Table 3 Strengths and challenges of the real-time Delphi

• ‘Round-less’

• Anonymity, controlled feedback and group response preserved

• High efficiency; shorter timeframe required to perform analysis

• Immediate calculation and distribution of participant’s responses

• Asynchronous participation [42]

• Applicability to a wide range of health-related time-sensitive issues

• Web-based software; participant materials can be easily shared via hyperlinks embedded into survey

• Automation; reduced administration intervention required

• Participants can interact and revise their response as often as they want; increased cognitive examination

• Participants can immediately interact with each other’s responses

• Analysis of quantitative (rating) and qualitative (justification) strengthens participant’s ability to recapture their own point of view, and increases validity of the consensus [43]

• Potential to invite large numbers of participants across a wide geographical area

• Requires specially designed software

• Internet connection required to access real-time Delphi software platform if web-based

• Cost may increase e.g. support to configure survey, duration of hosting survey, number of participants enrolled

• Configuring survey can be complicated

• System navigation may be difficult for those unfamiliar with the software platform