Disability Index; RAND, RAND-36 scales; TKA, total knee arthroplasty; WOMAC, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index.

Focus group discussion (FGD) is a qualitative research method. It can be used for evaluating the outcomes of health care interventions ( 9 ). A focused group discussion is an effective way to bring people from similar backgrounds and experiences to discuss a specific topic of interest. This group is guided by a moderator/leader. The moderator introduces the topic for discussion and helps the group to participate in a lively and natural way. The participants should stay on the topic and not wander ( 10 – 12 ).

There are many advantages to FGD. It can be used to explore the outcomes that cannot be explained statistically. Responses in FGD are spoken open-ended, relatively broad, and qualitative ( 13 ). They have more depth and variety. There can be nonverbal communication and group interactions. They can give an idea closer to what people are thinking and feeling. Focus group discussion is a good way to gather in-depth information about the community’s thoughts and opinions on a topic ( 14 , 15 ). Focus group discussion can yield a lot of information about a topic in a relatively short time. All these pieces of information may not be relevant. Observations and the opinions we get from FGD have to be mentioned in their own words. It can cause difficulties during translation ( 16 , 17 ). Thematic analysis and constant comparison techniques are used for data analysis ( 18 ).

Our objective is to discuss FGD as a tool to assess patient satisfaction. We also want to give some general guidelines for conducting FGD. This is based on our article published in the Journal of Medical Devices : Evidence and Research “Patient-based outcome analysis is important to determine the success of total knee arthroplasty: the result of a focus group discussion” ( 19 ) (We have taken permission from the publisher).

Materials and Methods

Fifty patients were selected for FGD. Among them, 42 patients participated in FGD. The remaining 8 did not participated. We included persons who had completed 2 years after primary TKR. Six FGD sessions was conducted. We included participants who were homogeneous in terms of age, status, class, occupation, and follow-up characteristics. Patients with inflammatory arthritis, secondary OA, posttraumatic arthritis, old high tibial osteotomy, and revision TKR were excluded from our study. Since we aimed to find out the patient-reported outcomes, we used a purposive sampling method. We collected the patient details from our hospital records. We selected a moderator who had no relationship with the patients. The participants were divided into 8 groups, each having 6 members. The allocation was done by simple randomization. After each FGD, we went through the discussions and created new domains and subdomains. Based on this, we prepared new questions for the next sessions. It helped us to discuss a bit deeper into the new domains ( 19 ). Proper planning is needed before the conduct of FGD ( Appendix A ).

The group’s composition and the discussion should be carefully planned to create a nonthreatening environment. All participants feel free to talk openly and give honest opinions. There is freedom for the participants to agree or disagree with each other. We have to support them to come out with their own opinions. They are free to express their thoughts and feelings, although their responses are hard or impossible to record on a scale.

The demographic data of the participants were collected. We also checked the knee society score of all the participants before FGD. The FGD sessions were started with a self-introduction session. We gave some time for the participants for getting to know each other. This helped them to alleviate their fear of open discussion. Then the moderator introduced himself and his team. The moderator explained the objective of this discussion and the procedure. Then he initiated the FGD by putting an open general question. Group members were free to talk openly. The groups took more time to respond than individuals. Some group members felt hesitant to speak openly. Participants were actively encouraged to express their own opinions and to respond to other members and questions posed by the leader. The moderator made sure that the discussions revolved around the topic. The group members could often stimulate thought for each other which might not have occurred otherwise. We stopped the sessions when no fresh domains emerged ( 20 , 21 ).

During our FGD, most of the participants were discussing the problems they had before the knee arthroplasty and about various treatment methods used by them to overcome these difficulties. They discussed about why they were reluctant to come for operative treatment, how they felt after surgery, and their satisfaction after TKR. We created new domains and subdomains after each FGD by making a transcript of the discussions in the patient’s own words and carefully analyzing them. No fresh domains or subdomains emerged after the fourth FGD.

During each FGD, the opinions of the participants in their own words were taken down by a person. We used both written and voice recordings of our FGD. The data obtained are analyzed by 2 different individuals who are not part of the FGD. This was to ensure the naturality and credibility of the findings. A thematic analysis of the findings was done. Thematic analysis is a qualitative descriptive method to identify and analyze the narrative materials to report patterns or themes. This method has the flexibility for analysis. These interpretations and observations were combined and a conclusion was made.

We had obtained institutional research committee approval for this study. The patients were informed about the study and that data from the FGD would be submitted for publication and their consent was taken.

We have taken the results from 4 FGD because the opinions plateaued thereafter. There were 24 participants between the ages of 50 to 65 years. Among the 24 participants, 15 were males and 9 females. The average knee society score was 1.18 with a standard deviation of 0.50. Five major domains were evolved after our FGD. From the major domains, many minor domains were also developed ( Table 3 ). From the FGD conducted, we found that the socioeconomic impact of OA of the knee is worse than the clinical and radiological severity of the disease. Patients with high preoperative expectations have low satisfaction levels. Surgeon–patient communication has a major impact on patient-reported outcomes. The patient satisfaction level is different from those measured using objective scoring systems. Patient satisfaction levels are high for pain relief, pain-free movements, and social independence. But they are not satisfied because of their inability to returning to their original occupation and performing activities that require knee flexion.

The Major and Minor Domains Emerged From our Focus Group Discussion to Assess Patient Satisfaction After Total Knee Replacement.

From our analysis, we found that loss of function was a major concern before surgery. The pain and deformity were the next. One patient told us, “Walking caused severe pain that I was restricted to my home. I was unable to squat in the toilet.” Some of them even converted their squat toilets to western type of toilets.

The social disabilities due to OA of the knee were far more than we thought. The majority of patients were restricted to their homes. They avoided attending family functions. The majority said they needed help from their children or others in climbing upstairs or for walking long distances. The difficulty to use squat toilets was another social issue. These issues were causing mental stress and depression in some patients. Loss of income due to inability to go to work was another problem. Some stopped going to work while others went to work but were less efficient. They had to take more leaves which led to reduced pay. Most of these patients were belonging to a low- or middle-income group. This affected their daily livelihood. There was a delay of 2 to 3 years before surgery for most of the patients. The affordability of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was the major issue. They tried different modalities like Ayurveda, massaging, and acupuncture in-between. The majority were unaware of the results of TKR. Some were reluctant to do a TKR due to the fear of undergoing surgery.

Most of them were happy after TKR as they could walk and climb stairs independently. They had minimum pain compared to the preoperative level. Some patients thought they could go for manual work and use the squat toilet after TKR. They opined low satisfaction levels because they couldn’t do it after TKR. But some patients were aware of these problems before surgery and their satisfaction level was high. Proper preoperative education and expectations have a bearing on postoperative outcomes. We also came to know that most of the patients were not getting proper postoperative rehabilitation. They were taught about the rehabilitation protocol postoperatively but were not doing it properly. Some said that they were hesitant to flex the knee because they feared something might happen to the implant. Some blamed the doctors for not explaining these things.

There are some reasons behind selecting patients after TKR for assessing their satisfaction. The number of patients opting for TKR is increasing in our population. We are working in a government medical college in a developing country. Most of our patients for TKR hail from low socioeconomic status. Most of them are manual laborers and living in rural areas having limited road connectivity to their houses. They have to walk or climb hilly terrains. They have to work on farms or fields to earn their livelihood. They use squat toilets. After TKR, most of them want to return to their prior occupation. They can’t change their living conditions. Most patients become aware of the postoperative limitations only after TKR. Many of our patients were unhappy after TKR even when they are clinically and radiologically fine. This prompted us to find out the patient-reported outcome of our patients after TKR. We used FGD as a tool for knowing our patient’s satisfaction and opinions regarding TKR. The usually used measuring tools are surgeon-dependent and originate from developed countries.

Practical Problems in Conducting an FGD

As in any research method, finding a representative sample is very important in FGD. Make sure that all the participants are similar in their regional, cultural, educational, language, and socioeconomic status. Otherwise, there can be disparities in their opinions regarding the same issues. For example, if we are conducting an FGD about strengthening public transport and participants from rural and urban areas are included, their perceptions and opinion may vary. The city dwellers may be using their vehicles for travel they may be worried about traffic blocks or pathetic situations on the road, whereas the rural dwellers will be more worried about the number of buses and the making of new roads. In our case, all patients belonged to the same region, similar age-group, same diagnosis, and similar socioeconomic status ( 22 , 23 ).

Focus group discussion can be a powerful tool for gathering data on experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions. Asking sensitive questions is not at all a problem in the FGD. As all the participants belong to the same cohort, hence the topic of discussion becomes very simple for them ( 24 ). Usually, 1 or 2 questions for the starting of the discussion are needed. Usually, they are simple and general questions. Sometimes, new questions will be added which are emerging from the analysis of previous FGD. The questions are formed by the participants and the answers of which come from themselves. We have not come across any difficult situations where we have a problem with asking a sensitive question. We have prepared a set of questions for our FGD ( Table 4 ).

The Main Questions and the Probes Prepared for Our Focus Group Discussion.

Abbreviation: TKA, total knee arthroplasty.

