Delphi Technique

Meaning & Definition

The Delphi Technique is a formalized approach that utilizes multiple rounds of questionnaires for obtaining expert opinions and achieving expertise-based agreement through an interactive process. In Human Resources, it has been used to request unidentified expert input with respect to workforce planning, forecasting, and policy decisions in order to create an agreement through the repeated refinement of returned responses.

Important aspects of the Delphi Technique

• Assists in planning the labour force and predicting future levels of employment.
• Prevents negative biases from influencing the input of experts.
• Allows for data-informed decisions by the Human Resources Department.
• The tool can be valuable for long-range and current planning as well as assessing the skills needed in the future.
• Provides participants with the opportunity of expressing differing opinions, free from any perceived peer pressure.

Statutory & Policy Alignment 

Currently, there are no specific statutes that require compliance regarding the use of the Delphi Technique in India; however, it can be considered as a tool used for decision-making and forecasting when developing policies and planning for human resource management, etc., through strategic management processes.