To: jimfree
My understanding of the Delphi technique is that it is a method for achieving group think and marginalizing any independent voices. It is frequently used in corporate diversity programs.
93 posted on
11/27/2003 8:40:26 PM PST by
Huber
(11 Presidents, 2372 judicial nominations, zero fillibusters...till now!!)
To: Huber
My understanding of the Delphi technique is that it is a method for achieving group think and marginalizing any independent voices. It is frequently used in corporate diversity programs.I understand and have found many web postings that hold that view. I submit that what may be called Delphi in those contexts is misnamed. See the whitepaper at http://www.carolla.com/wp-delph.htm for a good discussion of the technique. It's key that the technique is used to converge the opinions of (often factionalized) experts. It's not supposed to be used to beat people over the head into consensus. It's not supposed to be used to achieve "group think" or consensus support of a bad idea.
All group decision techniques can be abused. I hate to see these cases of malpractice be blamed on the technique rather than the individuals and institutions that abuse the technique.
95 posted on
11/28/2003 8:57:15 AM PST by
jimfree
("Never did no wanderin' after all.")
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