Delphi Method

RAND developed the Delphi method in the 1950s, originally to forecast the impact of technology on warfare. The method entails a group of experts who anonymously reply to questionnaires and subsequently receive feedback in the form of a statistical representation of the "group response," after which the process repeats itself. The goal is to reduce the range of responses and arrive at something closer to expert consensus. The Delphi Method has been widely adopted and is still in use today.

Research conducted by: RAND Project AIR FORCE

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The Delphi Method Uses Informed, Intuitive Judgment to Analyze the Future

The Delphi method solicits the opinions of experts through a series of carefully designed questionnaires interspersed with information and opinion feedback in order to establish a convergence of opinion.

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REPORT

How Does the Conflict in Afghanistan Compare to Counterinsurgencies of the Past 30 Years? — Jun 28, 2011

An analysis of 30 insurgencies worldwide between 1978 and 2008 determined what factors were ultimately correlated with success or defeat. Comparing Afghanistan in early 2011 against this scorecard results in an uncertain outcome for the conflict there, but the findings may help provide additional guidance as operations continue.

NEWS RELEASE

New RAND Research System Gathers, Analyzes Expert Opinions — Jun 14, 2011

Researchers have developed a new method of eliciting and analyzing opinions from a large group of experts and laypeople to aid complex decisionmaking, adapting online and social media technologies to lower the cost of such activities while expanding the types of people who can be queried.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

ExpertLens: A System for Eliciting Opinions from a Large Pool of Non-Collocated Experts with Diverse Knowledge — Dec 31, 2010

ExpertLens, a RAND-developed system for eliciting opinions from a large group of people, saves on the costs associated with traditional expert panels, while increasing accuracy.

REPORT

A Delicate Balance: Portfolio Analysis and Management for Intelligence Information Dissemination Programs — Dec 15, 2009

This description of the application of the RAND Corporation's PortMan portfolio analysis and management method and Delphi consensus-building method for the National Security Agency (NSA) Information Sharing Services (ISS) division highlights how these methods enable the data-driven analysis of project portfolios and the allocation of research and development (R&D) and operations and maintenance (O&M) resources according to value,…

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Identifying Urban Flashpoints: A Delphi-Derived Model for Scoring Cities' Vulnerability to Large-Scale Unrest — Dec 31, 2007

This article presents a method for the assessment of cities' vulnerability to large-scale urban unrest. Results include a tool that will allow users to rank cities on their vulnerability to large-scale urban unrest.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Innovative Approaches to Obtaining Community Feedback in the Witness for Wellness Experience — Dec 31, 2005

Awareness of the need for innovative approaches to obtaining feedback in community-based participatory research (CBPR) is increasing.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Selecting Performance Measures By Consensus: An Appropriate Extension of the Delphi Method? — Dec 31, 2004

Commentary on this issue of Psychiatric Services which describes an innovative method for choosing performance measures for early psychosis treatment services, the use of a Delphi group consensus method.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Appropriateness of Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Comparison of Dutch and Multinational Criteria — Dec 31, 2000

Over the last decade, a number of organisations have developed clinical guidelines, typically at a national level, in order to increase appropriate health care.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Delphi-panel Analysis Paper By Gate Et Al. — Dec 31, 1998

The author responds to a critique of the methodology used by Gate et al. to assess the appropriateness of lymphoma treatment.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Panellist Consistency in the Assessment of Medical Appropriateness — Dec 31, 1995

Where information about the appropriateness of a surgical procedure is lacking, expert panels have been used to establish guidelines for medical practitioners.

REPORT

Consensus Methods: Characteristics and Guidelines for Use — Dec 31, 1990

This Note surveys the characteristics of several major methods (Delphi, Nominal Group, and models developed by the National Institutes of Health and by Glaser) and provides guidelines for those who want to use the techniques.

REPORT

Creativity in Industrial Engineering. — Dec 31, 1970

A discussion of creativity and Delphi techniques to improve company research. The creative process synthesizes knowledge, logical reasoning, and originality--the mix depending on the field. In addition, the creative person uses multiple approaches,...

REPORT

The Delphi Method, IV: Effect of Percentile Feedback and Feed-In of Relevant Facts — Dec 31, 1969

An investigation of the effect on group accuracy of two variations in the Delphi procedures.

REPORT

The DELPHI Method, II: Structure of Experiments — Dec 31, 1968

This Memorandum is a supplement to RM-5888-PR and presents material used in a series of experiments evaluating the Delphi procedures for formulating and refining group judgments, as well as a bibliography of RAND publications related to Delphi studies.

REPORT

The Delphi Method: An Experimental Study of Group Opinion — Dec 31, 1968

This report describes the results of an extensive set of experiments conducted at RAND during the spring and summer of 1968 that were concerned with evaluating the effectiveness of the Delphi procedures for formulating group judgments.

REPORT

The Delphi Method, III: Use of Self-Ratings To Improve Group Estimates — Dec 31, 1968

An analysis of the validity of using self-rating as a technique for selecting more accurate subgroups in applications of the Delphi method for eliciting group judgments.

REPORT

Delphi and Values — Dec 31, 1968

An analysis of the utility of the Delphi method for determining group values.

REPORT

Experiments in Group Prediction — Dec 31, 1967

The use of the Delphi method for group prediction and estimating in a series of Rand experiments.

REPORT

Delphi Process: A Methodology Used for the Elicitation of Opinions of Experts — Dec 31, 1967

A description of the Delphi method and some of the areas to which it has and could be applied.

REPORT

Predicting the Future — Dec 31, 1967

The difficulties (such as the influence of dominant individuals, noise, and group pressure for conformity) of obtaining a group opinion through traditional face-to-face interaction led to the development of the Delphi procedures, which are described.

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