Recruiting participants is not a difficult task in FGD. In most cases, we can find out the participants from the cohort. We can collect the details of the participants from the outpatient clinic, from community nurses, hospital records, or from registries ( 25 ). We have obtained the details about our participants from the hospital records. We contacted them over telephones. One of our residents was given the charge of contacting the participants before each session.

Language barrier can be a problem. The participants and the moderator need to be well-versed in the language in which they are conducting FGD. Analysis of data and their interpretations also becomes difficult if they are not using the same language. We conducted the FGD in our mother tongue Malayalam. We did have some difficulty in translating certain colloquial terms into the English language during the publication of our results.

Maintaining quality and consistency during each session is very important ( 26 ). The audio or video recording of the FGD sessions helps to maintain the quality of the procedure. Quality control is the responsibility of the moderator. We had an audio recording of all our proceedings. And the moderator had full control of the whole team during the entire session.

Our Experiences

Our journey started by searching the literature for a simple but practical method for assessing patient satisfaction after TKA. After deciding to conduct FGD, we collected patients from the hospital records. They were randomly allocated to 6 groups. The date, time, and place of each session were decided. There was a delay of 10 days between each FGD. The moderator, a person for writing, and another one for recording were identified. Two senior doctors from our department were assigned for data analysis. A table with 7 chairs was arranged for the moderator and team members. All the data collected were handed over to the team leader after the end of each session. Each session lasted for about 1.5 to 3 hours. We can surely say that the success of our project is the result of teamwork not only among the persons involved in the conduct of the FGD but also among all the participants. Since there are no interventions involved in this research, there is little to worry about the safety aspect of the researcher and participants. But great care was taken to protect the identity of the participants. Our greatest difficulty was in translating the data during publication.

Assessment of patient-reported outcomes is important in any health care intervention. This helps the treating doctor to make necessary modifications in their practices which will ultimately help the community. The regional, cultural, social, and economic status of the patients have a bearing on their level of satisfaction. It is better to develop tools that can be used for various populations. From our experience, we think that FGD is a very effective tool for measuring patient-reported outcomes/satisfaction. It can be conducted with a minimum number of participants. Planning and preparations are less cumbersome. As we are ensuring the homogeneity of the participants, we can get an emic perspective about the subject. Even information about certain sensitive issues can be obtained during FGD. As there are no interventions involved, it is well accepted and cost-effective. We found that patient-based outcomes of TKR differ from the Knee Society Score. Focus group discussion is a simple and surgeon-friendly tool for measuring patient-reported outcomes after TKR.

Patient-based outcome measurements are important for the evaluation of any intervention. Focus group discussion is a simple and effective way to find out the patient-based outcomes. Focus group discussion is a simple and surgeon-friendly tool for measuring patient-reported outcomes after TKR.

Important Points to Be Noted While Planning a Focus Group Discussion

  • Decide the number of groups*
  • Make sure all participants are homogenous
  • Assign the place, date, time of each focus group discussion (FGD)
  • Inform the participants early regarding the FGD**
  • Find out a moderator who is knowledgeable in the topic and knows the vernacular language
  • Ask the moderator to prepare some leading questions***
  • Arrange a person for writing and arrange an audiovisual team.

*Better to create small groups and 5 to 6 groups are enough. Too many participants make it difficult to control them during FGD, also the discussion can get going out of context.

**So that they can come on time.

***These questions should be based on the experiences of the moderator and also from the previously published literature about the topic.

Authors’ Note: The corresponding author Balaji Zacharia contributed to conceptualize the idea, helped in collecting data, analyzing, statistics, writing, and editing the manuscript. The coauthors helped in collecting data, analysis, statistics, writing, and editing the manuscript.

We have no conflict of interest for this manuscript and we have not accepted any financial assistance from within or outside of our institution for collecting data, writing the manuscript, and for its publications. This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee of Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India. Written informed consent was obtained from the patients for their anonymised information to be published in this article. This article does not contain any studies with human subjects.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Case Study At-A-Glance

A case study is a way to let students interact with material in an open-ended manner. the goal is not to find solutions, but to explore possibilities and options of a real-life scenario..

Want examples of a Case-Study?  Check out the ABLConnect Activity Database Want to read research supporting the Case-Study method? Click here

Why should you facilitate a Case Study?

Want to facilitate a case-study in your class .

How-To Run a Case-Study

  • Before class pick the case study topic/scenario. You can either generate a fictional situation or can use a real-world example.
  • Clearly let students know how they should prepare. Will the information be given to them in class or do they need to do readings/research before coming to class?
  • Have a list of questions prepared to help guide discussion (see below)
  • Sessions work best when the group size is between 5-20 people so that everyone has an opportunity to participate. You may choose to have one large whole-class discussion or break into sub-groups and have smaller discussions. If you break into groups, make sure to leave extra time at the end to bring the whole class back together to discuss the key points from each group and to highlight any differences.
  • What is the problem?
  • What is the cause of the problem?
  • Who are the key players in the situation? What is their position?
  • What are the relevant data?
  • What are possible solutions – both short-term and long-term?
  • What are alternate solutions? – Play (or have the students play) Devil’s Advocate and consider alternate view points
  • What are potential outcomes of each solution?
  • What other information do you want to see?
  • What can we learn from the scenario?
  • Be flexible. While you may have a set of questions prepared, don’t be afraid to go where the discussion naturally takes you. However, be conscious of time and re-focus the group if key points are being missed
  • Role-playing can be an effective strategy to showcase alternate viewpoints and resolve any conflicts
  • Involve as many students as possible. Teamwork and communication are key aspects of this exercise. If needed, call on students who haven’t spoken yet or instigate another rule to encourage participation.
  • Write out key facts on the board for reference. It is also helpful to write out possible solutions and list the pros/cons discussed.
  • Having the information written out makes it easier for students to reference during the discussion and helps maintain everyone on the same page.
  • Keep an eye on the clock and make sure students are moving through the scenario at a reasonable pace. If needed, prompt students with guided questions to help them move faster.  
  • Either give or have the students give a concluding statement that highlights the goals and key points from the discussion. Make sure to compare and contrast alternate viewpoints that came up during the discussion and emphasize the take-home messages that can be applied to future situations.
  • Inform students (either individually or the group) how they did during the case study. What worked? What didn’t work? Did everyone participate equally?
  • Taking time to reflect on the process is just as important to emphasize and help students learn the importance of teamwork and communication.

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Harvard Business School: Teaching By the Case-Study Method

Written by Catherine Weiner

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What the Case Study Method Really Teaches

  • Nitin Nohria

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Seven meta-skills that stick even if the cases fade from memory.

It’s been 100 years since Harvard Business School began using the case study method. Beyond teaching specific subject matter, the case study method excels in instilling meta-skills in students. This article explains the importance of seven such skills: preparation, discernment, bias recognition, judgement, collaboration, curiosity, and self-confidence.

During my decade as dean of Harvard Business School, I spent hundreds of hours talking with our alumni. To enliven these conversations, I relied on a favorite question: “What was the most important thing you learned from your time in our MBA program?”

  • Nitin Nohria is the George F. Baker Jr. Professor at Harvard Business School and the former dean of HBS.

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Structuring the Case Discussion

Well-designed cases are intentionally complex. Therefore, presenting an entire case to students all at once has the potential to overwhelm student groups and lead them to overlook key details or analytic steps. Accordingly, Barbara Cockrill asks students to review key case concepts the night before, and then presents the case in digestible “chunks” during a CBCL session. Structuring the case discussion around key in-depth questions, Cockrill creates a thoughtful interplay between small group work and whole group discussion that makes for more systematic forays into the case at hand.

Barbara Cockrill , Harold Amos Academy Associate Professor of Medicine

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  • Classroom Considerations
  • Relevant Research
  • Related Resources
  • CBCL provides students the opportunity to apply course material in new ways. For this reason, you might consider not sharing the case with students beforehand and having them experience it in class with fresh eyes.
  • Chunk cases so students can focus on case specifics and gradually build-up to greater complexity and understanding. 
  • Introduce variety into case-based discussions. Integrate a mix of independent work, small group discussion, and whole group share outs to keep students engaged and provide multiple junctures for students to get feedback on their understanding.
  • Instructor scaffolding is critical for effective case-based learning ( Ramaekers et al., 2011 )
  • This resource from the Harvard Business School provides suggestions for questioning, listening, and responding during a case discussion .
  • This comprehensive resource on “The ABCs of Case Teaching” provides helpful tips for planning and “running” your case .

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Experiencing the Case as a Student Team

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Designing Focused Discussions for Relevance and Transfer of Knowledge

Group case interviews: what to expect and how to prepare

Group case interviews

It's no secret that leading consulting firms use case interviews to evaluate candidates before extending offers. But over the last several years, group case interviews have become more common at top firms like McKinsey, Deloitte, and EY.

Group case interviews demand the same analytical and communication skills as normal case interviews , but they take things a step further. They also evaluate a candidate's ability to work well with others in a high-pressure team environment.

