Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) Certification Practice Exam

Which brainstorming tool is more restrictive than the other listed method?

1. A. Focus groups; employee surveys

2. B. Nominal groups; the Delphi technique

3. C. Employee surveys; focus groups

4. D. Mind-maps; the Medici approach

The correct answer is: B. Nominal groups; the Delphi technique

The nominal group technique is viewed as more restrictive compared to the Delphi technique for several reasons. In the nominal group technique, participants initially generate ideas independently and then present them in a round-robin style, often limiting the discussion to the ideas presented during that specific session. This structure can constrain creativity because it narrows the scope of exploration to a predefined set of ideas and does not encourage continuous dialogue or back-and-forth discussion among participants. On the other hand, the Delphi technique is characterized by its iterative process involving multiple rounds of anonymous feedback from experts. This method allows for open-ended exploration of ideas without any direct pressure during discussions, fostering a broader range of creative solutions and refinements. The anonymity in the Delphi process encourages participants to express unique ideas freely, leading to more diverse outcomes. Given this context, the nominal group technique's structured approach indeed serves as a more restrictive brainstorming tool compared to the more flexible and expansive Delphi technique.