The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a facilitation method that helps groups generate and prioritize ideas in a structured and democratic way. It can be useful for brainstorming, problem-solving, decision-making, or planning. In this article, you will learn how to use the NGT to facilitate effective and engaging sessions with your team or stakeholders.
The NGT is based on the principle that individuals can produce more and better ideas when they work independently and then share and evaluate them as a group. The NGT involves four main steps: silent generation, round-robin sharing, clarification and discussion, and voting and ranking. The NGT reduces the influence of dominant or vocal participants, encourages equal participation, and creates a clear and transparent outcome.
The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a structured method for generating ideas in a group setting. Here's how it works: First, the facilitator presents a question or problem to the group. Then, each participant independently generates ideas and writes them down. Next, ideas are shared one by one, and duplicates are eliminated. Participants discuss and clarify each idea, and then independently rank them based on importance or feasibility. Finally, the group discusses the rankings to determine the top ideas. NGT ensures everyone's input is heard and considered, leading to comprehensive idea generation. It's a great way to harness collective intelligence efficiently.
O Grupo Nominal Técnica (NGT) é uma técnica de brainstorming em grupo onde os participantes contribuem com ideias que s?o registradas e posteriormente priorizadas por meio de vota??o ou discuss?o. é usado para gerar solu??es ou decis?es de forma colaborativa e eficiente. O principal benefício do NGT é facilitar a gera??o e prioriza??o de ideias de forma colaborativa, permitindo que grupos cheguem a decis?es ou solu??es de maneira eficiente e inclusiva.
Before you use the NGT, you need to define the purpose and scope of your session, and invite the relevant and diverse participants. You also need to prepare the materials and logistics, such as a clear and concise question or topic, a timer, pens and paper, a flip chart or board, and sticky dots or cards for voting. You should also explain the rules and expectations of the NGT to the participants, and ensure that they understand and agree to them.
Para utilizar o NGT, é importante definir claramente o problema ou quest?o a ser abordada durante a sess?o. Além disso, é útil identificar e convidar participantes relevantes com conhecimento sobre o assunto. Prepare também materiais, como flipcharts ou software de colabora??o online Exemplo Mural, Google Docs, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Trello e Miro para registrar as ideias geradas durante a sess?o.
The NGT consists of four main steps that you need to facilitate and monitor, beginning with a silent generation period, where participants write down as many ideas as they can related to the question or topic within a specific time limit. This is followed by a round-robin sharing stage, in which participants take turns reading out their ideas and writing them on the flip chart or board. After this, clarification and discussion is encouraged, while any ambiguities or misunderstandings are cleared up. Lastly, voting and ranking takes place - either through assigning values to sticky dots or cards, or by asking participants to rank their top 5 or 10 ideas in order of preference. This helps to identify the most popular or important ideas.
Para realizar o NGT, siga estes passos: prepare-se definindo claramente o problema, convide participantes relevantes, gere ideias individualmente, apresente e discuta as ideias, vote para priorizar, decida sobre as ideias prioritárias e aja de acordo. Este processo ajuda a garantir que todas as vozes sejam ouvidas e que as decis?es sejam tomadas de forma colaborativa e eficaz.
After you use the NGT, you need to document and communicate the results, and take action on the ideas. You can summarize the main findings and recommendations, and share them with the participants and other stakeholders. You can also solicit feedback and suggestions for improvement, and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the NGT. You should also plan and implement the next steps, such as further research, analysis, or action, based on the prioritized ideas.
Após utilizar o NGT, é importante fazer o acompanhamento das decis?es e a??es definidas durante a sess?o. Isso pode incluir: 1. Documentar as ideias geradas, decis?es tomadas e a??es acordadas durante a sess?o NGT. 2. Designar responsáveis para cada a??o e definir prazos claros para sua conclus?o. 3. Acompanhar regularmente o progresso das a??es e garantir que est?o sendo implementadas conforme planejado. 4. Realizar reuni?es de acompanhamento para revisar o progresso, ajustar planos conforme necessário e resolver quaisquer desafios ou obstáculos que surjam. 5. Comunicar regularmente o progresso e os resultados alcan?ados para todas as partes interessadas envolvidas no processo.
The NGT has several benefits and challenges that you need to consider and address. For instance, it can enhance creativity and diversity of ideas by allowing individual and collective input, as well as foster collaboration and consensus by involving and empowering the participants. It may also reduce bias and conflict by minimizing the influence of social pressure and groupthink, while producing clear and actionable results by prioritizing and ranking the ideas. On the other hand, it requires careful preparation and facilitation by setting the right question, time, and rules. It may also limit the depth and quality of ideas by restricting the time and discussion, overlook some perspectives and nuances by simplifying and quantifying the ideas, or not address the root causes and solutions by focusing on the symptoms and options.
The structured approach to the Nominal Group Technique can be both a benefit and a challenge. The structure can make it easier to facilitate, and it ensures that quieter members have a voice and that ideas are generated and prioritized democratically, leading to a more inclusive decision-making process. The challenge with the structure is that it can sometimes limit open discussion and the organic development of ideas, potentially overlooking the benefits of dynamic group interactions. My advice is to use it alongside other brainstorming activities, this way you can ensure that you are helping the group to generate the best and most creative responses.
@randy I agree with your summary, and I would give something similar, if asked for an explanation. However, I would also add that facilitating NGT effectively is also important. I've have people go off-track, or disengage, or give up because they were not fully ready to participate. So, I feel that NGT should not be rushed, but inserted into a learning event AFTER the team has had some time to get to know each other, get into the topic at hand AND has demonstrated an interest in being a part of the process. This positions the participants to engage more effectively.
Where possible, extend that time by making it a homework assignment. People who need time to process will do that much more effectively when left to do so on their own time. I know for me personally, I sometimes find it a distraction and hindrance to my thought process if I'm sitting around other people even if no one is saying anything (I'm not alone on that; it's a thing). This requires planning and structure, but that's often the recipe for the best outcomes, and also something we don't do enough of. It's a great habit to build!
To use the Nominal Group Technique effectively, start by giving each team member equal opportunity to contribute ideas in writing, which reduces the influence of dominant personalities. Then, discuss these ideas as a group to clarify and evaluate them before individually ranking them. This democratic approach can lead to more diverse contributions and a well-rounded decision.
It is important that the facilitator manages the discussing of all the ideas so that ideas are improved on or expanded versus critiqued and dismissed.
It is all about how diversity, inclusion and equity works in the teams. NGT helps to activate this culture and apply it in the practice. There are 3 main drivers which help teams succeed or fail them. It is about psychological safety, motivational drivers and cognitive diversity. We practice it as a part of @ICQ Global and help teams focus on their specific gaps. NGT is all about the diversity and inclusivity not on the paper, but in the practice. The more you consider different perspectives the more stronger your approaches and solutions.
é importante designar um facilitador para guiar o processo, registrar as ideias geradas e as decis?es tomadas durante a sess?o. Além disso, é útil documentar as etapas do NGT, como a lista de participantes, as ideias geradas, os resultados da vota??o e as a??es a serem tomadas após a sess?o. Isso ajuda a garantir que o processo seja documentado e que as decis?es sejam implementadas conforme planejado.