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Medical Teacher Nov 2005The Delphi technique is a method of collecting opinion on a particular research question. It is based on the premise that pooled intelligence enhances individual...
The Delphi technique is a method of collecting opinion on a particular research question. It is based on the premise that pooled intelligence enhances individual judgement and captures the collective opinion of a group of experts without being physically assembled. The conventional Delphi uses a series of questionnaires to generate expert opinion in an anonymous fashion and takes place over a series of rounds. The technique is becoming a popular strategy that straddles both quantitative and qualitative realms. Issues that are critical to its validity are the development of the questionnaire; definition of consensus and how to interpret non-consensus; criteria for and selection of the expert panel; sample size; and data analysis. The authors used the Delphi technique to assist with making recommendations regarding education and training for medical practitioners working in district hospitals in South Africa. The objective of this Delphi was to obtain consensus opinion on content and methods relating to the maintenance of competence of these doctors. They believe the experience gained from their work may be useful for other health science education researchers wishing to use the Delphi method.
Topics: Clinical Competence; Delphi Technique; Education, Medical; Humans; Research Design
PubMed: 16332558
DOI: 10.1080/13611260500069947 -
Palliative Medicine Sep 2017The Delphi technique is widely used for the development of guidance in palliative care, having impact on decisions with relevance for patient care. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The Delphi technique is widely used for the development of guidance in palliative care, having impact on decisions with relevance for patient care.
AIM
To systematically examine the application of the Delphi technique for the development of best practice guidelines in palliative care.
DESIGN
A methodological systematic review was undertaken using the databases PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete and EMBASE.
DATA SOURCES
Original articles (English language) were included when reporting on empirical studies that had used the Delphi technique to develop guidance for good clinical practice in palliative care. Data extraction included a quality appraisal on the rigour in conduct of the studies and the quality of reporting.
RESULTS
A total of 30 empirical studies (1997-2015) were considered for full-text analysis. Considerable differences were identified regarding the rigour of the design and the reporting of essential process and outcome parameters. Furthermore, discrepancies regarding the use of terms for describing the method were observed, for example, concerning the understanding of a 'round' or a 'modified Delphi study'.
CONCLUSION
Substantial variation was found concerning the quality of the study conduct and the transparency of reporting of Delphi studies used for the development of best practice guidance in palliative care. Since credibility of the resulting recommendations depends on the rigorous use of the Delphi technique, there is a need for consistency and quality both in the conduct and reporting of studies. To allow a critical appraisal of the methodology and the resulting guidance, a reporting standard for Conducting and REporting of DElphi Studies (CREDES) is proposed.
Topics: Decision Making; Delphi Technique; Evidence-Based Practice; Humans; Palliative Care
PubMed: 28190381
DOI: 10.1177/0269216317690685 -
Radiography (London, England : 1995) Sep 2017To describe and review the Delphi technique as a tool for radiographers engaged in mixed-methods research whereby agreement is required on the proficiencies needed by... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To describe and review the Delphi technique as a tool for radiographers engaged in mixed-methods research whereby agreement is required on the proficiencies needed by educational programmes for pre- and post- registration radiographers. This is achieved through a description offering a brief history of the technique. Through a literature search, radiography education research using this technique is identified. A protocol for a research project using the technique is presented. Using this worked example, advantages and disadvantages of the method are explored including sampling of participants, sample size, number of rounds and methods of feedback.
KEY FINDINGS
There are limited examples of the use of the Delphi technique in radiography literature including considerations on how to select experts and panel size.
CONCLUSION
The Delphi technique is a suitable method for establishing collective agreement in the design of radiography educational interventions. Additional research is needed to deepen this evidence-based knowledge.
Topics: Delphi Technique; Humans; Research; Technology, Radiologic
PubMed: 28780953
DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2017.03.007 -
Nursing Standard (Royal College of...The Delphi survey technique has merit in both qualitative and quantitative research, but fewer researchers are using it. This article reviews the Delphi technique and... (Review)
Review
The Delphi survey technique has merit in both qualitative and quantitative research, but fewer researchers are using it. This article reviews the Delphi technique and its use in nursing, medical and allied health literature between 1981 and 1998. The strengths and weaknesses of the technique are discussed.
