Sunday, February 13, 2011

Characteristics of the Delphi Technique

Five basic characteristics of the conventional Delphi technique:
1.      Anonymity: Respondents can remain completely unknown to one another when they are responding to a series of surveys.
2.      Iteration: Delphi’s generally occur over more than one round of surveys, and following each round the responses which have been received are communicated back to the participants.
3.      Controlled feedback: The information received is collated and communicated back to the participants in the form of a collective group response.
4.      Statistical group response: The collated information is statistically summarized for each item under consideration and then is presented back to all of the participants. This allows each participant to compare their personal viewpoint with that of the collective group.
5.      Expert consensus: The idea is to have a panel of experts (who have a level of expertise in the area in question), with the aim of obtaining consensus among the experts. 
      (Dunn, 2008; Vernon, 2009)


     The conventional Delphi technique dominated the field until the late 1960s, at which time the policy Delphi was constructed in response to the limitations of the conventional Delphi (Dunn, 2008).  The conventional Delphi was designed to deal with technical topics and to seek consensus from a panel of homogeneous experts, whereas the policy Delphi seeks to obtain an extensive collection of opposing views on one policy issue in which there are no defined experts, simply a collection of knowledgeable individuals (Dunn, 2008).
   
The policy Delphi is based on two of the above conventional Delphi characteristics (iteration and controlled feedback) however it is also based on the following:
1.    Selective anonymity: Participants remain anonymous only during the initial rounds of the questionnaires, as they are brought together at the end to discuss and debate their opinions.
2.    Informed multiple advocacy: Participant selection is based on interest and knowledge of the area in question, rather than an expertise.
3.    Polarized statistical response: When summarising individual responses, measures are utilized that intentionally ignite disagreement and conflict.
4.    Structured conflict: Conflict is introduced in order to encourage a broader discussion and debate.
5.    Computer conferencing: By having continuous access to computer terminals there is ability for continuous anonymous interactions among participants who are geographically separated.  
    (Dunn, 2008)

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