The Delphi technique is a widely used and accepted method for gathering data from respondents within their
domain of expertise. The technique is designed as a group communication process which aims to achieve a
convergence of opinion on a specific real-world issue. The Delphi process has been used in various fields of
study such as program planning, needs assessment, policy determination, and resource utilization to develop a
full range of alternatives, explore or expose underlying assumptions, as well as correlate judgments on a topic
spanning a wide range of disciplines. The Delphi technique is well suited as a method for consensus-building by
using a series of questionnaires delivered using multiple iterations to collect data from a panel of selected
subjects. Subject selection, time frames for conducting and completing a study, the possibility of low response
rates, and unintentionally guiding feedback from the respondent group are areas which should be considered
when designing and implementing a Delphi study.
The Delphi technique, mainly developed by Dalkey