Pre-Phase in Real-Time Delphi

In a real-time Delphi, participants usually see aggregated group results immediately after submitting their answers. However, in some studies researchers may want the first responses to be collected independently, without influence from early statistics.

For this purpose, Durvey allows the use of an optional pre-phase before real-time feedback begins. This section explains how the pre-phase works, when feedback starts, and when it should be used.

When Does Real-Time Feedback Begin?

When setting up a real-time Delphi in Durvey, researchers can choose between two options:

• Start directly with real-time aggregation
• Use a pre-phase before feedback is shown

If no pre-phase is defined, feedback starts immediately. This means:

• The first participant answers the questionnaire.
• The second participant already sees aggregated statistics (for example median, mean, or distribution).
• With each additional response, the statistics update automatically.
• Participants can revise their answers based on the current results.

This is the standard real-time Delphi procedure.

What Is the Pre-Phase?

The pre-phase is an optional initial stage in which responses are collected without showing any group statistics.

During the pre-phase:

• Participants complete the questionnaire normally.
• They only see their own answers.
• No aggregated results are displayed.

The researcher defines how many participants must complete the survey before feedback becomes visible. Once this number is reached, the study automatically switches to the real-time phase.

What Happens After the Pre-Phase?

After the predefined number of responses has been reached:

• Aggregated statistics are calculated.
• Real-time feedback becomes visible.
• All following participants see the group results.
• Participants can revise their answers.

From this point on, the survey behaves like a normal real-time Delphi.

Why Use a Pre-Phase?

A pre-phase helps to avoid early bias. Without a pre-phase, the first few responses may strongly influence the averages that later participants see. This can lead to anchoring effects, especially in small panels.

Typical reasons to use a pre-phase:

• Small expert panels
• Sensitive or controversial topics
• Studies requiring independent judgments
• Academic studies with strict methodology

In large or exploratory studies, a pre-phase is often not necessary.

Example