topic: [[Researching]] created: 2025-03-10 *Delphi, a long-standing, trusted, consensus method that trades conversation for anonymity.* ##### what is it? >“The Delphi method includes the following stages: identifying a research problem, selecting participants, developing a questionnaire of statements, conducting anonymous iterative postal or email questionnaire rounds, collecting individual and group feedback between rounds and summarizing the findings” (Humphrey-Murto et al., 2017, p. 15) ##### why does it matter? By collecting the data anonymously through surveys, the Delphi approach reduces the dominance of certain voices. Delphi requires multiple rounds (typically 2-4 ) of anonymous participation with statistical collation and agreement. ![[Delphi.jpg]] [The Delphi Technique is a process](https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/35319957-the-delphi-technique-is-a-process-used-to-arrive-at-a-group-opinion-or-decision-by-surveying-a-panel-of-experts-with-several-rounds-of-questionnaires) ##### This reminds me of Surveys as a research technique, and all the good parts (easy, can reach many people, anonymous) and downsides (miss the richness of discussion, risk excluding those too busy to participate or without access or technology). ##### What would the opposite argument be? Since the Delphi technique uses just surveys and rankings, it lacks the generation of new ideas through the conversation that can occur in different approaches like the [[World Café Method]]. The possibility of the magic of [[emergence]] is unlikely. However, it is cheap to administer, and people do not need to travel and can be performed fully asynchronously. The risk, though, is that people get tired of repeated surveys, they develop survey fatigue. Also, participants run the risk of dropping out, and they miss out on the ability to network, and [[the quality of the network equals the quality of future options available]]. tags: #note/idea | #on/research | #on/consensus | #on/rubric ##### Sources: Humphrey-Murto, S., Varpio, L., Gonsalves, C., & Wood, T. J. (2017). Using consensus group methods such as Delphi and Nominal Group in medical education research. _Medical Teacher_, _39_(1), 14–19. [https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2017.1245856](https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2017.1245856)