Participants & Invitations

Your Delphi results are only as good as your expert panel and the communications that bring them in. This section covers defining stakeholder metadata, building the participant list, and writing the invitations that will keep experts engaged across multiple rounds.

Step 3: Define Metadata and Stakeholder Variables

Metadata enables you to analyze results by group and see patterns you would otherwise miss. For example, technology experts may rate a trend very differently than policymakers. Collecting this information enriches your analysis.

Identify Key Variables

Think about which categories are relevant to your study:

Professional Background

• Researcher
• Practitioner
• Policymaker
• Industry expert

Experience Level

• Years in field
• Seniority level
• Publications
• Certifications

Geographic Context

• Region
• Country
• Urban / Rural
• Organization type

Explain Why You're Collecting Metadata

In your survey introduction, tell participants that this information will help compare perspectives across sectors and increase the quality of your findings.

Warning: If you skip this step, you lose the ability to see valuable differences between subgroups, which weakens your study's insights.

Step 4: Create and Manage Participant Profiles

Your Delphi results are only as good as your expert panel. Record clear participant profiles and manage them in a structured way.

Add Participants Manually

Add each expert individually, including:

• Name: Full name of the expert
• Email address: Valid email for invitations
• Professional background: Role, organization, expertise area
• Relevant metadata: Any stakeholder variables you defined above

Bulk Import Expert Lists

If you already have a list of contacts in Excel, you can import them all at once to save time.

Tip: Ensure your spreadsheet includes all required fields (name, email, metadata) to avoid errors during import.

Step 5: Draft Professional Invitations, Reminders, and Thank-You Emails

A clear, motivating invitation increases the chance that experts will respond promptly and stay engaged throughout multiple rounds. Durvey.org provides comprehensive email management tools to streamline communication.

Durvey's Email Management Features

• Custom templates: Create branded email templates with your institution's style
• Automated sending: Schedule invitations to go out at optimal times
• Smart reminders: Automated reminders sent only to non-respondents
• Personalization: Merge fields for expert names and custom details
• Tracking: See who opened emails and clicked links

Write an Invitation Email

Clearly explain:

• The purpose and relevance of your Delphi study
• Why the recipient was selected — acknowledge their expertise
• How their input will make a difference — impact and value
• What the expected time commitment is — be honest and specific

Use or Customize Templates

Durvey.org provides ready-to-use templates you can adapt to your tone and audience.

Professional Tone

For academic or policy contexts requiring formal language.

Conversational Tone

For industry or practitioner panels with a collaborative culture.

Compose Reminders and Thank-You Messages

Reminders

Schedule friendly reminders to reduce dropouts and ensure high-quality longitudinal data.

Recommended: Send 3 days before the deadline, then again 1 day before.

Thank-You Messages

At the end of each round, show appreciation and share a short update on next steps.