What is the Delphi method and how does it relate to UX?

This is my first Medium article, although I spend a number of hours each morning reading on different topics ranging from design to cooking to healthcare.

Last year I was conferred for my doctorate in instructional technology and distance education, with a dissertation on the efficacy perceptions of Telehealth. I know this is a timely subject with the current pandemic with everyone working and being treated at home. I chose this topic because I am a caregiver for my father who has both mobility and cognitive issues due to Lyme disease. I wanted to see if he could be treated through Telehealth. Because of the progression of his condition, he wasn’t able to participate. However, the study evolved to focus on speech-language pathologists’ efficacy perceptions of of Telepractice. Due to the barriers of licensing, reimbursement, and privacy issues, I wanted to include speech language pathologists, regulatory experts, and university facilitators. Because one of the purposes of the Delphi method is to come to a consensus, the method was determined appropriate for my study.

The Delphi method was started by the Rand Corporation as a way to conduct forecasting and come to a consensus for military operations. It is a method that can be conducted quantitatively, qualitatively, or mixed methods. Because of the nature of UX being an iterative process, I wanted to explore how Delphi could be used for UX research, design, and development. To read more, click here.