Topics: Bias; Delphi Technique; Humans; Nursing Research; Reproducibility of Results; Research Design
PubMed: 10633705
DOI: 10.7748/ns1999.07.13.45.32.c2650 -
Zeitschrift Fur Evidenz, Fortbildung... Aug 2022Delphi techniques are conducted across different subfields in the health sciences. The reporting practices of studies using Delphi techniques vary, and current reporting... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Delphi techniques are conducted across different subfields in the health sciences. The reporting practices of studies using Delphi techniques vary, and current reporting guidelines for Delphi techniques focus on individual subfields of the health sciences or on different aspects of research and are therefore of limited applicability. The aim of this article was to identify similarities, differences, and possible shortcomings of existing Delphi reporting guidelines and to draft an initial proposal for a comprehensively applicable reporting guideline.
METHODS
A systematic literature search for reporting guidelines on Delphi studies was performed in existing data resources based on databases in the health sciences (Scopus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Epistemonikos) including publications from 2016 to 2021. In June 2021, we conducted an additional search in PubMed and included further studies by contacting experts of the scientific Delphi expert network (DeWiss). Title and abstract screening of articles was performed, followed by a full-text screening of the articles included. We qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated, compared and contrasted the reporting guidelines identified using content analysis and discussed the results among the members of the Delphi expert network.
RESULTS
We retrieved ten health science articles with reporting guidelines for Delphi studies. In analyzing them, we identified nine main categories (Justification, Expert panel, Questionnaire, Survey design, Process regulation, Analyses, Results, Discussion, Methods reflection & Ethics). The current reporting guidelines vary significantly, with only the aspect of consensus appearing in all of them. Frequency distributions show that most of the subcategories are only addressed in individual articles (e.g., meeting of participants, proceeding with the survey method, transfer of the results, validation, prevention of bias) and that epistemological foundations of the Delphi technique are rarely mentioned or reflected on. We drafted an initial proposal for Delphi reporting guidelines for the health science sector.
DISCUSSION
A well-justified position concerning epistemological foundations of Delphi studies is necessary to make the quality of the process assessable and, along with the reporting of the process, to classify and compare study results. This will increase the acceptance of both the method in the health science sector and the results in medical practice. A Delphi reporting guideline must, above all, take into account the diversity of variants, subfield-related objectives and application areas, and their modifications of the Delphi technique in order to be comprehensively applicable in the health sciences.
CONCLUSION
The results of our methodological review do not provide a final reporting guideline. The newly developed proposal is intended to encourage discussion and agreement in further analyses.
Topics: Consensus; Delphi Technique; Germany; Humans; Research Design; Research Report
PubMed: 35718726
DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2022.04.025 -
International Journal of Clinical... Jun 2016Introduction The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) and Delphi Technique are consensus methods used in research that is directed at problem-solving, idea-generation, or... (Review)
Review
Introduction The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) and Delphi Technique are consensus methods used in research that is directed at problem-solving, idea-generation, or determining priorities. While consensus methods are commonly used in health services literature, few studies in pharmacy practice use these methods. This paper provides an overview of the NGT and Delphi technique, including the steps involved and the types of research questions best suited to each method, with examples from the pharmacy literature. Methodology The NGT entails face-to-face discussion in small groups, and provides a prompt result for researchers. The classic NGT involves four key stages: silent generation, round robin, clarification and voting (ranking). Variations have occurred in relation to generating ideas, and how 'consensus' is obtained from participants. The Delphi technique uses a multistage self-completed questionnaire with individual feedback, to determine consensus from a larger group of 'experts.' Questionnaires have been mailed, or more recently, e-mailed to participants. When to use The NGT has been used to explore consumer and stakeholder views, while the Delphi technique is commonly used to develop guidelines with health professionals. Method choice is influenced by various factors, including the research question, the perception of consensus required, and associated practicalities such as time and geography. Limitations The NGT requires participants to personally attend a meeting. This may prove difficult to organise and geography may limit attendance. The Delphi technique can take weeks or months to conclude, especially if multiple rounds are required, and may be complex for lay people to complete.