In this guide, we'll examine group case interviews, their different formats, and key tips you can use to maximise your chances of getting a job offer. Here's an overview:

  • What is a group case interview?
  • Group case interview process
  • Group case interview preparation
  • Group case interview tips
  • Group case interview examples

Click here to practise 1-on-1 with MBB ex-interviewers

1. what is a group case interview ↑.

A group case interview is a case interview performed by a team of 3-6 candidates. The cases themselves are similar to what you'd find in a normal case interview, but the added challenge is solving it collaboratively as a team.

Group case interviews are usually not used in the first round and typically come up in the second or final round of interviews. For example, PWC uses group case interviews  for their Super Day (e.g. Assessment Centre), which is usually held during the second round of interviews.

To fully understand group case interviews, it's critical to first understand normal case interviews. If you'd like to learn more about the fundamentals of case interviews, check out our ultimate guide to case interviews . 

Like in normal case interviews, the quality of your analysis and communication will be important in group case interviews. But, you will also be evaluated on additional collaboration and interpersonal skills.

You should approach a group case interview like you're solving a real business problem with your team. Don't focus on the fact that you are competing with the other candidates. Instead, concentrate on working together to come up with the best solution possible. 

The consulting firm may actually award multiple offers to members of your group,  so your first priority should be developing a great solution.

As a general rule, if something would be helpful and positive in a real work environment, it will probably reflect well on you during a group case interview. Similarly, if something would be rude or unhelpful in the real world, don't do it during your interview.

Let's now look at the process you can expect when facing a group case interview.

2. Group case interview process ↑

A. types of group case interviews.

First, it's important to know that there are different types of group case interviews. Each firm, and even different internal groups or geographies, may approach group interviews differently. But in our experience, there are two primary formats:

  • Interview format
  • Presentation format

The interview format uses a similar style of questions as normal case interviews. But with these, you would be working through the process with a group of 2-5 other candidates.

Presentation format requires you to analyse provided materials, in order to prepare a presentation with your group. After preparing, your team will present to a panel of interviewers, who will typically ask follow-up questions for a few minutes.

To further clarify the process, let's look at each of these two formats in more detail. Before you read the snapshot of each format below, it's worth noting that the details can vary,  so check with your recruiter ahead of time if you're already in the application process.

B. Interview format

Here's a snapshot of what you can typically expect with the interview-format, group case interview:

  • Candidates get divided into groups of 3 to 6
  • Each group is given information about a case (i.e. a client facing a problem)
  • You are given 10 minutes to review the materials by yourself or with another person in your group
  • You are then asked to discuss a few questions with your group, for about 20 minutes in front of your interviewers
  • Finally, the interviewers will ask a few questions to the group for 15 to 20 minutes

Okay, now let's take a look at the presentation format, which has some similarities and also important differences.

C. Presentation format

Here's what you can typically expect with a presentation-format, group case interview:

  • You are given 1 hour to review, and prepare a group presentation
  • An interviewer will watch during your prep time, but they won't intervene
  • Your group delivers a 15-minute presentation to a panel of interviewers
  • After you present, the interviewers will ask questions for 15-20 minutes

After reviewing the details on each format above, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect in your upcoming group case interview. As an additional note, for any type of case interview where you need to analyse written case materials, you may benefit from the tips outlined in our written case interview guide . Now let's turn our attention to preparation. 

3. Group case interview preparation ↑

There are a few things you should do to prepare for your group case interview, that can make a huge difference in your performance.

Some of these steps apply to both group case interviews and normal case interviews , while others are specific to group case interviews.

Use the steps below, to help you maximise your chances of success:

A. Become really confident at maths.

Similar to normal case interviews, being able to perform maths calculations quickly and accurately, can mean the difference between an offer and no offer.

Check out our free guide for case interview maths if you'd like to learn more.

B. Develop a consistent method for cracking cases.

If you can't solve a case on your own, you probably won't know where to start in a group case interview. So it's important that you have this foundation.

C. Practice cases out loud.

For a group case interview, the ideal preparation would be to do mock interviews with a group of 3-5 other people. This might be possible if you are in a consulting club, professional organisation, or if you have a great network.

However, if this isn't realistic for you, you can still practice by yourself. Just ask and answer case questions out loud. This may feel odd at first, but it will help you hone your thinking and communication.

D. Learn from every mistake you make

During practice for both group case interviews and normal case interviews, you'll want to go for quality over quantity.

For example, successful candidates find it more valuable to do 20 cases thoughtfully than to rush through 40 cases. A great way to do this is by keeping a notebook, where you write down mistakes and improvement opportunities after each case. Then you can check your progress by re-doing old cases later. This will help you make sure you’re headed in the right direction.

E. Learn how you come across to others

A central focus of group case interviews is to evaluate interpersonal skills. You'll want to put your best foot forward and come across as someone the interviewers would like to work with.

It's very difficult to objectively evaluate your own tone and communication style. As a result, it can be really helpful to ask friends and colleagues for feedback.

Ask them to be honest, and you may be surprised what you learn. Now is the time to identify if you have any tendencies that sound abrasive, dismissive, etc. You'll want to be aware of these, so you can work on them before your interview.

F. Practice the art of debate

I would consider this an optional preparation step, but it could give you a leg-up on your competition. 

An important skill for a group case interview is the ability to persuade others with grace and supporting evidence. Great consultants are skilled at communicating with tact and can disagree with a client in a way that creates a positive impression.

A good way to practice this type of communication is through academic style debate. Perhaps you can get involved with a local debate club, or participate in a Toastmasters event. Or, simply initiate a discussion with a friend.

4. Group case interview tips ↑

Now that we've reviewed preparation steps, let's turn our focus to the day of the interview. Here are 8 tips to follow during your group case interview, that can really set you apart from other candidates.

Tip #1: Speak with a purpose

A lot of candidates will want to speak their mind as they know participating is important. But, participation alone is not enough.

The QUALITY of your input is crucial. Sometimes, it's better to let two or three people speak first, and then make a very thoughtful point based on how they started the discussion.

Focus more on the quality of your input, and less on the quantity.

Tip #2: Involve everyone

Keep an eye on who's participating in the conversation and who's not.

If you identify a member of the group who's struggling to make themselves heard, you should not hesitate to help them by saying something like: "We haven't heard everyone's opinion on this yet. John, Rebecca what do you think?".

This is a sign of leadership, and will also help you develop a more thoughtful and balanced solution.

Tip #3: Summarise

Plan to summarise key points. This can be done during team discussion, when answering case questions, or when delivering a presentation.

Summarising will position you as the person bringing everyone together. It will also contribute to better alignment within the group and clearer communication with interviewers.

This is a skill used by partners in real-world conversations with clients. You should aim to do this at least once or twice during your interview. 

Tip #4: Anticipate questions

This is most helpful for interviews that include a group presentation. However, it could also help you prepare for follow-ups to a normal case question.

While preparing your analysis, you may notice some weaknesses. It's good to carve out a couple of minutes, to think through potential challenges from the interviewers.

It can also be helpful to ask yourself questions, like "if I was hearing this for the first time, what would I ask about?". The interviewers won't always ask the questions you most expect, but if they do, you'll be prepared with a thoughtful response.

Tip #5: Don't be easy to read

A group interview is a good time to use your poker face.

Everyone is stressed, but you need to come across as confident. A good way to do this is to focus on basic body language: look at people in the eye, sit confidently, don't cross your arms, etc.

Tip #6: Don't Interrupt others

Consultants need to be client-friendly, and interrupting someone in a discussion is not client-friendly at all.

You should listen carefully to what others are saying. Try to have a genuine interest in what they think. Before making your point, summarise their point to show that you understand what they mean.

Tip #7: Don't spend too much time reading

It's important to understand the case materials, but if you're not careful it could consume your full preparation time. 

A great way to prepare efficiently is to first scan through the provided materials and form one or two initial hypotheses. Then you can search for specific data points that confirm or disprove it before you finalise your approach.

Tip #8: Don't dominate speaking time

Some candidates are so eager to participate that they end up completely dominating the rest of the group without realising it. Don't be that person!

A practical way of avoiding this is to keep an eye on how much time you talk. If you are in a 5-person group you should aim to speak 20% (1/5th) of the time and really no more than 25%. 

Interviewers pay close attention to this, so be intentional about balancing your speaking time. Not too much, not too little.

5. Group case interview examples ↑

At the end of the day, a business case is a business case. 

You may solve the case independently or with a team. The content will vary, and the amount of data provided can differ, but the basic premise remains the same. 

As a result, you can prepare for a group case interview, by practicing with cases from normal case interviews. 

When searching for sample cases, it can be really difficult to know where to start. Especially when the quality of cases is unclear. That's why we put together this list of the best free practice cases available . 

It contains links to cases provided directly by leading consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and more. It also contains case books from consulting clubs at leading target schools, like Harvard, London Business School, and MIT. This list is a great place to go for example cases.

6. Mock interviews

The best way to improve at case interviews is to practise interviewing out loud, and you can do that in three main ways:

  • Interview yourself (out loud)
  • Practise interviewing with friends or family
  • Practise interviewing with ex-interviewers

Practising by yourself is a great way to get started, and can help you get more comfortable with the flow of a case interview. However, this type of practice won’t prepare you for realistic interview conditions. 

