The Delphi Method works for any group decision where thoughtful input matters more than speed. Instead of the traditional bun fight, members respond to questions silently and asynchronously. This approach can be effective for any kind of collaboration, such as a journal article, research project, or team narrative CV.

Here’s a simple process you can adapt for your situation:

Step 1: Appoint a facilitator

Before you begin, designate one person to coordinate the process. This person:

  • Frames the initial questions.
  • Sets and monitors deadlines.
  • Sends reminders.
  • Summarises outcomes.

The facilitator participates in responses like everyone else and doesn’t have any special decision-making powers. They’re coordinating the process, not controlling the outcome. Consider rotating this role for each project so the workload is shared.

Step 2: Frame your question clearly

The facilitator writes a specific question (or set of questions) that your team needs to address. Avoid vague prompts like “What do you think about X?” Instead, ask questions that elicit focussed responses:

  • “What are the three most significant barriers to completing this project on time?”
  • “Which authorship order best reflects actual contributions to this paper?”
  • “What examples from your work demonstrate our team’s collective expertise in community engagement?”

It’s like developing a research question: it should be narrow and specific, not broad and vague.

Create a shared document (Google Docs works well) where everyone can see all responses. Use the simplest possible approach so the technology doesn’t introduce friction.

Step 3: Silent responses (Round 1)

Give everyone 2-3 days to add their initial responses to the document. Set a hard deadline and send out a reminder the day before.

Ground rules:

  • No discussing responses via email, Slack, MS Teams, or in person during this period (this dilutes the conversation and potentially excludes some voices).
  • Each person writes their own answer independently (this avoids groupthink)
  • There’s no word limit, but everyone should aim for clarity over length (bullet points work well, as they’re easy to scan).

Step 4: Read and reflect (Round 2)

Once everyone has responded, the whole team reads all answers. Then the facilitator adds a second question that builds on what you’ve learned from Round 1:

  • “After reading everyone’s responses, what patterns or themes do you notice?”
  • “Based on these answers, what complementary strengths are emerging?”
  • “What gaps or disagreements need addressing?”

Again, give 2-3 days for silent responses.

Step 5: Final round (Round 3)

By now, you should see consensus forming. Use this round to:

  • Confirm the emerging decision.
  • Address any remaining disagreements.
  • Identify specific next steps.

If you still haven’t reached an agreement after three rounds, you may need to refine your original question or accept that this particular decision needs a different approach. Consider these alternatives:

  • Ranking exercises to identify preferences quantitatively.
  • Refining your original question - sometimes disagreement signals the question needs reworking.
  • Scheduling a focused meeting to discuss specific points of disagreement (now much shorter and more productive because you’ve already narrowed down the issues).

Step 6: Document and act

The facilitator summarises the outcome and proposed actions. They then circulate this summary for final confirmation.

Important: Set a deadline for objections (24-48 hours). Silence equals agreement.

Tips for Success

Start small. Don’t begin with your highest-stakes decision. Try the method on something less important first, so your team can get comfortable with the process. You want this experiment to be as stress-free as possible. That way, it’s easier to reflect on how it’s working and you’re less likely to revert to more familiar approaches.

Be specific about deadlines. “Add your response by 5pm Friday” works better than “sometime this week”. Send friendly reminders, but maintain the pace. Proceed with responses from the people who did contribute. You don’t want one person’s delay to derail the process.

Keep rounds short. Three questions over two weeks works better than seven questions over six weeks. Momentum matters.

Make sure everyone can access the documentation easily. You don’t want colleagues wasting time trying to find passwords or understanding how to use a complicated app. The simpler, the better.

Accept that not everyone will love it. Some colleagues prefer the energy of live discussion. The Delphi Method is a complement to, rather than a replacement for, live meetings. Use it when you need to maximise thoughtful input. If it improves the quality of your team decision-making, resistance might disappear.