What is a key advantage of the Delphi technique?

The Delphi technique is a method often used in research and decision-making that gathers insights and opinions from a panel of experts through a series of questionnaires. One of the key advantages of this technique is that it avoids the domination of responses from individuals. This is achieved through a structured process where participants provide anonymous feedback. By not having face-to-face interactions, it minimizes the influence that more dominant personalities might exert in group discussions, allowing for a wider range of ideas and insights to surface without bias from more vocal members of the panel. This anonymity encourages participants to express their true opinions and thoughts freely, leading to more balanced and considered outcomes based on a collective intelligence rather than a few loud voices.

In contrast, the other choices involve methods that do not align with the core strengths of the Delphi technique. Encouraging in-person discussions and ensuring face-to-face meetings could lead to the opposite effect, where dominant individuals influence the group's responses. Limiting the number of rounds of questioning can restrict the depth of analysis and refinement that is characteristic of the Delphi method, which typically involves multiple rounds to refine responses.