Nominal Group Technique

March 22, 2025
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What is the Nominal Group Technique?

The Nominal Group Technique is a structured method for generating and prioritizing ideas or solutions in a group setting. It encourages individual input while reducing the influence of dominant personalities. Participants silently write down their ideas in response to a question and then share them one at a time with the group. The group discusses each idea for clarity before ranking it through a voting process. This technique ensures every voice is heard and helps the group reach a balanced consensus.

Originally developed to improve decision-making in social psychology and management studies, the method is now widely used in project management, strategic planning, and problem-solving workshops. It works best when a team needs to generate ideas quickly and reach a shared agreement on priorities.

Key Points

  • Encourages equal participation by having members first generate ideas silently
  • Minimizes the impact of groupthink and dominant personalities
  • Follows a step-by-step process: idea generation, sharing, discussion, and ranking
  • Useful for both small and large groups, typically involving 5 to 10 participants
  • Helps teams quickly identify the most valuable or feasible ideas

Related Terms

  • Brainstorming is an informal group creativity technique that differs from the nominal group technique in that it encourages open discussion without a ranking phase.
  • Facilitation is essential in guiding the structured steps of this technique and ensuring balanced participation.
  • Consensus building is a process supported by this technique, helping teams agree on the best course of action.
  • Decision matrix can be used after applying this technique to evaluate further and compare prioritised ideas.
  • Delphi technique shares similarities but relies on rounds of anonymous feedback rather than group interaction.

Nominal Group Technique: Example

A project team aims to improve client onboarding. The facilitator asks, “What improvements could enhance our onboarding experience?” Team members silently write their ideas. Participants present their ideas individually, and someone records them on a board. The group discusses each suggestion for clarity. Then, everyone privately ranks their top choices. The team compiles the rankings and selects the most favoured improvements for implementation.

Nominal Group Technique: Best Practices

  • Clearly define the question or issue before starting the session.
  • Limit group size to ensure productive discussion and efficient ranking.
  • Appoint a neutral facilitator to manage the process and maintain focus.
  • Allow adequate time for silent idea generation and individual reflection.
  • Use anonymous voting to reduce peer influence during the ranking phase.

Additional Resources

The Art & Science of Facilitation - Nominal Group Technique     The Secrets of Facilitation - Nominal Group Technique

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