I recently read a great article at Fast Company on focus groups. Focus groups are an interesting phenomenon – probably overused by big companies and underused by start-ups. But focus groups come with big ass health warnings. It’s better to use a focus group to help with small details and feedback rather than supporting make major product, branding or strategy decisions. After all, would a focus group have agreed with the name Virgin when Branson started out? I doubt it.

And make sure never to forget that a focus group is by its very nature statistically irrelevant – so don’t make the classic mistake of thinking the opposite. Oh, and friends and family can be a neat focus group solution for start-ups – that and launching your prototype early. Iterate post live – that’s the new way!