How Is the Delphi Technique Used in Project Management?

April 11, 2022 - 7 min read

Kat Boogaard

It’s no secret that project management requires decision-making, planning, and shared understanding amongst stakeholders, but sometimes that’s easier said than done.

When it comes to reaching a consensus during a project, it can feel impossible. But what if there was a technique you could use to help solve the impossible?

That’s where the Delphi Technique comes in. We’ve rounded up the basics of the Delphi Technique, how it applies in project management, and the benefits and drawbacks of using it.

What is the Delphi Technique?

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the Delphi Technique was developed in the 1960s due to changing technological environments and the impact this had on assessing and forecasting the future. It is also referred as the Delphi Method or Delphi Studies.

To put it simply, the Delphi Technique is used to make decisions about complex issues based on individual opinions. In this method, a group of experts writes down and shares their thoughts about a problem with a facilitator. Each expert’s view is compiled into a summary report by the facilitator.

The experts then review the information and provide updated predictions to the facilitator to produce a new report. This process continues with systematic reviews until participants reach a consensus or agreement on the topic.

How to use the Delphi Technique

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Here’s a rundown of how to use the Delphi Technique:

Determine the problem you want to solve. What is the problem you are trying to solve? Be as clear and specific as possible. Understanding the issue at hand will inform who the experts are.
Identify and engage your panel of experts. Now that you know what you’re trying to accomplish or answer, you should have a good idea of who you need to include in the process.
Choose a facilitator to manage the process. Select a neutral person who has enough understanding of the topic to understand the conversations and compile results without bias.
Start the process. Use questionnaires and surveys to gain an understanding of experts’ views and consolidate information.
Create a summary report. Once you’ve gathered the group’s responses, you should remove irrelevant information and consolidate the results. Circulate the report back to the group to contemplate their peers’ ideas before the next round of questioning.
Ask more questions, summarize the results, and repeat. Cycle through as many rounds of questionnaires and surveys as you need until a consensus emerges. In between, continue to create anonymized reports to share back with the structured group to use in their considerations.
Reach consensus and find the way forward. Once your group of experts reaches an agreement, you should analyze the results and create plans to address future risks and opportunities accordingly.

The Delphi Technique isn’t an exact science — it’s a process. You might need only two rounds of questionnaires to reach a consensus for more minor problems but upwards of 10 rounds for more complex ones. Regardless, keep the desired goal in mind: achieving agreement based upon expert viewpoints and guidance.

Delphi Technique in project management

Sure, reaching consensus is essential in projects, but where exactly do we see the Delphi Technique used in project management? The method is commonly used for both scope management and risk management.

Using the Delphi Technique for scope management is valuable because it can help stakeholders reach an agreement on the scope of any given project. This helps eliminate big reasons for project failure, such as lack of clear requirements and inadequate planning.

For risk management, the Delphi Technique can help project teams predict and better prepare for future risks. That’s what the method was created to do in the first place: to help forecast for the future and get ahead of potential issues.

Delphi Technique examples

You’re probably getting a grasp of using the Delphi Technique in projects, but let’s run through a quick example related to scope management.

Let’s say your business is kicking off a multi-phase project. You are going to implement a Project Management Office (PMO) and a customized project management methodology across your organization.

Your experts, or key stakeholders, will likely have different views on what’s needed. They might also want other elements from the PMO, such as resource allocation, a template library, or project reporting assistance.

You would use the Delphi Technique to reach a consensus on the scope of the PMO implementation as the initial phase of the project and then prioritize the elements of the following phases.

