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Plan a concrete work block with agenda, roles, preparation, and a copyable result artifact.

Method session60-120 minWorkshopRanked Ideas

Session: Nominal Group Technique

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 5-12. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward Ranked Ideas. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Question and silent idea generation

    10-15 min

    Clarify the question. Silent work: each person writes down 5-15 ideas or answers independently without discussion. Hint: Silent work is absolute. No side conversations. Early sharing changes others’ ideas and breaks the method effect.

    FacilitatorRanked Ideas
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Round-robin collection

    20-40 min

    Take turns to add one idea per person to the wall. Multiple rounds until all ideas are shared. No discussion, no scoring. Hint: Exactly one idea per person per round. If someone shares multiple, they dominate. Scribe captures notes, facilitator enforces discipline.

    FacilitatorClarified Options
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Clarification

    15-20 min

    One-by-one: which ideas need clarifying questions? Idea owner clarifies briefly. No scoring, no discussion about value. Hint: Clarification is not debate. If someone says "but," they are in the wrong phase. Clarify first, score later.

    FacilitatorGroup Priority
  4. 4

    Phase 4: Scoring

    10-20 min

    Scoring done silently and individually: ranking (numbered top 5) or point allocation (1-5 per idea). Aggregate to group priority. Hint: Voting silently and in parallel. Online tool recommended because anonymity strengthens the method.

    FacilitatorRanked Ideas
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Synthesis and discussion

    15-25 min

    Show top ideas. Optional additional scoring round after a short discussion. Derive follow-up actions. Hint: If top ideas are surprising, it is often a real signal. Premature explanation can erase the value.

    OwnerClarified Options
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    OwnerRanked Ideas
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: Nominal Group Technique

Goal

Artifact: Ranked Ideas

Working Question

Which ideas, options, or priorities emerge when every voice gets equal space and scoring is done separately?

Context

Clear open question, one-page background material, purpose (prioritization, problem solving, option sharpening), and known tensions in the group (dominance, hierarchy).

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 60-120 min
  • Mode: Workshop
  • Participants: A facilitator with moderation experience; 5-12 participants; one scribe for clarification and voting phase.
  • Owner: A facilitator with moderation experience
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Ranked Ideas. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro, stickies or digital cards, timer, scoring materials (points, scales, or digital voting tools), and a clear question as header.

Preparation

Question is visible at the top. Quiet working zone. Round-robin collection area. Scoring area. Rule: phases are kept and no premature discussion.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Question and silent idea generation (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Clarify the question. Silent work: each person writes down 5-15 ideas or answers independently without discussion. Hint: Silent work is absolute. No side conversations. Early sharing changes others’ ideas and breaks the method effect. Output: Ranked Ideas

  2. Phase 2: Round-robin collection (20-40 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Take turns to add one idea per person to the wall. Multiple rounds until all ideas are shared. No discussion, no scoring. Hint: Exactly one idea per person per round. If someone shares multiple, they dominate. Scribe captures notes, facilitator enforces discipline. Output: Clarified Options

  3. Phase 3: Clarification (15-20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: One-by-one: which ideas need clarifying questions? Idea owner clarifies briefly. No scoring, no discussion about value. Hint: Clarification is not debate. If someone says "but," they are in the wrong phase. Clarify first, score later. Output: Group Priority

  4. Phase 4: Scoring (10-20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Scoring done silently and individually: ranking (numbered top 5) or point allocation (1-5 per idea). Aggregate to group priority. Hint: Voting silently and in parallel. Online tool recommended because anonymity strengthens the method. Output: Ranked Ideas

  5. Phase 5: Synthesis and discussion (15-25 min) Owner: Owner Action: Show top ideas. Optional additional scoring round after a short discussion. Derive follow-up actions. Hint: If top ideas are surprising, it is often a real signal. Premature explanation can erase the value. Output: Clarified Options

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Ranked Ideas

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: Ranked Ideas
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

Ranked Ideas: Nominal Group Technique

Working Question

Which ideas, options, or priorities emerge when every voice gets equal space and scoring is done separately?

Context

Clear open question, one-page background material, purpose (prioritization, problem solving, option sharpening), and known tensions in the group (dominance, hierarchy).

Participants

  • Owner: A facilitator with moderation experience
  • Participants: A facilitator with moderation experience; 5-12 participants; one scribe for clarification and voting phase.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro, stickies or digital cards, timer, scoring materials (points, scales, or digital voting tools), and a clear question as header.

Template

Nominal Group Technique Working Template

Goal

Collect ideas fairly, clarify them, and rank them with a structured group vote.

Context

What question should the group answer, and what decision follows?

Input

  • Focus question:
  • Group members:
  • Constraints:
  • Source notes:

Working area

  • Silent ideas:
  • Clarification questions:
  • Ranking or voting:
  • Priority themes:

Output artifacts

  • Ranked ideas:
  • Clarified options:
  • Priority list:

Open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

  • Ranked Ideas is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

Nominal Group Technique Working Template

View templateCompact working template for Nominal Group Technique with silent idea generation, clarification, and ranking.
markdown

nominal-group-technique-working-template.md

Compact working template for Nominal Group Technique with silent idea generation, clarification, and ranking.

Nominal Group Technique Working Template

Goal

Collect ideas fairly, clarify them, and rank them with a structured group vote.

Context

What question should the group answer, and what decision follows?

Input

  • Focus question:
  • Group members:
  • Constraints:
  • Source notes:

Working area

  • Silent ideas:
  • Clarification questions:
  • Ranking or voting:
  • Priority themes:

Output artifacts

  • Ranked ideas:
  • Clarified options:
  • Priority list:

Open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits Ranked Ideas.
  • One entry per question with date. For repeat NGT sessions on the same question create new iteration, compare top ideas across versions.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet