CAIP Canada-PAIM Canada

Moderator Essentials Waitlist
2026-03-17 - 2027-01-08 | CRC Research Toronto, 121 Bloor St E, Toronto, ON, M4W 3M5, Canada
Andrea:
The instructos did a great job of packing the essentials of moderating into a two-day course. It gave me some fundamentals as well as validated how I currently moderated and approached my qual work. There was opportunity to dig deeger beyond the basics and I enjoyed having a critique of my current style.

Serena:
Very helpful! The instructors are very encouraging and great at offering actionable constructive feedback. I really enjoyed the opportunity to practice moderating with a live group and put what we’ve learned into action.

Mike:
I really enjoyed the course. It was very informative and full of great tips, do’s & don’t. I think the real-world experience followed by a constructivve debrief made a great deal of difference in easily growing from here.

If you are an aspiring – or relatively new – moderator looking to acquire the essential skills needed for moderating in-person qualitative focus groups and interviews this course is for you!
The course:

Is hands-on – delivered in-person over 2 days.
Offers generous opportunities to practice moderating skills – you will moderate a real focus group!
Will prepare you in both theoretical and real-life contexts.

What you will take away:

A skillset for powerful questioning and effective listening.
Learn how to ask the right questions, get the tools to confidently run in-group exercises, and understand how to manage basic group dynamics.
Valuable skills that are transferrable to user experience (UX) research.
You will design a discussion guide for and moderate a focus group with real participants, putting what you have learned into practice.

Come prepared to engage, have fun and learn all about the essentials of in-person moderation!

Objectives

We will primarily focus our learning and practice on:

Setting yourself up for success before fieldwork
Understanding the elements of good Discussion Guide design
How to introduce a group and build rapport
Asking effective questions and probes
Maintaining the flow of the discussion and keeping it on track
Managing group dynamics, including challenging respondents
Tips for specialized questioning techniques and exercises to elicit deeper responses

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this Moderating Essentials Course, participants will have:

A new skillset that will enable them to understand how, and when, to ask effective questions and probes
A good understanding of some specialized tools and exercises that can enhance in-person qualitative discussions
An understanding of group dynamics and some techniques to overcome typical challenges of in person qualitative discussions

Who is this course intended for?

This course would be well-suited for those with education in market research or at least 1 year experience working in the market research field who are also aspiring moderators (or relatively new moderators) looking to acquire a skillset for moderating in person focus groups qualitative discussions. Participants will ideally have at least observed focus groups in the past.

Instructors

Deborah Klotz, CAIP has over 15 years experience as an accomplished qualitative research consultant. Her curiosity drives her to explore people’s motivations and behaviours, to understand client businesses and to dig for deep insights.

Prior to joining the CAIP instructor team, she taught moderating skills through the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA) and the RD Centre for learning. Deborah is also a frequent guest lecturer for the Humber RAP Program.
Deborah has won multiple awards for her work including the MRIA’s 2015 Research and Excellence Award and the 2016 Emerging Leader Award

Deborah has experience managing a qualitative practice for two full-service research firms and working with a broad range of clients in industries including (but not limited to) Travel & Tourism, Fast-moving Consumer Goods, Financial Services, Professional Services, Technology, Education, Media and Crown Corporations/Government Agencies.

Bronwen Ward believes every person has a unique and interesting story to tell. She values human perspectives and is always seeking to understand underlying motivations that drive human decision making and behaviour. She is an expert at forging connections, allowing people to feel comfortable and relaxed while facilitating deep meaningful discussions.

Bronwen’s wealth of experience in qualitative research crosses many industries and categories. Her skillset provides unparalleled value with both excellence in the details and a keen understanding of the strategy.
Bronwen has taught the Qualitative Research Course for the Georgian College RAP Program and has been a frequent guest lecturer.

Deborah and Bronwen are both passionate about sharing their learning and expertise with others. They both currently work at Upwords, a boutique, qual-focused research consultancy, where they help brands make human connections.

Important Details
Delivery: In-person across 2 full day sessions (please arrive by 8:45am on each day).Size of class: Maximum 8 participants

Rates:
$2800 plus HST for CAIPs and CRIC corporate members$3000 plus HST for non-members

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED FOR THE SPRING SESSION.
Join the waitlist below to gain priority access for the next session. *Please note that joining the waiting list does not obligate you to register for the upcoming session.

Moderator Essentials Waitlist 2026
Please contact grace.woo@caip-paim.ca for any questions regarding the course.
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We’d love to hear from you. Please contact us at info@caip-paim.ca with any comments or questions.

Toastmasters
2026-09-25 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-10-08 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-10-23 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-11-05 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-11-20 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-12-03 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-12-18 12:00 - 13:00, 2027-01-08 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) and 10 more dates | Online
CAIP Canada Toastmasters Club
What is the CAIP Canada Toastmasters Club?
CAIPs can participate in the CAIP Canada Toastmasters Club (aka the Super CAIPs)! We meet virtually bi-weekly for an hour. Join colleagues in a fun, supportive environment where improved public speaking is a by-product.

Gain the public speaking skills you need to communicate with confidence and excellence!

Learn More & Register →

Questions? Please contact us at toastmasters@caip-paim.ca.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
2026-09-30

CAIP Canada Board Meeting
2026-10-01 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-11-05 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-12-03 12:00 - 13:00, 2027-01-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Online

Thanksgiving
2026-10-12

CAIP EXAM OCT 2026
2026-10-19 | CAIP Exam, Online / In-Person
The primary pathway to earning the CAIP involves pursuing rigorous professional education, obtaining relevant professional experience and passing the comprehensive CAIP Exam that is offered twice annually, in April and October.
Registration deadline for the:

April session is in February
October session is in August

Click on any of the links below to continue:

Why Become a CAIP?
Education Requirements
Experience Requirements

Register for the CAIP Exam
Questions? Suggestions? Contact info@caip-paim.ca.

Remembrance Day
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CAIP Exam Spring Deadline - 2027
2027-02-15 08:00 - 17:00 | CAIP Exam, Online / In-Person

CAIP Spring Exam 2027
2027-04-05 | CAIP Exam, Online / In-Person

CAIP Exam Fall Deadline - 2027
2027-08-16 | CAIP Exam, Online / In-Person
