Delphi processes come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes you may need to validate a set of options using a qualitative scale, and some other times you may need to ask quantitative questions or even ranking ones.

Each round in Welphi is composed of several pages within which you can include your questions. Each page type can only hold some types of questions. You can include any number of questions in each page as long as they are of the respective type.

Below you can find a list of all page types and the respective questions you can have inside each one.

 

Welcome pages

 In any round you create, Welphi will automatically load a “Welcome” page as the first page of your questionnaire. This is where you can customize a message to welcome the participants and instruct them about the study taking place. This page must always be the first page in your round.   The content of this page is fully customizable and can include text and images.

 

Thank you pages

Welphi will automatically load a “Thank you” page as the last page of your questionnaire. This is where you can customize a message to thank the participants for their contributions and instruct them about future rounds. This page must always be the last page of your round. When an informed consent page is included in your round, the “Thank you” page is where they will be redirected to in case they do not consent.

 

Survey pages

Survey pages can be used in several different ways in Welphi. This is a fully customizable page that you can create from scratch to either present information (intro texts, instructions texts, section explanations, etc.) or collect information like demographics or any other information you need. You can add titles, texts, open answer questions or closed answer questions and you can add as many such blocks as you need.

Unlike the Quantitative, Qualitative and ranking questions, answers to Survey questions will not be automatically summarized and made available in following rounds. However,  you can include a survey page, with the same questions, across rounds.

Survey page example

 

Delphi Qualitative (fixed scale) pages

This page type page can be used in several different use cases having in common the need for a user-defined qualitative scale with which participants can answer a set of questions to validate a set of elements like indicators, criteria, strategies or policies.

For each element, it is possible to define custom element fields useful to classify or group the elements or just to provide additional information about each element. This information is automatically made available for all participants.

Custom element fields also enable Welphi to group the questions/elements and show them in different pages or different sections of the page automatically showing the same scale across all pages.

Additionally, it is possible to show a “comment” button which participants can use to provide further information about an element or to justify their opinion.

Delphi Qualitative (fixed scale) page example for initial round

Delphi Qualitative (fixed scale) page example for follow-up round

 

Sometimes the first round of a Delphi study has the single goal of validating a list of elements (criteria, indicators, objectives, policies, etc.) by asking participants to review it. By checking the “participants can add new indicators” box you can do just that. You start setting up an initial list of elements (or leave it empty if you want participants to provide all elements with no starting point) and, if participants think something is missing, they can use a form available on the page to add new elements. The participants will also be able to propose changes to the elements already on the list or even its removal.

If you want to collect further information about each element in this list, for example by using a qualitative scale to check the level of agreement of the importance of each element, you just have to set up a new round and then uncheck the “participants can add indicators”. Welphi will automatically copy all information resulting from this open round over to the new round.

Quantitative pages

Delphi processes typically include questions where participants’ answers come as a number. You can create this type of question, by defining the units for the response and the range within which the answer has to fall into.  Participants are able to provide their answers by typing into a box or using a numerical scale by dragging an interactive slider.

Delphi Quantitative page example for round 1

We all know that looking into data as a chart makes it a lot easier to understand and analyze so, for second and later rounds, you can add a chart automatic built with the previous round’s information. Additionally, second and later rounds can include a real time chat control where participant can exchange their points of view live. Even if a participant left the questionnaire already, he will be warned by e-mail whenever another participant quotes one of his comments.

Delphi Quantitative page example for round 2 with single question

 

Delphi Quantitative page example for round 2 with grouped questions

 

You can learn more about setting up a “Quantitative page” here

 

Ranking pages

A Ranking question is a simple type of question were participants are asked to order a set of options according to their preferences in light of the context presented. These options can be treatments, projects, scenarios, you name it! Doing this in Welphi is as simple as dragging and dropping!

 

Ranking page example for round 1

 

Just like in quantitative questions, for second and later rounds, you can add a chart automatic built with the previous round’s information. As well as a real time chat control where participant can exchange their points of view live. Even if a participant left the questionnaire already, he will be warned by e-mail whenever another participant quotes one of his comments.

Ranking page example for round 2

 

You can learn more about setting up a “Ranking page” here