The advantages of using the Delphi method

Successful projects require stakeholders and project teams to be on the same page, and that’s what the Delphi method can do for you. Here are the advantages of the Delphi Technique:

There’s potential to meet consensus rapidly. Have you ever been in a project meeting and needed to make a decision quickly but couldn’t get everyone in the room to agree? It happens to all of us. The Delphi Technique can help you achieve consensus and do it quickly, depending on the issue at hand.
Less “groupthink” and more individual contributions. Sharing opinions, especially in a professional setting, can be challenging, particularly when there are a couple of dominant speakers in the room. One major perk of this method is that anonymized answers allow everyone to express and share their opinions freely.
It’s cheap and quick to conduct. It’s relatively easy and inexpensive to use the Delphi Technique. You don’t need a lot of fancy tools or expensive materials to achieve results — just some time and a way to write down and compile ideas.

The drawbacks of using the Delphi analysis

As with any technique, you might experience some challenges with the Delphi Technique along the way.

One key challenge: While it’s possible that you can achieve consensus quickly, it could be a long and tedious process to reach an agreement. If multiple rounds of questionnaires are required before your group hits consensus, you could fall behind schedule and put your project at risk.

Another hurdle is that the technique is designed to help you reach an expert consensus, but just because your group of experts agrees doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the best or the right way to solve a problem. Don’t be mistaken – level-setting opinions and getting everyone on the same page is a huge win, but it’s worth noting the difference between consensus and identifying the best possible solution.

Using Wrike for the Delphi Technique

As we mentioned, you don’t need any fancy tools or a big budget if you want to use the Delphi Technique. However, once you’ve reached a consensus about a particular problem related to a project, a project management tool may come in handy to help ensure you follow through with what all experts have agreed upon.

With Wrike, you can follow up on action items from your Delphi method analyses and put together full project schedules. The Delphi Technique can help you determine the next steps of a project, and Wrike will help ensure you stay on track to achieve those next steps without fail.

Ready? Get started today with a free trial of Wrike.

Kat Boogaard

Kat is a Midwest-based contributing writer. She covers topics related to careers, self-development, and the freelance life. She is also a columnist for Inc., writes for The Muse, is Career Editor for The Everygirl, and a contributor all over the web.

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Project Management 7 min read

A Quick Guide to The Linear Scheduling Method

A linear schedule is a project management tool used to present a schedule in two dimensions, such as time and distance. This is normally used for projects with linear construction properties or repetitive tasks, such as the construction of roads, bridges, and railways. In this article, we will explain what the linear scheduling method is, how it benefits projects, and how to execute it. Keep reading to discover linear scheduling examples and tools you can use to perfect your next project plans. Linear scheduling method explained The linear scheduling method is a process for developing project schedules that take into account the various elements of a work that are linear, continuous, or repeated. Most commonly used in construction management and engineering, the quantity of work performed on a project is used to determine the duration of a work relationship and the work rates for each crew member. Although the term “linear scheduling” is often used to describe the steps involved in preparing linear schedules, it can also be referred to as the development of a graphical representation of a project schedule. You may also hear the linear scheduling method referred to as “time chainage” or “line-of-balance”. The various elements of the linear schedule are represented on a grid with coordinates that define when and where the work begins and finishes. A range of display methods is also used to present the varying activities in different formats. What benefits does a linear schedule provide to a project manager? The linear scheduling method is simple. Not only is it easier to read, but it’s also easier to organize. It’s helpful for communication. Contractors, stakeholders, and clients can understand your project plans from this information alone. It covers everything they need to know about what’s needed, where and when the work will take place, and how productive the work will be. Linear scheduling mitigates risk. Project managers can easily monitor and report on the various activities that occurred during the execution phase. Even if unforeseen circumstances happen during the execution phase, this can be easily revisited to improve the project's productivity using this method. It’s flexible. The time-location chart is useful for extending project benchmarks as needed because it provides a list of the factors that can affect the project's schedule, so you know what to expect. The linear scheduling method helps inform decision-making. This method helps the project manager identify and take action on the lapses that occurred during past projects. It also helps with preventing them from happening again. It uncovers task dependencies. A time-location diagram is a great tool to visualize the various interrelated activities in a project. It can help you understand the sequence of activities and their importance. For example, in construction, the arrival of material at a site may cause delays in the mobilization of heavy equipment, resulting in costly downtime if not forecasted. Which industries use linear scheduling? Linear scheduling is most commonly used in the construction industry for straightforward projects such as standard pipelines, highways, and railroads. However, any industry with projects that have linear continuous and repetitive tasks can take advantage of this method. It’s also effective for managing compliance and continuity across repeat projects. Linear scheduling method in construction management For construction management, this method involves repeatedly running a set of projects in each location for the duration of the work. Some examples of prominent projects that use this method include highway construction and airport runway projects. One of the most important factors involved in planning a linear construction project is ensuring that the work of the crew does not interfere with the activities of other workers. It’s important to note that traditional planning and scheduling techniques commonly used for linear construction projects do not account for the various factors that affect the planning and scheduling of such projects. Other methods, such as line-of-balance and vertical production methods, are often used to improve the planning and scheduling techniques for linear construction projects. Linear scheduling examples Tunnel construction with the linear scheduling method [caption id="attachment_471943" align="aligncenter" width="772"] Source: James Wonneberg, PE, CCM via Slideshare[/caption] The x-axis depicts the location between the two main construction points of this project. The y-axis represents the time period over which the work will take place. Project phases are color-coded in orange, blue, green, and red for easier interpretation. Notice how each of the tasks is associated with location and time. For example, during Q2 of 2017, tunnel site 10+00 will be prepped. Then, in Q3 of 2017, tunnel site 10+00 will be constructed while tunnel site 110+00 is prepped. Not only is this easy to understand at a glance, but it also gives individual team leaders a solid understanding of expectations, deadlines, and tasks that need to be completed by their group. Building a road with the linear scheduling method [caption id="attachment_471949" align="aligncenter" width="801"] Source: Columbia University[/caption] In this linear scheduling method example, “A” represents the beginning of the road, and “E” represents the end of the road. The lettered segments each represent a different section of the road that will be built in order. The numbered bars correspond with a different repetitive process associated with this example road’s construction, such as prepping the site and pouring concrete. As you can see, each road segment will repeat the same set of repetitive tasks. After tasks one and two are completed on road section A, section B begins the same list, and the pattern continues onward. This super simplistic model may need a corresponding document to explain the task lists and locations, but it does visualize the big-picture aspects of the project while also being actionable. Why choose Wrike as your linear scheduling software? Wrike is a project management tool designed to streamline repetitive tasks and maximize productivity. Once you have your linear schedule in place, you can effectively execute it with Wrike using our Recurrent Tasks, Project Schedule Template, and Automation Engine features. With Recurrent Tasks, project managers can easily create and duplicate tasks assignments complete with estimated timelines, important details, and assigned team members or approvers. And when you opt for recurrent tasks to be created monthly or yearly on a specific day of the month, you can choose to automatically reschedule the task if this day turns out to be a weekend which saves time you would spend combing through calendars to triple check dates. In Wrike, the Project Schedule Template gives managers the ability to duplicate project plans from previous engagements. Not only does this save time, but it also ensures that projects remain compliant. And if you need to customize any of the details, Wrike makes it easy to do so. And finally, Wrike’s Automation Engine automatically updates and simplifies processes. It works seamlessly with existing rules to enable users to easily modify and streamline their actions. It also notifies when project obstacles appear and manages your team's timeline with custom reminders and notifications about overdue tasks, task dependencies, and when it’s time to move on to the next step. Ready to maximize the power of the linear scheduling method? Get started with Wrike’s two-week free trial.

