Delphi developer community

Already in 1990s, some developers of the Delphi method started to use the Delphi method in a new way. In Finland, futurists Hannu Linturi – the key person behind the eDelfoi software – Osmo Kuusi and Jari Kaivo-oja met in 1996. They discussed about the possibility to use the World Wide Web in Delphi processes so that changes of judgments and commenting happen not between rounds but on line anonymously during the same rounds. In 1998, a software called Professional Delphi Scan was taken in the use. In 2008, in use is already the third generation of the software, now called eDelfoi (http://www.edelfoi.fi/en ).

About 300 exercises have been made using the different versions of the software and about 30 Finnish organizations have licensed it, including the Finnish Futures Research Centre. Finnish language is used in most applications of the software and the applications have been poorly reported on international level. An international pilot study using the Professional Delphi Scan was made already 1998. The study concerned the future of education and panelists were from Finland and from the United Kingdom. An early study, which is comparatively extensively reported also on the international level concerned the features of futures related weak signals. You can find more information about the eDelfoi from the page http://www.edelfoi.fi/ .

Jari Kaivo-oja

Research Director
Finland Futures Research Centre

The developer of original eDelfoi Concept (Professional Delphi Scan) with Osmo Kuusi and Hannu Linturi. 

Fields of expertise

• The use of futures research methods in regional and social policy (Futures oriented planning in public sector)
• Futures research methods and methodology (especially the Use of scenario techniques, Futures barometers, Delphi method, Survey research, Futures workshops, Trend analysis, Expert models and Wild-card method)
• Future of work and education (especially Development dynamics in labour market)
• Sustainable development, Climate policy and long-term development of energy economics in Finland and Europe
• The use of trend analysis in private and public sector planning
• Development of data banks (indicator and barometer libraries)

Osmo Kuusi

osmokuusi.htm

The developer of original eDelfoi Concept (Professional Delphi Scan) with Jari Kaivo-oja and Hannu Linturi. 

Osmo Kuusi is the founder of The Argumentative Delphi Method. He approaches the Delfoi method through its three essential aspects, which are anonymity, iteration of arguments, and feedback. In Delphi method, experts of different branches gathered by the manager, argument about a prespecified subject. The aim is not to find a consensus. Nowadays there are many different versions about the method, all of which Kuusi calls as scenario methods.

• Futures research methods and methodology
• Delphi method
• Futures barometers
• Expert models and Wild-card method

Hannu Linturi

Director, Metodix, Internetix Campus, Otavan Opisto

The developer of original eDelfoi Concept (Professional Delphi Scan) with Osmo Kuusi and Jari Kaivo-oja. Linturi has transformed since 1996 the method to the internet and networks. Nowadays he is studying how delphi technique is supporting differnet kind of collaboration including the ways how and under which circumstances a group of reflective minds was better than one. More participative models to manager the delphi process are

• Futures research methods and methodology
• Futures barometers
• Delphi method
• Wild-card method
• Future of education

Esa A. Luukkainen

independent researcher, University of Joensuu, Apollo

 

The developer of participative and largely communicative delphi processes.

Yrjö Myllylä

Manager, YTT, Oy Aluekehitys RD

The developer of

Juha Nurmela

 Research director, Statistics Finland

 

Anita Rubin

Senior Researcher
Finland Futures Research Centre

Fields of expertise

• The use of futures research methods and approaches especially in the field of futures education
• Futures awareness: The bases of futures research, Futures education, Futures images of the young people and phenomenon of transient period
• Sociological futures research
• Futures workshops

Petri Tapio

Senior Researcher
Finland Futures Research Centre

 

 Fields of expertise

• Theoretical foundations of futures research and environmental protection
• Scenario methods
• Delphi method
• Futures workshops
• Environmental education
• Environmental policy, especially climate policy
• Transport and energy issues

Marja-Liisa Viherä

Chair, The Finnish Society for Futures Studies

 

The Finnish Society for Futures studies was established in 1980 on the recommendation of the government's Central Board of Research Councils. Fourteen Finnish institutions of higher education were the founding members, and 14 additional institutions and over 700 individuals have since joined the society. Dr. Viherä has analysed citizens' communication skills and expectations and demands made on these skills from the perspective of civil society.

© eDelfoi, Futunet, Internetix Campus & Metodix 2009