Nominal Group Technique
The Nominal Group Technique is a structured method perfect for Climate Resilience Groups to collectively generate and prioritize solutions to specific environmental challenges. This process, lasting 30-45 minutes, involves participants anonymously writing their ideas, which are then shared, clarified, and consolidated publicly. This ensures that all group members can contribute equally, regardless of their speaking comfort or group dynamics. The session proceeds with participants independently ranking the ideas, culminating in the selection of the most favored solutions. This technique not only encourages wide participation and a plethora of ideas but also systematically narrows down to actionable priorities, fostering a focused and democratic approach to enhancing community resilience against climate change.
Steps:
Idea Generation: Each participant writes down their idea(s) regarding a specific problem or question related to climate resilience (e.g., strategies to enhance local community resilience against climate change).
Collection and Display: Participants submit their ideas anonymously on notecards or sheets of paper, which are then displayed on a board or wall.
Clarification and Elimination of Duplicates: The facilitator reads each idea aloud, allowing participants to ask questions for clarity and pointing out any duplicates. Duplicate ideas are combined.
Independent Ranking: Each participant independently ranks the ideas. This can be done by giving each participant a set number of "votes" they can allocate to their preferred ideas. The facilitator may choose to do this in one or two rounds to narrow down the top choices.
Decision: The idea(s) with the highest total votes are identified as the group's priority or decision.
Duration:
30-45 minutes
Group Size:
Suitable for all group sizes.
Materials/Resources Needed:
Pens or markers
Sheets of paper or notecards
A large display area (board or wall)
Accessibility Considerations:
Ensure the venue is accessible for all participants.
Provide materials that accommodate different physical abilities.
Tips/Pointers:
Encourage participants to think creatively and consider the unique aspects of climate resilience.
Be transparent about the voting process to ensure fairness.
The facilitator should manage the process actively to maintain focus and momentum.
Works well for Involving all participants equally, handling controversial topics, and generating a large number of ideas.
Adapt the number of ideas each participant can submit based on group size and available time. Consider different methods for ranking—such as dot voting, numerical ranking, or using a mobile app for larger groups.