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What is a Delphi study?

A Delphi study is a research design used to achieve consensus among experts on a specific topic, issue or question. It involves gathering opinions, insights and judgments from a panel of experts through a series of structured questionnaires or surveys administered in multiple rounds. After each round, the responses are summarised and fed back to the panel, allowing participants to reconsider their views in light of the group’s overall input.


The Delphi method is particularly valuable when evidence is limited, fragmented, or emerging, and when expert guidance is needed to clarify priorities, develop frameworks, or inform decision-making.


How a Delphi study works

Although your slides present this concept visually, the standard Delphi process typically involves the following steps:

  • Selection of an expert panel with relevant knowledge and experience
  • Administration of the first-round questionnaire to gather initial opinions
  • Analysis and summary of responses by the research team
  • Feedback to participants with anonymised group results
  • Additional rounds of questionnaires to refine and converge opinions
  • Continued iteration until stability or consensus is reached

This structured, iterative process reduces the influence of dominant individuals and enhances the quality of collective judgment.


Key features of Delphi studies

  • Expert-driven: Relies on the insights and judgments of people with specialised knowledge
  • Iterative: Uses multiple rounds of questionnaires or surveys
  • Anonymous: Preserves independence of opinion by masking identities between experts
  • Consensus-focused: Designed to identify areas of agreement
  • Flexible: Applicable across clinical, educational, policy and methodological topics


Benefits of Delphi studies

  • Expert consensus produced through a structured and transparent process
  • Reduction of bias because responses are anonymised
  • Inclusion of diverse perspectives from geographically dispersed experts
  • Cost-effective compared to face-to-face expert meetings


Limitations of Delphi studies

  • Expert selection bias may influence the range of opinions
  • Potential for response bias when participants drop out between rounds
  • Time-consuming due to multiple rounds required for consensus
  • Resource intensive for researchers who manage data and rounds
  • Limited exploration of new ideas because the process focuses on convergence


When should you use a Delphi study?

Use a Delphi study when you want to:

  • Develop consensus on topics with limited or conflicting evidence
  • Establish priorities, standards or frameworks
  • Gather expert judgment efficiently without convening in-person meetings
  • Explore expert perspectives while minimising individual dominance or group pressure
  • Inform clinical, educational, methodological or policy decisions
  • Support guideline development, competency frameworks or tool refinement
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