Project Management 7 min read

Risk vs Issue: Everything You Need to Know

Whether you realize it or not, we make risk vs. issue calculations all day long. Let’s consider one issue: You’re running late for work. Why not drive through that red light? Well, because of the risk: Getting pulled over by police, or worse, putting peoples’ lives in danger. So, you wait out the red light. That’s an easy one. Managing risk vs. issue in project management isn’t always so cut-and-dry. But understanding the difference between risk and issue does boost the chances that your project will be a success. Here’s what you’ll need to know to navigate the world of risks and issues in complex projects. Risk vs. issue: What’s the difference? An issue is an obstacle or challenge that’s already present. A risk is a potential obstacle that may arise in the future but doesn’t necessarily have to. It might sound as if issues are always greater challenges than risks. But the two can vary wildly in terms of degrees. For example, a broken pinky toe is a manageable medical issue. But ignoring a medical risk like a clogged artery can be far more serious. As a project manager, your job is to evaluate both, so you never lose the patient (or the project). Why is it important to note the difference between a risk and an issue? Effective risk analysis hinges on estimating the potential pitfalls in running your project. Ideally, the planning phase will tackle them in reverse: You’ll try to lower the risks at the outset to avoid them becoming full-blown issues. But you’ll need plans for both. To make your own complicated project run smoothly, you need to start backward. Think about the biggest risks with your team and develop plans for them. Run a risk assessment before the initial phases. Remember the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.” This is all the more important when launching a complex project. Risk vs. issue examples in project management Still feeling a little confused? Let’s take a look at a couple of examples of risk vs. issue in project management. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner: Risk complexity leading to inevitable issues Consider the problems with the unveiling of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. It was “a more complicated airplane, with newer ideas, new features, new systems, new technologies,” according to a Boeing engineer. From the outset, this complexity made it difficult to foresee specific issues. But given the novelty of the project, some risks were already present. After several delays — and an additional $10 billion in budgeting — Boeing eventually “outran our ability to manage it effectively,” according to a release from the company. It’s tempting to look at this risk vs. issue example from the outside and imagine that it was an unlucky project with too many issues. But Boeing’s ambitions meant higher levels of risks. Without enough risk management, project issues become inevitable. Bank of America: When risks prove more intense issues than you imagined In 2011, Bank of America rolled out a new pricing initiative: $5 per month for customers to get access to debit funds. Bank of America anticipated some customer blowback — after all, that’s common whenever prices go up. But customer reaction was far more intense than Bank of America imagined. One customer started “Bank Transfer Day” on Facebook to protest the fees. Customers moved their money out of their Bank of America accounts in droves. Efforts like these had enough impact that the brand was eventually forced to back down on its new fees. In this case, it wasn’t that Bank of America hadn’t adequately foreseen the risk. They simply hadn’t imagined the risk would manifest as such an intense issue during the rollout phase. Had they spotted this issue earlier, the launch may have played out differently. Issue log vs. risk register: what is the difference? In project management, leaders typically turn to two tools to manage these variables. For risk, they turn to risk registers. This register lists the various risks along with their probabilities and potential timing hazards. (Note: A risk matrix is another effective tool for weighing and predicting risks.) For issues currently affecting the project, an issue log is simply a list of the current problems a team member needs to solve. In one research paper, project manager N.K. Shrivastava says that when a risk manifests as an issue, he makes two key changes: Adding the issue to the issue log to assign it to the relevant team member Flagging the risk in the risk register for better project planning in the future, especially noting which risks were most likely to manifest as issues By flagging the risks that become issues, Shrivastava also grows as a project manager. He learns which issues to spot in potential future projects, making him better at risk assessment for future work. One key difference here: A risk register can be a list of potential obstacles that you create at the outset, while an issue log is only a list of real obstacles. One is essentially in the future tense, while the other is in the present or past tense. How to use Wrike for managing risks and issues In project management, risks are everywhere. There are so many, in fact, that there are even positive risks: unforeseen events that help your project along. Wrike can help you get started with risk assessment by providing the information and templates you need to begin your evaluation. The key is in using previous risks to inform your future work. If you’re starting your first project, use Wrike’s risk assessment templates to better predict, record, and measure the risks associated with your first project. With any luck, your analysis at the outset will help you minimize issues along the way, so you can get to the project wrap-up celebration on time and on budget. Ready to foresee risks, manage issues, and have a more successful project? Start your free trial of Wrike today.

