What are some best practices for using the Nominal Group Technique in virtual settings?

1 Prepare the tools and instructions

Before the session, choose a suitable online platform that allows participants to write, share, and vote on ideas, such as Google Jamboard, Miro, or Mentimeter. Test the platform and make sure everyone has access and knows how to use it. Also, prepare clear and concise instructions for each step of NGT and share them with the participants in advance. You can use visuals, examples, or videos to illustrate the process and the expected outcomes.

2 Set the ground rules and expectations

At the start of the session, explain the purpose and benefits of NGT and how it will help the group achieve its goals. Establish some ground rules for participation, such as respecting others' opinions, staying focused, and avoiding interruptions. You can also ask the participants to mute their microphones and turn on their cameras during the session to minimize distractions and enhance engagement. Additionally, set realistic expectations for the time and effort required for each step of NGT and stick to the agenda.

3 Facilitate the brainstorming and sharing

During the silent brainstorming step, ask the participants to write down their ideas on sticky notes or cards on the online platform. You can provide a specific question or prompt to guide their thinking and limit the number of ideas per person to avoid overload. Monitor the progress and encourage creativity and diversity of perspectives. After the brainstorming, invite the participants to share their ideas in a round-robin manner, without commenting or discussing them. You can use a timer or a randomizer to ensure everyone has a chance to speak and listen.

4 Support the voting and ranking

After the sharing, ask the participants to vote on the ideas that they think are most relevant, feasible, or impactful. You can use a simple method, such as giving each person a fixed number of dots or stars to distribute among the ideas, or a more complex method, such as assigning weights or scores to the ideas based on certain criteria. The online platform should allow you to display the results and calculate the rankings automatically. Alternatively, you can ask the participants to rank the ideas themselves and compare their results.

5 Summarize and follow up

At the end of the session, summarize the main findings and outcomes of NGT and highlight the top-ranked ideas. You can also ask the participants to share their feedback, reflections, or questions about the process and the results. Thank them for their participation and contribution and let them know how their input will be used for decision making or action planning. You can also send them a summary report or a snapshot of the online platform after the session for future reference or discussion.