Delphi method
 Delphi method    | |
|---|---|
| Start | 1950 |
| Founder(s) | Olaf Helmer, Norman Dalkey |
| Analysis method. | |
The Delphi method, alternatively Delphi technique, is a method of structured communication that draws upon the collective intelligence of a panel of experts to achieve consensus on an issue/theory/proposition.[1][2][3]
A facilitator provides a questionnaire to survey panelists on an issue, and then receives back the panelists’ responses, judgments and reasons. The facilitator then sends all of these replies to all panelists, and each panelist is invited to revise their own response in light of the responses of the other expert panelists. This process is repeated until the range of answers converges on a single answer with an accepted degree of agreement (consensus). Typically, the identity of each panelist is hidden from the other panelists, and the authorship of each response is also hidden. This procedure overcomes issues of group dynamics that can be impediments to true consensus, and encourages unfettered expression of opinion and critique. The Delphi method has been used successfully since the 1950s to advance knowledge in such fields as social policy, medicine, and science and technology.
It's founders Olaf Helmer and Norman Dalkey were members of Rand at time.[4]
