Thesis & Question Development
Once you have a clear research question, it's time to develop the Delphi theses or questions that experts will evaluate. This is where your study takes concrete shape.
There is no single right way to develop theses—different studies use different approaches. The methods below are all useful, but it is not necessary to follow every single one. Choose what makes sense for your study and your context.
Approaches to Developing Theses
Brainstorm Initial Ideas
Use mind maps, notes, or whiteboards to generate possible statements or questions. These can be broad, provocative, or even extreme at first—refinement comes later. Think freely and don't filter too early.
Review Existing Literature
Browsing academic papers, white papers, and industry reports can help you identify relevant themes and ground your theses in current knowledge. This is one of the most common starting points, and it also helps you stay aligned with your research field.
Talk to Experts
Preliminary conversations with practitioners or researchers can surface angles you might not have considered. Even a few short informal interviews can significantly improve the quality and relevance of your theses.
Host an Expert Workshop (Optional)
A small workshop allows you to co-create and review theses with potential panel members. This is especially valuable for larger or academically rigorous studies, but it is not a requirement for every project.
What Makes a Good Thesis?
Regardless of how you arrive at your theses, there are a few qualities that consistently make them more effective:
- Relevant: Addresses your research question directly
- Provocative: Stimulates genuine expert reflection
- Clear: Unambiguous, specific, and easy to interpret
- Assessable: Experts can meaningfully rate or respond to it
Practical Example: Five Delphi Theses
For the research question "Which technologies will revolutionize public health by 2035?", a possible set of theses might be:
- Artificial intelligence as the main decision-support tool in public health systems
- Digital twins reshaping disease prevention and early interventions
- CRISPR reducing or eliminating major diseases
- Wearables as the foundation of predictive health monitoring
- Blockchain enabling secure, interoperable health data infrastructures
💡 Guidelines by Academic Level
Undergraduate Students
Brainstorming and talking to accessible professionals like local practitioners or advanced students is usually sufficient. A solid literature review is helpful but does not need to be exhaustive.
Graduate Students
A combination of literature review and some expert input typically leads to well-grounded theses. A small validation session can be a useful addition.
PhD Candidates
Theses should be theoretically grounded and methodologically justified. Drawing from multiple sources—literature, interviews, and possibly workshops—strengthens the academic rigor of your thesis development.
Expert Panel Size (Optional)
At this stage you may already have a rough idea of how many experts you want to include. Panel size is not fixed at this point, but it is worth considering early because it influences how you structure your theses and which type of Delphi you use.
Undergraduate Students
May work with accessible experts—local practitioners, lecturers, or advanced students. A panel of 10–15 experts is a reasonable starting point.
Graduate Students
Aim for recognized professionals or sector leaders. A target of 15–25 experts with some documented diversity works well.
PhD Candidates
A well-justified, diverse panel of 20–30+ experts is typical for doctoral research. Panel composition should be documented clearly.
Continue Learning
With your theses defined, the next step is building your expert panel.