greensmg: Using Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to solve problems in a school workplace

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Using Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to solve problems in a school workplace

Using Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to solve problems in a school workplace is highly effective for fostering structured, inclusive decision-making among staff members. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply NGT in a school setting to address workplace issues such as communication gaps, workload distribution, teaching strategy alignment, or school policy challenges.

✅ Step-by-Step Guide: Using NGT to Solve Problems in a School Workplace

1. Identify the Problem Area

Choose a specific issue the school staff wants to address. Examples:

Uneven workload among teachers
Student discipline inconsistency
Need for better collaboration between grade levels
Low student engagement or achievement
Improving communication between staff and leadership

2. Prepare the Group

Gather a small, diverse group of 6–10 participants (e.g., teachers, school leaders, counselors).
Appoint a trained facilitator (can be a senior teacher, principal, or external consultant).
Ensure a quiet, neutral space free of hierarchy or distraction.

3. Present the Problem

The facilitator clearly explains the issue to the group in a neutral tone, without suggesting solutions. Example:

“What are the main factors causing student disengagement in class?”

4. Silent Idea Generation

Each participant writes down their ideas independently and silently, without discussion. This ensures:

Equal opportunity to contribute
Protection from peer pressure or dominant voices

⏱ Time: 10–15 minutes

5. Round-Robin Sharing of Ideas

Each participant shares one idea at a time (in turns) while the facilitator writes them down where everyone can see (e.g., whiteboard or screen).
No discussion or judgment is allowed at this stage.
Continue until all ideas are shared.

6. Clarify and Discuss Ideas

The facilitator leads a brief discussion to clarify ideas, combine similar ones, or explain unclear points.
Still no evaluation—this is just for understanding.

7. Voting and Prioritizing

Each participant privately ranks or votes on the ideas (e.g., top 3 ideas or assigning points).
The facilitator tallies the results and presents a ranked list of priorities or solutions.

8. Discuss the Results and Plan Action

Now the group discusses the top-ranked ideas and decides on:
- Feasibility
- Immediate actions
- Who will be responsible
- Timeline for implementation

💡 Example Use Cases in Schools

Problem	NGT Application
Inconsistent homework policy	Teachers generate ideas for a common standard and prioritize them
Low parent engagement	Staff brainstorm outreach strategies and select the best three
Poor inter-grade collaboration	Identify barriers and solutions through group input
Bullying issues	Teachers and counselors generate interventions to address root causes