Surveys are excellent tools to determine the concerns of the targeted audience. Surveys are useful in predicting conflict between the risk management project and the audience. Focus groups are even better because they allow for arguments to be discussed in a small group. One person can introduce a topic they think is a source of conflict and lets the member of the group react to the stimulus and to the statements of each other. Focus groups are a good way of judging how strongly people feel about a topic by the length and tone of the debate.
Both surveys and focus groups are advisable as preliminary steps for understanding the context and expectations, but they usually do not provide immediate solutions and they can be time consuming and expensive.
Next Steps
References: Adapted from OECD Guidance Document on Risk Communication for Chemical Risk Management
