What is the nominal group technique?

Group decision-making is crucial for any organization’s success. While many techniques enable you to harness collective knowledge and experience, more and more businesses are leaning toward the nominal group technique (NGT). This technique encourages all group members to participate, preventing dominant voices from taking control of every discussion.

When organizations understand how the nominal group technique works, they can use it to enhance decision-making and build a more inclusive and productive environment.

The nominal group technique is a group brainstorming method that relies on each participant’s contributions. It is designed to gather ideas from all group members rather than just a few.

Unlike traditional brainstorming sessions, the NGT helps minimize the influence of dominant individuals and ensures everybody has an opportunity to speak.

The NGT offers several advantages, especially in settings where decision-making relies on balanced participation and diverse perspectives.

Encouraging quiet team members to speak

The nominal group technique provides a structured environment that encourages input from all team members, including those who might be naturally reserved.

When everybody has a chance to contribute, you’ll be able to harness the group’s full brainpower and potential. You’ll also see that the NGT creates less pressure to conform to the rest of the group than other brainstorming and problem-resolution techniques.

Considering new points of view

This technique allows you to gather ideas from a variety of participants, letting the team hear more perspectives. As a result, your team has the potential to be more innovative and comprehensive. You’ll have more unique viewpoints on the table.

Increasing productivity

The technique’s structured approach can help streamline decision-making processes, reducing the time you spend on discussions. You’ll see more productivity in other areas, and you’ll quickly make actionable decisions that benefit your business.

This technique will be the best option for your team in specific situations. Here are some examples:

• There are complex problems requiring creative solutions.

• All team members need to have an equal say.

• Some group members are much more likely to speak than others.

• You are dealing with a potentially controversial topic that could lead to heated discussions and big emotions.

• The group needs to generate and prioritize a large number of ideas quickly.

• Some group members need more time to think than others.

• You need to make collaborative and inclusive decisions.

• Some members of the group are new to the team.

While these are not the only situations in which NGT may be useful, it’s always a good idea to know when you can use the technique to the group’s advantage.

The NGT process typically involves several key stages:

State the group’s objective

First, the facilitator states the issue or question that requires resolution. Ensure that each member of the team has a clear understanding of the objective and is aware of the context of the decision they are making together.

Brainstorming

Each individual generates ideas independently and writes them down. This initial phase is done silently to prevent any influence from more vocal participants.

The goal here is to generate as many ideas as possible. This stage can take as little as five minutes for some groups.

Group members may wonder how long their written ideas need to be. Generally, the NGT encourages participants to write down brief ideas and concepts. One brief statement is all that’s necessary, as the group will discuss the ideas later.

The participants then take turns stating one of their ideas from the brainstorming stage. The session takes place as a round-robin, with people presenting ideas one after the other and the facilitator writing them down. Nobody discusses the ideas or asks clarifying questions at this time. The facilitator notes each of the ideas until every group member has exhausted their list.

It’s not a problem if group members present several similar ideas. In this case, facilitators can tell them not to repeat ideas unless one of them offers some variation of a former option. This may be beneficial for developing hybrid ideas.

Discussion

The group comes together to discuss the top ideas, which allows for clarification and evaluation. This is also where the team can combine similar ideas. The goal is to refine the list and ensure everyone understands the proposed solutions.

One helpful aspect of the discussion stage is that any group member can chime in to clarify points, even if the original idea didn’t belong to them. This helps encourage collaboration and adds some new perspectives.

Voting

Once the group collects the ideas, participants prioritize them. They participate in a voting process where each person chooses what they believe are the top options. Ideas with more votes move forward in the discussion.

The voting stage has several variations you can put into action. For example, you might assign each group member a certain number of points. Group members can assign points to several ideas, and the ideas with the most assigned points are those that forward in the process.

You can also eliminate options with each voting session.

Consensus

Finally, the group works toward reaching a consensus on the best ideas or solutions. This process involves additional discussion and voting until the group is in agreement.

The NGT is often conducive to creating hybrid solutions, so bear this in mind. The group may find that several ideas combine well. In this case, they may arrive at a consensus quickly.

While the NGT has many advantages, it’s not without its challenges.

• The technique is time-consuming: the process can take up a lot of time, especially with larger groups.

• It limits interaction: the initial brainstorming phase is silent, which may limit spontaneous idea generation that occurs through interactive discussion.

• Challenges with implementation: the facilitator’s approach to the group is a crucial component in the session’s success. For example, the facilitator needs to be well-prepared.

• Works best for single-topic meetings: if you need to discuss several important topics, the NGT may not be the best approach to finding solutions. These sessions are ideal for solving one specific problem at a time.

• Potential lack of resolution: NGT isn’t intended to resolve disagreements—the goal is to clarify points of view. Additionally, the discussion stage is quite short compared to other problem-solving techniques, meaning some participants may feel less satisfied.

• Works better for smaller groups: you may find the NGT works better with groups of nine people or fewer. You might not find it so efficient in a larger group. In this case, try breaking the group into smaller teams for this session.

Despite these disadvantages, the nominal group technique remains a powerful tool for collaborative decision-making, ensuring that all voices are heard and considered.

Implementing the NGT effectively requires careful planning and facilitation. These tips will ensure you get the most out of this brainstorming method:

Define clear objectives

Before starting an NGT session, clearly define the problem or question you want to address. This helps participants stay focused and ensures the ideas generated are relevant to the topic.

Visual aids such as whiteboards, flip charts, or digital displays can help organize and present ideas clearly. During the voting and discussion phases, visual representations can make it easier to track and prioritize ideas.

Prepare participants

Inform participants about the NGT process in advance. Explain the steps involved and the purpose of each stage. This preparation helps everyone understand what to expect and how they can contribute in the best way.

Create a comfortable environment

Ensure that the meeting environment is comfortable and conducive to open communication. Arrange seating in a way that promotes visibility and interaction among participants. A relaxed atmosphere encourages more honest and creative contributions.

To further reduce the influence of dominant personalities and potential discomfort, consider using anonymous idea-generation tools. You can do this with written submissions or digital platforms where participants submit their ideas without revealing their identities.

Facilitate impartially

As a facilitator, your role is to guide the process without influencing the content. Encourage equal participation by giving everyone a chance to share their ideas without interruption. Stay neutral and refrain from expressing your own opinions during the session.

Follow up on decisions

After the team has reached a consensus, follow up on the decisions they made. Document the outcomes and create a plan of action to implement the solutions. Regularly review progress and make adjustments as needed.

The nominal group technique is a powerful tool for ensuring balanced participation and arriving at well-considered decisions. Importantly, it encourages input from all members, which enables you to mitigate the risk of dominant voices overshadowing quieter participants. This means you can harness your team’s collective brain power and surface a wider array of ideas and perspectives.