Topics: Consensus; Delphi Technique; Focus Groups; Humans; Pharmacy Research; Research Design
PubMed: 26846316
DOI: 10.1007/s11096-016-0257-x -
Research in Social & Administrative... Jan 2022The Delphi Technique is a group judgement method which is typically used to reach agreement from a group of people with expertise in a particular area. It is an... (Review)
Review
The Delphi Technique is a group judgement method which is typically used to reach agreement from a group of people with expertise in a particular area. It is an iterative process where panel members complete questionnaires over several rounds, often rating their agreement/disagreement against a statement, with changes made in later rounds based on the feedback received. It has been used widely in pharmacy-related studies relevant to education, research and practice. This paper provides a critical analysis of the various design choices which researchers may consider when planning a Delphi namely the panel of participants, the use of the Likert scale, the effect of feedback, what constitutes consensus and the number of rounds. It also gives an overview of the development and origins of the Delphi, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the technique. Advantages include that the Delphi can be conducted with panel members in different geographical locations in their own time, however the technique can therefore take longer to conduct and lacks face-to-face discussion. Patient experts may be less comfortable participating in a relatively complex survey, however the anonymous nature of the process can be more inclusive in allowing participants to feedback candidly. This paper shows the importance of careful planning of the design choices to ensure the reliability and validity of the Delphi.
Topics: Consensus; Delphi Technique; Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Research Design; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34244078
DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.06.027 -
Nursing Research 2018The Delphi method is a research approach that is beneficial when wanting to solve real-world problems, and expert opinions are needed.
BACKGROUND
The Delphi method is a research approach that is beneficial when wanting to solve real-world problems, and expert opinions are needed.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to describe the Delphi method as a qualitative research approach and provide a case study example of a study using the Delphi method to demonstrate the advantages and challenges of this methodological approach.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted to understand the Delphi method and examine its use in nursing.
RESULTS
The literature search revealed what the Delphi method was and how it could be used. To better help explain the method, a case study from the literature is presented.
DISCUSSION
Using the Delphi method in nursing research is becoming easier. With emerging technology, communication with geographically diverse experts may be easily and affordably achieved. With updated software, results can be interpreted almost immediately, and additional rounds of the Delphi occur in a timely manner, increasing participation and decreasing attrition rates. The Delphi method is a viable option for nurse researchers looking for expert opinion.
Topics: Delphi Technique; Humans; Nursing Research; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 30052591
DOI: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000297 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2020In health sciences, the Delphi technique is primarily used by researchers when the available knowledge is incomplete or subject to uncertainty and other methods that...
In health sciences, the Delphi technique is primarily used by researchers when the available knowledge is incomplete or subject to uncertainty and other methods that provide higher levels of evidence cannot be used. The aim is to collect expert-based judgments and often to use them to identify consensus. In this map, we provide an overview of the fields of application for Delphi techniques in health sciences in this map and discuss the processes used and the quality of the findings. We use systematic reviews of Delphi techniques for the map, summarize their findings and examine them from a methodological perspective. Twelve systematic reviews of Delphi techniques from different sectors of the health sciences were identified and systematically analyzed. The 12 systematic reviews show, that Delphi studies are typically carried out in two to three rounds with a deliberately selected panel of experts. A large number of modifications to the Delphi technique have now been developed. Significant weaknesses exist in the quality of the reporting. Based on the results, there is a need for clarification with regard to the methodological approaches of Delphi techniques, also with respect to any modification. Criteria for evaluating the quality of their execution and reporting also appear to be necessary. However, it should be noted that we cannot make any statements about the quality of execution of the Delphi studies but rather our results are exclusively based on the reported findings of the systematic reviews.
Topics: Consensus; Delphi Technique; Medicine
PubMed: 33072683
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00457 -
Pflege Aug 2021
Topics: Attention; Delphi Technique; Humans
PubMed: 34292075
DOI: 10.1024/1012-5302/a000812