After getting some practice on your own, you should find someone who can do a mock interview with you, like a friend or family member.

We’d also recommend that you practise 1-1 with ex-interviewers from top consulting firms . This is the best way to replicate the conditions of a real case interview, and to get feedback from someone who understands the process extremely well.

Click here to book your mock case interview.

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  • What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

Published on May 8, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023.

A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. Case studies are commonly used in social, educational, clinical, and business research.

A case study research design usually involves qualitative methods , but quantitative methods are sometimes also used. Case studies are good for describing , comparing, evaluating and understanding different aspects of a research problem .

Table of contents

When to do a case study, step 1: select a case, step 2: build a theoretical framework, step 3: collect your data, step 4: describe and analyze the case, other interesting articles.

A case study is an appropriate research design when you want to gain concrete, contextual, in-depth knowledge about a specific real-world subject. It allows you to explore the key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case.

Case studies are often a good choice in a thesis or dissertation . They keep your project focused and manageable when you don’t have the time or resources to do large-scale research.

You might use just one complex case study where you explore a single subject in depth, or conduct multiple case studies to compare and illuminate different aspects of your research problem.

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Once you have developed your problem statement and research questions , you should be ready to choose the specific case that you want to focus on. A good case study should have the potential to:

  • Provide new or unexpected insights into the subject
  • Challenge or complicate existing assumptions and theories
  • Propose practical courses of action to resolve a problem
  • Open up new directions for future research

TipIf your research is more practical in nature and aims to simultaneously investigate an issue as you solve it, consider conducting action research instead.

Unlike quantitative or experimental research , a strong case study does not require a random or representative sample. In fact, case studies often deliberately focus on unusual, neglected, or outlying cases which may shed new light on the research problem.

Example of an outlying case studyIn the 1960s the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania was discovered to have extremely low rates of heart disease compared to the US average. It became an important case study for understanding previously neglected causes of heart disease.

However, you can also choose a more common or representative case to exemplify a particular category, experience or phenomenon.

Example of a representative case studyIn the 1920s, two sociologists used Muncie, Indiana as a case study of a typical American city that supposedly exemplified the changing culture of the US at the time.

While case studies focus more on concrete details than general theories, they should usually have some connection with theory in the field. This way the case study is not just an isolated description, but is integrated into existing knowledge about the topic. It might aim to:

  • Exemplify a theory by showing how it explains the case under investigation
  • Expand on a theory by uncovering new concepts and ideas that need to be incorporated
  • Challenge a theory by exploring an outlier case that doesn’t fit with established assumptions

To ensure that your analysis of the case has a solid academic grounding, you should conduct a literature review of sources related to the topic and develop a theoretical framework . This means identifying key concepts and theories to guide your analysis and interpretation.

There are many different research methods you can use to collect data on your subject. Case studies tend to focus on qualitative data using methods such as interviews , observations , and analysis of primary and secondary sources (e.g., newspaper articles, photographs, official records). Sometimes a case study will also collect quantitative data.

Example of a mixed methods case studyFor a case study of a wind farm development in a rural area, you could collect quantitative data on employment rates and business revenue, collect qualitative data on local people’s perceptions and experiences, and analyze local and national media coverage of the development.

The aim is to gain as thorough an understanding as possible of the case and its context.

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In writing up the case study, you need to bring together all the relevant aspects to give as complete a picture as possible of the subject.

How you report your findings depends on the type of research you are doing. Some case studies are structured like a standard scientific paper or thesis , with separate sections or chapters for the methods , results and discussion .

Others are written in a more narrative style, aiming to explore the case from various angles and analyze its meanings and implications (for example, by using textual analysis or discourse analysis ).

In all cases, though, make sure to give contextual details about the case, connect it back to the literature and theory, and discuss how it fits into wider patterns or debates.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

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  • Ecological validity

Research bias

  • Rosenthal effect
  • Implicit bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Selection bias
  • Negativity bias
  • Status quo bias

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case study for group discussion

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Create a Case Method Group Activity to Engage Students in Critical Thinking

Tags: Adult Learning , Assessment , Assignments , Blog , Case method , Cognitive Theory , Collaborative Learning , Community of Inquiry , Critical Thinking , Discussions , Experiential Learning , Google , Learning Activities , LMS , Problem-Based Learning , Scaffolding , Social Media , Video , Wiki

Description

The case method group activity is an instructional design strategy that involves faculty members providing one or more case studies to which groups of students respond. The case(s) could be a real-life case or simulation. It could be description of key concept(s) applied, a story or scenario, an actual case study, a problem or mystery, a performance, a visual, or an example.

The case method in online learning as an intervention presents students with ill-structured, real-world derived problems with multiple solutions (Choi & Lee, 2009). In a group activity this case method has the potential to harnesses the effectiveness of collaborative learning (Kolb, 1984) and group activities provide a space for collaborative problem solving, fostering a constructivist learning environment with potential to build a community of learning (Jonassen, 1997). The teaching facilitator can influence learners’ engagement in and adoption of the activity by communicating the relative advantage of key features of the online environment (Karamanos & Gibbs, 2012), as well as mapping and intervening in the group interactions to keep students focused on the problem (Etmer & Koehler, 2014). This mapping creates a plan for instructors to scaffold (or build in techniques to progressively support students to greater levels of learning independence and effective group interactions). Introduction of scaffolds and learning resources, perhaps additional readings and activities, presented at later stages of problem solving were associated with deep meaningful learning and critical thinking (Choi & Lee, 2009).

Because the case reflects a real-life situation, as the group members interact with each other, they should uncover multiple solutions, perspectives, or methods of analyzing the situation, with no single right answer. This divergence is important to encourage for fostering deeper levels of learning and critical thinking (Choi & Lee, 2009). A guiding question for the lesson can offer some parameters for faculty to map and scaffold activities, guiding students’ interactions as they engage with others in their groups about the case. This guiding question should depend on the purpose of the instruction (University of Illinois, 2015). The process of a faculty member scaffolding activities should result in more than one individual or group deliverable associated with it and a corresponding timeline for each. Consider, too, whether each component will have a group or individual grade (Carnegie Mellon University, 2015).

Link to example artifact(s)

As an example of the case method group activity, a faculty member teaching an industrial/organizational psychology course divided the students into groups based on time zones and created a discussion forum for each group. They completed a learning team charter to establish their group covenant. The parameters for the group activity were well-defined: students completed a group charter to agree on expectations for each member’s contribution to the group, the faculty provided an explanation of the purpose of the group activity for learning the material and succeeding in the course. The faculty explicitly stated how the quality of interactions and ideas derived from the group conversation and supported with evidence could contribute to the success of individual assignments.

The faculty provided the same case scenario across each group discussion forum. The case described in writing a company whose strict hierarchy and “us” (management) versus “them” (workers) mentality had led to a dysfunctional workplace environment with punitive acts from management and passive aggressive behaviors from employees. The faculty prompted students to analyze the situation using management and leadership approaches and theories from the course as a group by midway through the course, brainstorm as a group solutions to remedy the situation by applying key course concepts from middle to the end of the course, and submit an individual solution to the problem the case presented as the final assignment.

The faculty member interacted with each group several times throughout the course in their discussion forums, guiding them to consider important motivational and management theories (like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and McGregor’s theory x and y) to analyze the behavioral dynamics of management and the employees in the case. Additionally, a rubric was associated with each component presented prior to the assignment to set expectations and utilized by the faculty member for grading. To assess critical thinking, elements from the AASU Value rubric were incorporated into the individual solution activity rubric (2017). Students were graded individually even though they were interacting as a group for their mid-course analysis of the scenario, as a group on the solution brainstorming activity for a group grade, and individually on their submissions of their individual solution to the case.

Students’ critical thinking improvements and favorable reaction provided good evidence for the success of the case scenario activities in this course. During the discussion, students often related the scenario to their own real-life experiences in workplace settings. As the discussions progressed, students began identifying these experiences with key concepts, referring and citing course content, and this habit transferred to their individual solutions to the case presented in their papers. Some students developed a clear thesis for their perspectives, recounting nuances of the situation in the scenario (such as the organizational structure and emerging management styles) to substantiate their position. Even fewer students gave multiple solutions and explained why one is better than another. Students generally responded positively to the course and case scenario format. They indicated that they appreciated the real-life examples from other students and expressed that the group discussion contributed development of their individual submissions. Satisfaction with the course, as indicated on students’ end-of-course reviews, was high to very high.

Applying this case method group activity strategy to other disciplines should result in similar success, strengthening students’ critical thinking skills. This strategy is definitely generalizable, as the aim is for students’ collaboration for achieving the course or module objective(s) associated with the activity/assignment (University of Illinois, 2015), guiding students to:

• Identify key concepts reflected by a case, • Situate a case within a given system, • Summarize or recapitulate a case, • Generalize patterns or symbolic representations within a case, • Generate plausible causes that result in a case, • Analyze the components of a case, • Assess or judge the appropriate application presented in a case scenario, • Solve a problem that the case presents or that the faculty presents about the case Any discipline where students would benefit cognitively from collaboration to achieve one of the above objectives could apply this strategy: create a case method group activity to engage students in critical thinking.

