Nominal Group Technique is a structured facilitation method that lets teams generate ideas independently, share them evenly, and prioritize them fairly.
Definition
Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a structured group method for idea generation and prioritization. Participants first generate ideas silently, then share round-robin, clarify the list, and vote or rank priorities.
NGT reduces domination by loud voices and helps teams get broader input than unstructured brainstorming.
History
NGT developed in organizational planning and group decision-making practice. Quality and improvement teams adopted it because cross-functional problem solving needs balanced participation and transparent prioritization.
When to Use
Use NGT when a team needs many ideas, fair participation, or quick prioritization. It is useful for root cause lists, improvement ideas, risk identification, customer needs, and project selection.
Step-by-Step
- State the question clearly.
- Have participants write ideas silently.
- Collect ideas round-robin without debate.
- Clarify and consolidate duplicates.
- Vote or rank ideas independently.
- Discuss the highest priorities.
- Confirm next actions and owners.
Examples
- Kaizen: Team ranks improvement ideas after process observation.
- RCA: Cross-functional group prioritizes possible causes.
- Training: Participants identify barriers to transfer.
Common Pitfalls
- Starting with an unclear question.
- Allowing debate during idea collection.
- Combining ideas too aggressively.
- Voting before clarifying meaning.
- No link to evidence or follow-up.
- Letting hierarchy influence votes.