Delphi statements – a structured format for discussing technology futures

Since its introduction decades ago the Delphi technique has become a popular instrument of broad application especially within science, technology and innovation policy making. The Delphi technique has also attracted a methodological interest. However, the existing literature on Delphi technique express a lack of empirical work on the issue of Delphi statements and the respondents’ understanding of the statements. The aim of this paper is to examine the existing literature on designing Delphi statements and to present a more advanced approach to the design and structure of Delphi statements. The paper concludes on some practical recommendations for designing Delphi statements. These recommendations are sought underpinned with simple test using an existing set of data. Furthermore, the paper lists some suggestions for future research on the topic.