Individual Paper Case Study Rubric

Case Study Rubric for Group Collaboration Discussion

Instructor: Revathi Viswanathan Course: Biotechnology

Students were asked to discuss case studies relating to their subject, and Edmodo was used as a learning platform for handling them. The purpose of integrating the technological tool was to encourage students to actively participate in the teaching and learning process even beyond their classroom. Besides this, Edmodo, as an application could be accessed both in a computer and a mobile, which in turn helps teachers to post resources, initiate discussions, create small groups, and enroll students to do collaborative tasks.

As part of the classroom based research, the students were put in small groups, and inputs for case study was posted as video files and reading texts to each group in the Edmodo page. Each group was given guidance on holding case study discussions. The preliminary discussion was initiated through brainstorming questions, which encouraged students to get to the important issue or aspect of the case study. For example, the following questions were posted related to the case study on ‘ Regenerative medicine- Current therapies and future directions’:

  • What do you know about regenerative medicine?
  • How does it help common man?

Similarly, one of the groups discussed ‘Genetic Engineering of Animals: ethical issues, including welfare concerns’ and the following questions were asked:

  • Discuss how ‘deletion of genes, or the manipulation of genes already present’ affects the animals.
  • What do you think about this as a biotechnology student?

After a few dialogues online, it was felt that most of the students could not identify the main aspect of the case study and the teacher researcher had to intervene by posting guidelines for discussing a case study (Source: https://plato.acadiau.ca/courses/Busi/IntroBus/CASEMETHOD.html#CASEMETHOD ). They were told about the process by which a case study has to be analysed. They were asked to look for issues that are stated in the case study, critically read and see how the issue is handled in depth. Then, they had to look for opening paragraph, background information, specific area of interest covered, specific problem stated, alternatives given and the conclusion drawn from the discussion, in the case study.

Besides posting these tips for handling case studies, the teacher explained the components of a case study (stated above) in the class. It was felt that this online collaborative activity had to be handled by following the online collaborative theory advocated by Harasim (2012). According to her, a teacher plays an important role (in an online collaborative learning scenario) in the process of knowledge construction among students, by providing inputs and integrating the core concept along with the subject domain. In this context, it must be stated that the teacher researcher had already brought in the integration of biotechnology related case studies for discussion. However, considering the extent to which they could use the subject knowledge for discussing the given case study, it was evident that the students expected teacher’s intervention. In other words, the teacher had to draw their attention to the main issue of the case study by posting a few specific (case study related) questions.

For example, the group which was working on the case study, ‘Genetic engineering of animals’, were asked to focus on the specific concepts. The following question was posted in Edmodo group page:

  • How does it affect an animal when it is genetically modified or genetically altered or genetically manipulated or transgenic, and biotechnology-derived
  • How will the animal cope with when it is modified?

The extent to which the students of respective groups (group A & B) could discuss the case study by using their subject knowledge was evaluated by comparing two groups (both before-the-intervention and after-the-intervention of the teacher) using Causal-Comparative method. The analysis of performance of the group members was done with the help of the rubrics, ‘Undergraduate Case Analysis Rubrics’ (Source https://www.onlineethics.org/File.aspx?id=31203&v=859a7ffb ). The frequency polygon drawn for both groups (Figures 1 and 2) and the ANOVA test scores evaluated showed variation, particularly in group A’s performance (ie before and after teacher’s intervention).

Frequency polygon for the initial performance

It was evident that students’ application of subject knowledge in their discussion had promoted communicative ability. Further, it proved the application of online collaborative theory in encouraging students to contribute to online discussions.

Link to scholarly references

Association of American Colleges & Universities (2017). Critical thinking VALUE rubric. Retrieved from  https://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/critical-thinking

Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center (2015). How can I assess group work? Retrieved from  https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/assess.html

Choi, I., & Lee, K. (2009). Designing and implementing a case-based learning environment for enhancing ill-structured problem solving: Classroom management problems for prospective teachers. Educational Technology Research and Development , 57( 1 ), 99-129.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-008-9089-2

David, H. J. (1997). Instructional design models for well-structured and ill-structured problem-solving learning outcomes. Educational Technology Research and Development , 45( 1 ). Retrieved from  http://www.webkelley.com/HBS/ID%20Models%20for%20Well-Structured.pdf

Ertmer, P. A., & Koehler, A. A. (2014). Online case-based discussions: Examining coverage of the afforded problem space. Educational Technology Research and Development , 62( 5 ), 617-636.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-014-9350-9

Jonassen, D. H. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. M. Reigeluth I nstructional-design theories and models: Volume II (pp. 215-239). Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved from  https://www.savoiabenincasa.gov.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1999-Jonassen.pdf

Karamanos, N., & Gibbs, P. (2012). A model for student adoption of online interactivity. Research in Post-Compulsory Education , 17( 3 ), 321-334.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2012.700108

Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from  https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Kolb-Experiential-Learning-Experience-as-the-Source-of-Learning-and-Development-2nd-Edition/PGM183903.html

University of Illinois. (2015). Online teaching activity index: Case study or case based index. Retrieved from  www.ion.uillinois.edu%2Fresources%2Fotai%2Fcasestudies.asp&token=yz%2BG1QALcwhrBLaVIIOV1qkwVJCS27mZAH624RoGdAc%3D

Post Revisions:

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This Is What You Need to Know to Pass Your Group Case Interview

  • Last Updated January, 2024

If you’re on this page, chances are you’ve been told you’re scheduled for a group interview. 

After practicing for weeks to get good at cracking a normal case interview, hearing you have a group interview might make you feel like you’ve scaled a huge mountain only to find that there’s an even higher peak beyond it that you need to climb.

Group case interviews present some different challenges than individual cases, but if you know what those challenges are, you can overcome them. 

We’ll tell you how. 

In this article, we’ll cover what a group case interview is, why consulting firms use them, the key to passing your group interview, and tell you the 6 tips on group interviews you need to know.

If this is your first time to MyConsultingOffer.org, you may want to start with this page  on  Case Interview Prep . But if you’re ready to learn everything you need to know to pass a group case, you’re in the right place.

Let’s get started!

What is a Group Case Interview?

The group needs to come to a collective point of view on what the client’s problem is, how to structure their analysis, and what the final recommendation should be. 

The group should also agree on how the analysis of the case will be conducted at a high level, but the actual number-crunching will need to be divided between group members in order to complete the work in the allotted time.

The group’s analysis and recommendation will be presented to one or more interviewers.

Why Do Consulting Firms Use Group Case Interviews?

It can feel difficult to trust your team members when you know that you’re all competing for the same job, but that’s what the group case is about — it tests teamwork skills in a high-stakes environment.

Management consultants are hired to solve big, thorny business problems, ones that require the work of multiple people to solve. 

While there is a hierarchy on consulting teams with a partner leading the work, consulting partners simultaneously manage multiple clients or multiple studies at one large client. 

They won’t work with your team every day and in their absence, the team still needs to be able to work together effectively.

Even if a partner is leading a team’s problem-solving discussion, each consultant has a responsibility to make sure the team’s best thinking is being put forward to help the client. 

Ideas are both expected from each member of the team and valued. 

Even the newest analyst has a contribution to make.

T he analyst may have been the person to analyze the data and therefore be closest to the information that will drive the solution to the problem. 

The flat power-structure of the team makes it critical that each consultant works well with others on teams.

In assessing each member of a group case team, interviewers will ask themselves:

Does each of the recruits listen as well as lead?

Are they open to other peoples’ ideas?

Can they perform independent analysis and interpret what impact their work has on the overall problem the team is trying to solve?

Can they persuade team members of their points of view?

The Key to Passing the Group Case: Make Sure Your Group Is Organized

A group case must be solved by going through the same 4 steps as individual cases :   the opening, structuring the problem, the analysis, and the recommendation. 

Your team should break down the time you have to solve the case into time allotted to each of these steps to ensure you don’t spend too long in one area and not reach a recommendation. 

Make sure the team agrees on a single statement of the client’s problem.

Take the time for everyone to read the materials, take notes, and suggest what they think is the key question(s) that need to be solved in this case.

Write it on a whiteboard or somewhere else to ensure there’s agreement. You can’t solve the problem together if you don’t agree on what the problem is. 

Usually, someone in the group will take the lead on organizing the group.

If no one does, this is your opportunity to demonstrate your leadership and teamwork skills, but if there are people fighting over the leadership position (unlikely since everyone is on their “best behavior”), then contribute and don’t worry that you aren’t “leading” the discussion just yet.

Create a clear,  MECE  structure to analyze the problem.

This is even more important to solving a group case than an individual one because you need to make sure that when the group breaks up so each member can perform part of the analysis, all the issues are covered and there’s not duplicated effort between team members.

After your group structures the problem, split up the analysis that needs to be done between members of the group.

If no one suggests breaking up the analysis, then volunteer the idea. Be sure to explain how each person’s piece fits into the team effort.