Project Management 10 min read

How to Conduct Pareto Analysis Using Pareto Charts

The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, states that 80% of the benefit can be achieved by 20% of the work. The Pareto analysis uses this concept to identify which parts of a project can be done efficiently and which can be avoided. It can be used to decide which problems should be solved first. In this article, we’ll explain how to perform Pareto chart analysis and how it can be used to improve any project. We’ll also get into some vital tools you can use to help teams work smarter, not harder. What is a Pareto chart? The Pareto chart is a visual representation of the most important factors in a given field or project in order to identify and prioritize issues. In general, this tool can be used to identify the most critical factors in a given product or process. For example, in quality assurance, the Pareto chart helps identify the most prevalent sources of defects. The Pareto chart itself is a bar graph with two axes. The left axis shows the frequency of occurrence, which is the sum of the total number of occurrences and the cost of doing so. The right axis shows the cumulative function of the total number of occurrences. The values for each category are depicted in descending order. And the final total is represented with a line drawn at 80% on the bar graph. Any bars rising above that line are considered the problems that, if solved, would have the biggest impact on the project. The Pareto chart can be generated by various means, such as creating Excel spreadsheets, statistical software, and online quality charts. What is a Pareto chart used for? A Pareto chart helps you identify the causes of the various problems and the issues that need to be solved to get the most significant improvement. Here are some of the many ways it can be used: Visually represent project issues to find which have the greatest impact Communicate priority levels to stakeholders Isolate individual process hiccups so that they can be better understood Find the most impactful problems and eliminate them before they cause issues Reallocate workloads so that team members companywide are maximizing their impact and productivity When to use a Pareto chart in project management A Pareto chart is a tool that many people use to analyze different types of problems. It can also identify the most significant issues in a process. In project management, this means everything from big-picture project phases to individual task workflows. When roadblocks come up, managers can use the Pareto analysis to quickly identify what is causing bottlenecks or delays. From there, they can use their project management tool to delegate troubleshooting, adjust task lists, or shift priorities without interrupting the entire project. In addition to making on-the-fly decisions based on real evidence possible, Pareto charts can be used in project management for post-project analysis for both PMOs and stakeholders. Teams can learn from each other and what went wrong in projects with data clearly laid out in this way. In the future, they’ll be able to replicate their successes and mitigate failures. Stakeholders can easily pinpoint areas of investment that worked out and learn more about how this project was managed so they can feel good about the outcome. In particularly successful works, they’ll be able to see how little interference the project encountered along the way. Or they can see how well the team managed issues that did arise. This persuasive tactic allows them to feel great about providing repeat business or, at the very least, enrich their understanding of key projects related to their goals for future reference. How to calculate Pareto analysis The simplest formula for calculating a Pareto analysis is as follows: [Your total unit of measurement per item, e.g., number of occurrences, hours, cost, etc.] / [the grand total of all items] x 100% Use this formula for each category. Keep in mind that each result should be a percentage. Afterward, put them in order from highest to lowest before inputting them into your chart-making software. How to create a Pareto chart Step 1: Collect your data A minimum of 30 data points is best for an accurate picture of the project as a whole. Step 2: Create a frequency table Use the following headers in this order: Issue Type Number of Occurrences (listed in descending order) Note: Some programs will automatically generate a Pareto chart for you once you’ve added the number of occurrences or frequency for each issue category. The rest of your headers may be calculated for you, again depending on the program you’re using: Cumulative Total Cumulative Percentage 80% Cut Off Step 3: Label your chart Keep it simple. You can never go wrong with “Types of Project Errors.” Freel free to add a single sentence description that includes the time period of your measurement and any other details that are important to the people you’ll be sharing it with. Step 4: Clearly label the Y-axis Frequency, total number of occurrences, or even price all work well here. Use whichever value best represents your data set or makes the most sense to you as a manager. Step 