Which method is used to collect and organize knowledge and opinion on a subject to produce a group consensus?

• A. Delphi Technique
• B. Brainstorming
• C. SWOT Analysis
• D. Benchmarking

Answer: (A)

Delphi technique uses a structured, iterative process to gather and synthesize expert opinions in order to reach a group consensus. It relies on a panel of experts who answer questionnaires in several rounds. After each round, a facilitator summarizes the group's responses and distributes feedback, with participants’ responses kept anonymous. This setup lets opinions be refined and converged without individuals unduly influencing others, so the final result reflects a considered, collective judgment rather’t biased by dominant personalities. It’s especially useful when you need informed judgments on complex topics and when experts are spread out geographically, since it can be conducted remotely and progressively narrows differences through controlled feedback.

Brainstorming, by contrast, aims to generate as many ideas as possible in a collaborative session and doesn’t emphasize reaching consensus. SWOT analysis identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to inform planning rather than to build a shared opinion. Benchmarking compares processes to best practices to improve performance, not to produce a group judgment on a subject.