Each person should do their analysis independently to ensure there is sufficient time to complete all the required tasks, though the team should regroup briefly if someone has a problem they need help with or comes up with an insight that could influence the work other group members are doing. 

While you do your own analysis, you’ll need to demonstrate you understand the bigger picture by involving your teammates, sharing how your findings impacts their work, and articulating how all the insights lead to an answer to the client’s problem.

After everyone has completed their analysis, the group should come back together so everyone can report their results and the group can collectively come to a recommendation to present to interviewers.

In addition to the normal 4 parts of the case, group cases usually require you to present your recommendation to the interviewer(s).

Be sure to build time into your schedule for creating slides, deciding who presents what, and practicing your delivery. 

Many groups fail because they begin their presentation without deciding who has which role.

In consulting, this is like going into a client meeting without knowing who is presenting which slide to the client and makes your team look unprofessional.

Presentation

Start with your recommendation and then provide the key pieces of analysis and/or reasoning that support it.

Again, the work will need to be divided between team members to ensure you get slides written in the allotted time.

For more information on writing good slide presentations, see  Written Case Interview  page.

6 Tips to Pass Your Group Case Interview

Tip 1: organize your team.

A disorganized team will not be able to complete their analysis and develop a strong recommendation in the time allotted.

See the previous section for the steps the group needs to complete to solve the case.

If someone else does take charge, don’t fight for control.

Show leadership by making points that help to move the team’s problem solving forward, not fighting so that it goes backwards. 

Tip 2: Move the Problem-Solving Forward

With multiple team members trying to contribute and express their point of view, it’s possible to have a lot of discussion without getting closer to a solution to the client’s business problem. You can overcome this by:

  • Summing up what the team has agreed on so far,
  • Providing insight into how the team’s discussion impacts the problem you’re tasked with solving, and/or
  • Steering the team to discuss the next steps.

If it feels like the team is rehashing the same topics, use these options to move the problem solving forward.

Tip 3: Make Fact-Based Decisions

It’s okay to disagree with team members but always disagree like a consultant. Challenge teammates’ ideas with data, not opinions.

If there is analysis that needs to be done to determine which point of view is correct, table the discussion until the analysis has been completed.

Tip 4: Don't Steamroll Teammates

As mentioned earlier, consulting teams value the ideas and input of every team member.

Because of this, cutting off, interrupting or talking over other team members is more likely to get you turned down for a consulting job than hired.

The quality of your contribution to group discussions is more important than the quantity (or air time) you consume.

Demonstrate your collaboration and interpersonal skills.

Tip 5: Remain Confident When the Team Presents

Keep your poker face on even if your teammates don’t make every point the way you would have made it. 

Like steamrolling teammates in discussions, frowning or shaking your head as they present will make it look like you’re not a team player.

Tip 6: Remember, Everyone Can Get Offers

 In many jobs, there is only one position open.

At consulting firms, a class of new analysts and associates is hired each year.

There aren’t quotas regarding hiring only one person from a group interview team, so working cooperatively to solve the problem is a better strategy than undermining other members of your group to appear smarter than they are.

We’ve seen group interviews where no one gets a job offer and that can be because teammates undermine each other.

Don’t Over-Invest in Prepping for a Group Case Study Interview

Like the  written case interview , group cases come up infrequently. 

The 2 most common types of case interviews are individual interviews: the candidate-led interview or the interviewer-led interview.

In the candidate-led interview , the recruit is responsible for moving the problem solving forward. After they ensure they understand the problem and structure how they’d approach solving it, they pick one piece of the problem to start drilling down on first. Candidate-led cases are commonly used by Bain and BCG.

In the interviewer-led interview , the interviewer will suggest the first part of the case a recruit should probe after they have presented their opening and structured the problem. Interviewer-led interviews are commonly used by  McKinsey .

Because individual cases are much more common than group cases, don’t spend time preparing for a group case unless you’re sure you’ll have one. 

If you’re invited to take part in a group case interview, your preparation on individual cases will ensure you have a good approach cracking the case.

At this point, we hope you feel confident you can pass your group case interview. 

In this article, we’ve covered what a group case interview is, why consulting firms use them, the key to passing your group interview, and the 6 tips on group interviews you need to know.

Still have questions?

If you have more questions about group interviews, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s case coaches will answer them.

People prepping for a group case interview have also found the following other pages helpful:

  • Case Interview Math ,
  • Written Case Interview , and 
  • Bain One Way Interview . 

Help with Case Study Interview Preparation

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on case study interview prep. My Consulting Offer has helped almost 85% of the people we’ve worked with get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too.

If you want a step-by-step solution to land more offers from consulting firms, then  grab the free video training series below.  It’s been created by former Bain, BCG, and McKinsey Consultants, Managers and Recruiters.

It contains the EXACT solution used by over 500 of our clients to land offers.

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It’s absolutely free. Just put your name and email address in and you’ll have instant access to the training series.

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3 Top Strategies to Master the Case Interview in Under a Week

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MBA Case Studies - Solved Examples

case study for group discussion

Need of MBA Case Studies

Case i: chemco case.

  • ChemCo is a quality leader in the U.K. car batteries market.
  • Customer battery purchases in the automobile market are highly seasonal.
  • The fork-lift business was added to utilize idle capacity during periods of inactivity.
  • This is a low-growth industry (1% annual growth over the last two years)
  • Large customers are sophisticated and buy based on price and quality. Smaller customers buy solely on price.
  • There is a Spanish competitor in the market who offers low priced batteries of inferior quality.

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  • Top 25 GD topics
  • Free Download
  • Established player in car batteries
  • Losing heavily in fork-lift truck batteries
  • Old fashioned owner resistance to change
  • Low priced competitors
  • Foreign competitors gaining market share
  • Decisive Interview, GD & Essay prep
  • GD: Topics 2021
  • GD: Approach
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GD Introduction

  • Types of GD topics: Techniques
  • GD: Ettiquette
  • GD: Content
  • Solved Case Studies
  • High quality product, but low end customers care more about price than quality
  • Mismanaged product diversification in a price sensitive market
  • Alternative 1: Establish an Off-Brand for the fork-lift business
  • Alternative 2: Educate the customer market about product quality
  • Alternative 3: Exit the fork-lift battery business
  • Establishing the firm's quality image
  • Increase in market share
  • Increase in sales
  • Cost of the product
  • Protect firm's quality image in the automobile industry
  • Redesigned product to reduce the cost of manufacture
  • Low price to enable it to compete with Spanish producer
  • Make use of the quality leadership in car batteries market
  • Offer reliability testing, extended warranties etc. to promote quality image
  • Set higher prices to extract surplus from these advantages
  • A passive strategy, not proactive
  • Recommendations: Alternative 1 is recommended in this case. Since the firm operates in an industry which has low growth, hence it can expand market share and sales only by taking the customers from other players. Hence, it needs to tackle the Spanish competitor head-on by aggressively pricing its product. At the same time, launching a low-priced product under the same brand name erodes the high quality image in the car batteries market. Hence, the best option is to go for an off-brand to target the fork-lift customers who are increasingly becoming price sensitive. This will enable the company to ward off the threat in short-term and build its position strongly in the long-term.

