Research Design
The foundation of any successful Delphi study lies in clear research design. This section covers formulating your research question and exploring how the Delphi method has been used in your field.
A well-designed research question and a solid understanding of existing work ensure your Delphi study is focused, methodologically sound, and capable of generating meaningful insights.
Step 1: Formulating Your Research Question
Defining a precise research question is the most important first step. A clear question ensures your Delphi is relevant, focused, and methodologically sound.
Identify a Broad Topic
Start by choosing an area that matters to you—this could be a societal challenge, an emerging technology, or a personal interest.
Example: Digital transformation in public health
Explore Existing Literature
Review academic papers, policy reports, and trend studies to map what's already known and where the gaps are. This literature review will:
- Reveal what research already exists
- Identify knowledge gaps your Delphi can address
- Provide theoretical foundation for your study
- Help justify your methodology choice
Narrow the Focus
Ask yourself these critical questions to refine your scope:
- Who or what exactly am I studying?
- In which context or region?
- Over what timeframe?
- Are there specific technologies or trends I want to explore?
Formulate a Clear, Researchable Question
Your question should be specific, relevant, and feasible. It must require expert judgment rather than empirical data alone.
Good example: "Which technologies will revolutionize public health by 2035?"
📊 Guidelines by Academic Level
Undergraduate Students
Can stay broad and link your question to a real-world challenge. Focus on practical relevance over theoretical depth.
Graduate Students
Should support your focus with literature and theory. Demonstrate awareness of existing research and theoretical frameworks.
PhD Candidates
Need a theory-driven, original question with strong academic justification. Your question should fill a specific gap in scholarly knowledge.
Step 2: Explore Existing Delphi Studies in Your Field
Before designing your own Delphi study, it is highly recommended to explore how the method has been used in your research field. Reviewing existing Delphi studies helps you understand typical research questions, survey structures, panel sizes, and feedback formats that are commonly used in similar projects.
The Delphi method is widely applied across many disciplines, including technology foresight, health sciences, policy research, and social sciences, often to identify trends, develop guidelines, or build expert consensus on complex topics. Because the method is flexible, different studies may use different numbers of rounds, different response scales, or different ways of presenting feedback.
Looking at previous studies can help you decide:
- How to formulate your theses or questions
- How many experts to include
- Whether to use real-time or multiple-round Delphi
- Which response scales are appropriate
- How feedback should be displayed
- How consensus should be measured
Inspiration can come from:
- Academic journal articles
- Dissertations and research reports
- Delphi studies in related disciplines
- Previous projects in your organization
- Examples provided in the Durvey Academy
You do not need to copy an existing study, but reviewing several examples makes it much easier to design a clear and well-structured survey.
Exploring prior Delphi studies is especially useful in the early research design phase, because it helps ensure that your study follows accepted methodological practice while still fitting your specific research goal.
Continue Learning
With your research question defined and the landscape explored, the next step is developing your Delphi theses and questions.