Improving Delphi study rigour with the integration of Q-methodology

The flexibility of the Delphi Technique has enabled its application across a wide range of fields to facilitate problem solving, decision-making and consensus-building. However, flexibility brings with it a corresponding lack of detailed methodological guidelines, and the rigour of Delphi studies has been questioned. This paper presents a recent study investigating global competence in Japan to demonstrate how Q-methodology can be integrated into a Delphi study to improve rigour. Using Q-methodology helps to mitigate potential problems associated with (a) consensus parameters and focus, (b) panel retention rates, and (c) feedback design.