case study for group discussion

Case II: NAKAMURA LACQUER COMPANY

  • The Nakamura Lacquer Company: The Nakamura Lacquer Company based in Kyoto, Japan was one of the many small handicraft shops making lacquerware for the daily table use of the Japanese people.
  • Mr. Nakamura- the personality: In 1948, a young Mr. Nakamura took over his family business. He saw an opportunity to cater to a new market of America, i.e. GI's of the Occupation Army who had begun to buy lacquer ware as souvenirs. However, he realized that the traditional handicraft methods were inadequate. He was an innovator and introduced simple methods of processing and inspection using machines. Four years later, when the Occupation Army left in 1952, Nakamura employed several thousand men, and produced 500,000 pieces of lacquers tableware each year for the Japanese mass consumer market. The profit from operations was $250,000.
  • The Brand: Nakamura named his brand “Chrysanthemum” after the national flower of Japan, which showed his patriotic fervor. The brand became Japan's best known and best selling brand, being synonymous with good quality, middle class and dependability.
  • The Market: The market for lacquerware in Japan seems to have matured, with the production steady at 500,000 pieces a year. Nakamura did practically no business outside of Japan. However, early in 1960, when the American interest in Japanese products began to grow, Nakamura received two offers
  • The Rose and Crown offer: The first offer was from Mr. Phil Rose, V.P Marketing at the National China Company. They were the largest manufacturer of good quality dinnerware in the U.S., with their “Rose and Crown” brand accounting for almost 30% of total sales. They were willing to give a firm order for three eyes for annual purchases of 400,000 sets of lacquer dinnerware, delivered in Japan and at 5% more than what the Japanese jobbers paid. However, Nakamura would have to forego the Chrysanthemum trademark to “Rose and Crown” and also undertaken to sell lacquer ware to anyone else the U.S. The offer promised returns of $720,000 over three years (with net returns of $83,000), but with little potential for the U.S. market on the Chrysanthemum brand beyond that period.
  • The Semmelback offer: The second offer was from Mr. Walter Sammelback of Sammelback, Sammelback and Whittacker, Chicago, the largest supplier of hotel and restaurant supplies in the U.S. They perceived a U.S. market of 600,000 sets a year, expecting it to go up to 2 million in around 5 years. Since the Japanese government did not allow overseas investment, Sammelback was willing to budget $1.5 million. Although the offer implied negative returns of $467,000 over the first five years, the offer had the potential to give a $1 million profit if sales picked up as anticipated.
  • Meeting the order: To meet the numbers requirement of the orders, Nakamura would either have to expand capacity or cut down on the domestic market. If he chose to expand capacity, the danger was of idle capacity in case the U.S. market did not respond. If he cut down on the domestic market, the danger was of losing out on a well-established market. Nakamura could also source part of the supply from other vendors. However, this option would not find favor with either of the American buyers since they had approached only Nakamura, realizing that he was the best person to meet the order.
  • Decision problem: Whether to accept any of the two offers and if yes, which one of the two and under what terms of conditions?
  • To expand into the U.S. market.
  • To maintain and build upon their reputation of the “Chrysanthemum” brand
  • To increase profit volumes by tapping the U.S. market and as a result, increasing scale of operations.
  • To increase its share in the U.S. lacquerware market.
  • Profit Maximization criterion: The most important criterion in the long run is profit maximization.
  • Risk criterion: Since the demand in the U.S. market is not as much as in Japan.
  • Brand identity criterion: Nakamura has painstakingly built up a brand name in Japan. It is desirable for him to compete in the U.S. market under the same brand name
  • Flexibility criterion: The chosen option should offer Nakamura flexibility in maneuvering the terms and conditions to his advantage. Additionally, Nakamura should have bargaining power at the time of renewal of the contract.
  • Short term returns: Nakamura should receive some returns on the investment he makes on the new offers. However, this criterion may be compromised in favor of profit maximization in the long run.?
  • Reject both: React both the offers and concentrate on the domestic market
  • Accept RC offer: Accept the Rose and Crown offer and supply the offer by cutting down on supplies to the domestic market or through capacity expansion or both
  • Accept SSW: offer; accept the SSW offer and meet it through cutting down on supply to the domestic market or through capacity expansion or both. Negotiate term of supply.
  • Reject both: This option would not meet the primary criterion of profit maximization. Further, the objective of growth would also not be met. Hence, this option is rejected.
  • Accept RC offer: The RC offer would assure net returns of $283,000 over the next three yeas. It also assures regular returns of $240,000 per year. However, Nakamura would have no presence in the U.S. with its Chrysanthemum brand name The RC offer would entail capacity expansion, as it would not be possible to siphon of 275,000 pieces from the domestic market over three years without adversely affecting operations there. At the end of three years, Nakamura would have little bargaining power with RC as it would have an excess capacity of 275,000 pieces and excess labor which it would want to utilize. In this sense the offer is risky. Further, the offer is not flexible. Long-term profit maximization is uncertain in this case a condition that can be controlled in the SSW offer. Hence, this offer is rejected.
  • Accept SSW offer: The SSW offer does not assure a firm order or any returns for the period of contract. Although, in its present form the offer is risky if the market in the U.S. does not pick up as expected, the offer is flexible. If Nakamura were to exhibit caution initially by supplying only 300,000 instead of the anticipated 600,000 pieces, it could siphon off the 175,000 required from the domestic market. If demand exists in the U.S., the capacity can be expanded. With this offer, risk is minimized. Further, it would be competing on its own brand name. Distribution would be taken care of and long-term profit maximization criterion would be satisfied as this option has the potential of $1 million in profits per year. At the time of renewal of the contract, Nakamura would have immense bargaining power.
  • Negotiate terms of offer with SSW: The terms would be that NLC would supply 300,000 pieces in the first year. If market demand exists, NLC should expand capacity to provide the expected demand.
  • Action Plan: In the first phase, NLC would supply SSW with 300,000 pieces. 125,000 of these would be obtained by utilizing excess capacity, while the remaining would be obtained from the domestic market. If the expected demand for lacquer ware exists in the U.S., NLC would expand capacity to meet the expected demand. The debt incurred would be paid off by the fifth year.
  • Contingency Plan:  In case the demand is not as expected in the first year, NLC should not service the U.S. market and instead concentrate on increasing penetration in the domestic market.

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Group discussion is when a group of people comes together to discuss a certain topic. Many Recruiters use group discussion (GD) to test a candidate’s communication skills , leadership skills , test topic knowledge, etc. There are also two other types of GD that test the lateral thinking of a candidate. It is a short case study & Group exercise. Often the group discussion rounds are considered tough, but it is not tough if you follow certain steps.

The general discussion (GD) is a session in which the candidate’s abilities are evaluated, including leadership, communication, social and behavioral skills, courtesy, teamwork, listening skills, general awareness, self-assurance, and problem-solving abilities.

Usually, the Group Discussion comes after the entrance exam for a professional degree. Depending on the firms or organizations, the group discussion may be the first or the last step in the hiring process.

The location of the group conversation does not have to be at the table. Any seating arrangement is OK as long as everyone can see one another’s faces. It is not only a typical talk; it is also a discussion based on facts and knowledge.

  • Discussion Group Mistakes to Avoid
  • Phases of group discussion

Types of Group discussions are: 

  • Factual Group Discussions
  • Opinion-Based Group Discussion
  • Group conversations based on case studies
  • Abstract Group Discussion

Types of Group Discussion

Factual group discussions: These discussions focus on the real world and test a candidate’s ability to digest information and analyse socioeconomic or everyday concerns.

Opinion-Based Group Discussion : Test how well candidates can articulate their beliefs and viewpoints. These group talks tend to focus more on views than facts.

Group conversations based on case studies: These discussions mimic real-world circumstances. The group is given the specifics of a fictitious scenario by the panellists, and then the group must work together to address it.

Abstract Group Discussion: These are abstract group discussions. In these, the interviewers check to see if a candidate can approach the subject at hand with originality and lateral thinking.

The panellists assess a candidate’s performance in a group discussion based on their proficiency in the following areas:

Subject Expertise : Your knowledge of the subject matter for the position is the first thing that employers assess. Employers, for instance, want you to have in-depth knowledge of their products and sales process if you seek a sales position.

Creativity/Originality : Innovative solutions and unconventional thinking are required for some jobs. The panellists may use group activities in these situations to evaluate your creativity and originality of ideas when working in a group.

Voice : Controlling your voice’s pitch, volume, and tone are all examples of communication abilities. In a typical group discussion, employers listen for a forceful approach, an authoritative voice, clarity in speech, and an audible tone.

Bodily language : Your body language conveys a lot about your behaviours and attitude at work.

Fluency : Speaking clearly is a necessary ability for positions in sales or customer service.

Initiative : Self-starting is a sign of good leadership abilities. The panellists will initially assess your attempts to initiate and establish the flow of the conversation.

Active hearing : For managerial or customer service roles, active listening is a crucial skill. In a typical group, everyone tries to emphasise their points to gain attention.

Skills required to evaluate in group discussion

The process of GD Round follows the below-mentioned steps –

Topic Announcement: The subject announcement is the initial step in any GD. The panellist will introduce the subject.

Preparation Time: This is a preparation period during which all applicants will be allowed 2 to 5 minutes to prepare their content.

Discussion Starts: At this point, one applicant, who may be any of the other participants, starts the conversation.

Discussion among participants: After the panellist asked participants to recap the entire discussion, they continued to speak.

Results: This is the last step in this process, where the discussion ratings for each candidate are announced depending on their performance.

Group Discussion Process

The following is a list of the group discussion rules:

Do your homework on the subject : The easy fix is to make a list of all the crucial information while getting ready.

Prepare your content: Have faith in your content Having faith in your content would be beneficial. If you lack confidence, you can fumble through a sentence, which will give the wrong impression.

Do not start if unsure: If you are unsure of your topic, don’t start the conversation.

Avoid conflict: Certain candidates frequently become combative during group discussions. Don’t argue during the conversation.

Learn more about careers in different domains

In a group discussion, avoid these Mistakes mentioned below

  • If you don’t know much, stop following leads.
  • Do not be reluctant to start the conversation.
  • Try to take the lead if you are knowledgeable and assured about the subject.
  • Don’t steal anyone else’s thoughts or remarks.
  • While speaking, make eye contact with all participants.
  • You should keep in mind that there are several candidates in a discussion when you start one.
  • Do not lose faith in the conversation as a whole.
  • The group conversation doesn’t last for very long. It just lasts a brief period of time.
  • Avoid speaking slowly.
  • In a group conversation, you should always speak up so that everyone can hear and understand you.
  • Instead of just chatting during a discussion, try to contribute.

Do’s 

Having Rich Content with Good knowledge: Subject knowledge means being aware of the latest happenings in and around the world. 

