The Delphi Method: What You Should Know. Part1
This is the first of 3 postings on the so-called "Delphi Method". Every person who is not an "insider," "good 'ole boy" or direct beneficiary of the local town & school goverment that serves on a committee should study this process. To not familiarize yourself with this tactic of the spenders is to leave yourself easy prey for their siren song...
The Delphi Technique
How to achieve a workable consensus within time limitsThe Delphi Technique was originally conceived as a way to obtain the opinion of experts without necessarily bringing them together face to face..In Educating for the New World Order by Bev Eakman, the reader finds reference upon reference for the need to preserve the illusion that there is "Lay, or community, participation in the decision-making process), while in fact lay citizens are being squeezed out.".A specialized use of this technique was developed for teachers, the "Alinsky-Method" (ibid, p. 123). The setting or group is, however, immaterial the point is that people in groups tend to share a certain knowledge base and display certain identifiable characteristics (known as group dynamics)..This allows for a special application of a basic technique. The "change agent" or "facilitator" goes through the motions of acting as an organizer, getting each person in the target group to elicit expression of their concerns about a program, project, or policy in question..The facilitator listens attentively, forms "task forces," "urges everyone to make lists," and so on. While she is doing this, the facilitator learns something about each member of the target group. He/she identifies the "leaders," the "loud mouths," as well as those who frequently turn sides during the argument -the "weak or non-committal.".
Suddenly, the amiable facilitator becomes "devil's advocate." He/she dons his professional agitator hat. Using the "divide and conquer" technique, he/she manipulates one group opinion against the other..This is accomplished by manipulating those who are out of step to appear "ridiculous, unknowledgeable, inarticulate, or dogmatic." He/she wants certain members of the group to become angry, thereby forcing tensions to accelerate.The facilitator is well trained in psychological manipulation. S/He is able to predict the reactions of each group member. Individuals in opposition to the policy or program will be shut out of the group..The method works. It is very effective with parents, teachers, school children, and any community group. The "targets" rarely, if ever, know that they are being manipulated. If they do suspect this is happening, they do not know how to end the process. The desired result is for group polarization, and for the facilitator to become accepted as a member of the group and group process. He/she will then throw the desired idea on the table and ask for opinions during discussion. Very soon his/her associates from the divided group begin to adopt the idea as if it were their own, and pressure the entire group to accept the proposition..This technique is a very unethical method of achieving consensus on a controversial topic in group settings. It requires well-trained professionals who deliberately escalate tension among group members, pitting one faction against the other, so as to make one viewpoint appear ridiculous so the other becomes "sensible" whether such is warranted or not.
I have long maintained that there are several players here in Gilford practiced in the art of the Delphi... Stay tuned for parts 2 & 3.
Comments
Sort of like a Luntz focus group. LOL
Posted by: NH | September 24, 2007 09:50 PM