Delphi and Brainstorming Group Decision-making Methods

CS875 Unit 2-2

Delphi and Brainstorming Group Decision-making Methods

Sometimes, leaders have to consider the opinions and the decisions of other team members to be able to make effective and informed decisions. There exists different group decision-making techniques that leaders can take to facilitate the process. In this regard, group decision-making techniques refers to different ways that can be used to get decisions and views from individuals in a group. Most importantly, considering the opinions and the perspectives of each group members before arriving to the final decision enhances the decision-making process and helps to promote sharing of ideas. There exists different group decision-making techniques that leaders can use. Primarily, this discussion will mainly focus on brainstorming and the Delphi techniques.

According to Landeta (2006), the Delphi technique “...was conceived as a group technique whose aim was to obtain the most reliable consensus of opinion of a group of experts by means of a series of intensive questionnaires with controlled opinion feedback”(p.468). Primarily, the Delphi techniques involves selecting a group of experts based on the subject of study and sending them a questionnaire with instructions to guide them in the process of providing personal opinions. Once the questionnaire is filled, the participants returns it to the facilitator who compiles the opinions and prepares smaller choices which are returned back to the group for further discussion. This process continues until a majority decision is arrived. On the other hand, brainstorming is a group decision-making technique that involves an open discussion with the aim of many generating ideas (IvyPanda, 2020). Group members are given an equal opportunity and encouraged to freely provide their ideas.

Similarities Between Brainstorming and the Delphi Technique

Although their approaches differ, both brainstorming and the Delphi techniques are very effective in helping to make effective decisions. This is because both of the techniques gives each of the group members an opportunity to contribute towards the decision-making process. This encourages group members to provide multiple ideas that can be applied to solve the problem. Besides, the techniques allows group members to come up with a better idea by building upon the decisions of others. This promotes creativity until a consensus and concrete solution is reached. Also, both techniques allows members to provide free and honest sharing of ideas.

Differences Between Brainstorming and the Delphi Technique

One of the main differences is that the group members in the Delphi technique are expert in the field of the study in contrast to brainstorming where members have varied levels of expertise. As such, the facilitator in the Delphi technique must carefully select the experts to get relevant and expert-based opinions. This is because this technique aims to get an expert opinion in contrast to brainstorming where any generated idea or opinion is perceived valuable without criticism. The Delphi technique also takes a structured design in that the facilitator must carefully prepare the questionnaires and distribute them to the participants. Moreover, using the Delphi technique does not require members to be physically present unlike in brainstorming where members must physically engage in an open session discussion. As such, the group members in the Delphi technique are anonymous in contrast to brainstorming where they must engage in a face-to-face discussion (Management Innovations, 2008). The Delphi technique also consumes a lot of time and can take moths before a consensus is reached. On the other hand, a single brainstorming session can most likely take some few hours.


 

 

Reference List

IvyPanda. (2020, November). Brainstorming, Nominal and Delphi Decision-Making Case Study. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://ivypanda.com/essays/brainstorming-nominal-and-delphi-decision-making/

Landeta, J. (2006). Current validity of the Delphi method in social sciences. Technological forecasting and social change, 73(5), 467-482.

Management Innovations. (2008, December). Brainstorming, Nominal Group Technique, Delphi Technique - Group Decision Making Processes. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from http://managementinnovations.blogspot.com/2008/12/brainstorming-nominal-group-technique.html

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