Abstract: A system and method for conducting focus group discussions among remotely located participants is provided. The system includes a respondent computer interface for each respondent computer which controls display of a plurality of respondent chat messages provided by at least one moderator and the respondents and which blocks display of client and moderator chat messages generated by the clients and the moderator respectively, and at least one input device, which allows the respondent to input respondent chat messages. The system also includes a client computer interface for each client computer, which controls display of all of the respondent chat messages and a plurality of client chat messages which are provided by the moderator and the client(s). Each client computer also includes at least one input device to allow each client to input client chat messages. Also included in the system is a moderator computer for each moderator.