5: Note the categories on the X-axis These should match the Issue Types you first listed in your frequency table. Step 6: Interpret the chart Again, the software you use should fill in the other components of the chart, including the bars, lines, and cut-off. From there, you can get to work analyzing the results. The higher the bars are, the more of an impact they are having on your project. You’ll see percentages listed on the right-hand side of the chart across from frequency. They should be listed from 100% and counted down in increments of 10 to the bottom. Any bars that cross the 80% line should be considered a top priority for problem-solving. Pareto chart example This Pareto chart example was created by Clinical Excellence Commission and thoughtfully illustrates the key areas of focus project managers should be aware of. The areas marked in red and bold are the spaces project managers should focus on when conducting their analysis. We can also see that the categories on the bottom are great examples of types of medication errors. But project managers may use groupings such as scope creep, resource management, or communication to define a variety of issues that may come up. The most important line on this graph is the green 80% cut-off, which symbolizes the Pareto principle. Any bar that reaches above that line should be considered the most important issue. In the above chart, that would be “dose missed” at 92% and “wrong time” at 83%. Although “wrong drug” clocks in at 76%, it’s not considered nearly as important as the first two. For the next steps, the project manager in this particular example would likely solve the issues above the 80% line first before moving on to the next highest scoring category. Alternatively, they could choose to solve the above-the-line problems, then create a new Pareto chart and see if the values have changed. It’s also possible that solving the highest priority issues may fix less pressing issues on your chart down the road as a byproduct. How Pareto chart analysis can improve your project In general, the Pareto chart helps project managers and team leaders identify the causes of various problems that are having the biggest impact on their work. By figuring out what they are, managers can take the necessary steps to solve them. It’s also easier to determine task and even project or goal prioritization with a chart like this. If you’re working with third-party partners or stakeholders, the visual aspects of Pareto charts make them easy to understand and interpret. Not only is this highly effective for communicating with non-experts, but it’s also highly persuasive. How to interpret Pareto analysis with Wrike So you’ve made your Pareto charts and conducted your analysis. Now what? Put your plan into action with Wrike. Wrike is a project management solution that makes project plans manageable, efficient, and crystal clear. Now that you know what’s going wrong, you can easily add actionable next steps to your project plans without missing a beat. Start by adding a detailed task to your project. Add a description, deadline, and task owner. Wrike also allows you to see the workload of individual team members across all active projects so you can double-check they’re available before assigning it. You can also use Wrike’s custom reporting features to identify issue categories for your Pareto chart. Dissect active and past tasks to find the biggest areas in need of improvement during individual project phases or projects as a whole. In addition to Pareto charts, Wrike also offers Gantt charts and PERT charts that can improve productivity. A Gantt chart is a bar chart that shows the various tasks and deadlines for a project. It's a great tool for managing time and improving efficiency. A PERT chart is a network diagram that shows all the project tasks in separate containers. The boxes that make up the PERT chart are organized with arrows to represent the time needed to complete the task. Combining the results of your Pareto, Gantt, and PERT charts will help you turbocharge your project troubleshooting plans and may even prevent future issues too. Ready to get the biggest results from the least amount of effort? Get started with Wrike’s two-week free trial.

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How Is the Delphi Technique Used in Project Management?

What is the Delphi Technique?

How to use the Delphi Technique

Delphi Technique in project management

Delphi Technique examples

The advantages of using the Delphi method

The drawbacks of using the Delphi analysis

Using Wrike for the Delphi Technique

Kat Boogaard

How Is the Delphi Technique Used in Project Management?

What is the Delphi Technique?

How to use the Delphi Technique

Delphi Technique in project management

Delphi Technique examples

The advantages of using the Delphi method

The drawbacks of using the Delphi analysis

Using Wrike for the Delphi Technique

Kat Boogaard

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A Quick Guide to The Linear Scheduling Method

Risk vs Issue: Everything You Need to Know

How to Conduct Pareto Analysis Using Pareto Charts

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