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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Oct 1.
Published in final edited form as: Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2011 Mar 21;41(2):95–105. doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2010.12.001
Advantages Disadvantages

  • Large number of participants possible (23)

  • Each participant expresses their opinion freely and impersonally

  • Personal contact between experts

  • Limits dominance by eminent, eloquent, or highly opinionated individuals in the field

  • Less likely that the moderator of the panel may bias the group

  • Substantial amount of time to express ideas, reflect upon answers and make changes

  • Cheap, convenient and no geographical constraints

  • Easy to understand, flexible, and can be applied to broad range of topics

  • Can be used preceding NGT meeting for initial item generation

  • Generalizability of the study findings (external validity)

  • Dependent on questionnaire design

  • Vulnerability with respect to who is an "expert"

  • Obliviousness to reliability measurement and scientific validation of findings (24)

  • Potential for bias exists in participant selection

  • Consensus panel judgments influenced by panel composition and by feedback given during the panel process (25)

  • Coordinating large groups and several rounds can be complicated and costly

  • Delphi does not allow any personal contact between the experts