  • Subject knowledge is the prerequisite when you are preparing for the group discussion because then you have the power to take the discussion in any direction you want, and having the subject knowledge, you can contribute more to the discussion.
  • The rich and right content is required during the group discussion rounds. You can do this by preparing on a variety of topics. Also, if you can remember some important points, it would be a plus point. Also, having a grasp on the topic will make you a winner in group discussion rounds.
  • If you are a reader that loves to read on a variety of topics, there’s no need for last-minute preparation on a certain topic. You can also read magazines that can be beneficial to you but make sure you choose magazines that have rich content rather than magazines that are full of advertisements.
  • Being a leader: Group discussion allows you to lead the discussion. When the moderator announces a certain topic, try to grasp ideas on that topic or some important points within a few seconds so that you can start a group discussion with a positive attitude and be a leader.
  • It is not necessary that you should speak first if you are not able to grasp an idea soon. You can wait for someone to speak and then add on to it by taking the previous speaker’s name by agreeing or denying the speaker’s views. Giving such remarks (i.e., taking the name of the previous speaker) will make a good impact.
  • Beginning the discussion first is an opportunity to make a good impact, but if you are not able to present your views, it creates a negative impact, so make sure that whatever views you try to present are heard and understood well by the other people contributing to the group discussion.
  • Try to be relevant to the topic : Whenever you try to present your views, make sure that your views and points match or are related to the topic of the discussion.
  • Don’t try to follow the ideas of other speakers. Rather, try to express your ideas as this will create a risk of elimination.
  • You can describe your points by using facts and figures as this shows that you have studied the topic or know about the topic well. 
  • Be a Good listener : Always try to be a good listener and learner during the group discussion rounds, as listening skills are essential during the group discussion rounds.
  • Always speaking your views doesn’t make you better try to give other people a chance to speak and express their views.
  • Listen carefully to what others are saying, as this will help you, later on, to summarize the discussion or add value to your content and communication.
  • Whenever the speaker is having eye contact with you, make sure that you smile or nod your head as it shows that you are listening carefully and are an active participant in the discussion.
  • Communication skills : You may have rich content and good subject knowledge, but if you are not able to communicate well, everything is useless.
  • You can try to improve your communication skills by having a good vocabulary and a good command of English. You can rehearse before the GD round. Taking up a English speaking course free will help you do so.
  • You can use phrases like “I think that…..”; “if I can recall correctly, you said that …..” if you are not sure about a certain point. You can also use words like probably and approximately.
  • Body language : It is one of the most important tools for group discussion. The panellist observes everything from the way you sit to your hand movements.
  • The body gestures speak a lot about you. In the GD rounds, try not to lean on the chair and sit straight. Try not to knock on the table with your fingers or pen as it creates a distraction to the one speaking.

Don’t 

  • Don’t take aggressive moves : You should be firm on your ideas. That is what is expected in a GD. Though you are trying to be audible to make an impact but try not to shout, be aggressive, or not allow any other person to speak.
  • No crisscross of ideas : Of course, the topic that’s been given is debatable. You may like to speak on both sides, like with and against the topic but be careful that you don’t crisscross your thoughts as it may have an impact on a person who is having no stand for his thoughts.
  • Try not to be a part of the fish market : Being a panellist in a group discussion, your ability to lead and play in the team is measured. There may be a time when everyone is speaking, and no one is being heard at that point in time. It would be a good move to be quiet and gather your thoughts and then try to explain your point by raising your voice initially.
  • Try to make eye contact with everyone in the group discussion when they are speaking, or you are speaking as it shows your alertness.
  • Try not to interrupt when others are talking as the recruiters are looking for a candidate who has team spirit 
  • It may happen that the other person has stolen the point that you may have noted down or planned to speak in GD. Do not panic. Take a deep breath and come back with the news like nothing happened, as the panelists can see how you react to such circumstances. 
  • If you are unaware of the topic, let the group mates speak first, take a clue and try to make your points. Or else you can rephrase what your group mates want to offer or try to reiterate their points, or in the worst case, you can summarize the discussion.
  • If you are aware of the topic, try to jot down the points and be the first to start the discussion. In this way, you can head towards a meaningful point of your choice.
  • You can participate in a mock GD. This will help to open the thought process to diverse topics, and a plus point, you can know about the strengths and shortcomings. You can also practice in front of the mirror. It also does a miracle. 
  • Most of the topics of GD are picked from the newspapers to make sure you are fully aware of what’s going on around the world. If you don’t read newspapers and magazines, you can browse on different websites that will give you an overview of the latest happenings. 
  • You have noticed that your friend just makes 2 points whereas you presented 5 points, but he was the winner; remember the quantity doesn’t, but quality does. Make points that are relevant to the topic or are related. Don’t try to go out of the box.

Initial phase – you may be Anxious and nervous in this phase. This general understanding of the candidates has been noticed. If you tried to be clear with your facts, and have the relevant knowledge needed for the topic, you will be able to catch the attention of the team members and the panelists. But if you do it because you want to do it. It will impact negatively.

Conflict – When the conflict started to increase, the group members try to challenge each other with their analytical data and facts. You may find some members may be supporting the views expressed, and some may be against them. In this phase, try to be calm and emphatic. There may be passive participants who try to make them involved in the group discussion. You can also use your creativity in this phase.

Teamwork – In this phase, the conflicts are easy and quick to solve, and the team members communicate openly as members come to a calm and collaborative mindset.

Performance- In this phase, the evaluation of skills is done based on decision-making, problem-solving, and teamwork. When everyone has presented their views, here comes the role of collaboration.

Conclusion – It is the final phase. All the points have been noted, and they try to reach a solution.

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Table of contents

COMMENTS

  1. A Step-by-Step Guide To Case Discussion

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  5. Section 4. Techniques for Leading Group Discussions

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  12. Structuring the Case Discussion

    Structuring the Case Discussion Well-designed cases are intentionally complex. Therefore, presenting an entire case to students all at once has the potential to overwhelm student groups and lead them to overlook key details or analytic steps.

  13. The use of group discussions: a case study of learning about

    This paper focuses on the use of group discussions (GD), as a very open and flexible method of data generation, to learn about organisational characteristics of schools. ... They were conducted as part of a case study to learn about the influence of schools' organisational characteristics on the implementation of health promotion ...

  14. Group case interviews: what to expect and how to prepare

    For a group case interview, the ideal preparation would be to do mock interviews with a group of 3-5 other people. This might be possible if you are in a consulting club, professional organisation, or if you have a great network. However, if this isn't realistic for you, you can still practice by yourself.

  15. What Is a Case Study?

    Revised on November 20, 2023. A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. Case studies are commonly used in social, educational, clinical, and business research. A case study research design usually involves qualitative methods, but quantitative methods are ...

  16. Create a Case Method Group Activity to Engage Students in Critical

    As an example of the case method group activity, a faculty member teaching an industrial/organizational psychology course divided the students into groups based on time zones and created a discussion forum for each group. They completed a learning team charter to establish their group covenant.

  17. PDF The Use of Case Studies and Group Discussion in Science Education

    The Use of Case Studies and Group Discussion in Science Education by Clyde Freeman Herreid . University at Buffalo, State University of New York . The following text was written to accompany the training videotape, "The Use of Case Studies and Group Discussion in Science Education," produced by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in ...

  18. How To Pass Your Consulting Group Case Interview

    A group case interview is an interview in which 3-6 recruits work together to solve a single business case. The group needs to come to a collective point of view on what the client's problem is, how to structure their analysis, and what the final recommendation should be.

  19. Case Study Methodology of Qualitative Research: Key Attributes and

    A case study is one of the most commonly used methodologies of social research. This article attempts to look into the various dimensions of a case study research strategy, the different epistemological strands which determine the particular case study type and approach adopted in the field, discusses the factors which can enhance the effectiveness of a case study research, and the debate ...

  20. Case study for MBA with Solved Examples

    It is common for B-schools to incorporate a case-based discussion in the group exercise round or give a case study in a personal interview. So, here we have presented two popular MBA case study examples, with analysis and solution. Need of MBA Case Studies Case studies form a crucial component of the MBA/PGDM curriculum.

  21. A Qualitative Framework for Collecting and Analyzing Data in Focus

    Traditionally, focus group research is "a way of collecting qualitative data, which—essentially—involves engaging a small number of people in an informal group discussion (or discussions), 'focused' around a particular topic or set of issues" (Wilkinson, 2004, p. 177).Social science researchers in general and qualitative researchers in particular often rely on focus groups to ...

  22. Discussion methods for adult groups;: Case studies of the forum, the

    Discussion methods for adult groups;: Case studies of the forum, the discussion group, and the panel; ... Case studies of the forum, the discussion group, and the panel; by Thomas Fansler. Publication date 1934-01-01 Publisher American association for adult education Collection

  23. Group Case Interview: How To Prepare & Crush It

    A group case interview is exactly what it sounds like: a case study solved with a group of competing candidates. Underscore the use of the word 'with' in the previous sentence, as that is pivotal to understanding the entire exercise. That can often be the deciding factor in the end.

  24. What is Group Discussion?

    Group discussion is when a group of people comes together to discuss a certain topic. Many Recruiters use group discussion (GD) to test a candidate's communication skills, leadership skills, test topic knowledge, etc. There are also two other types of GD that test the lateral thinking of a candidate. It is a short case study & Group exercise.