A great deal can be learned about nominal groups by running one—or, at least, participating in one—yourself. Doing so will not only help illustrate the procedure, but demonstrate how effectively it works as well.

Figure 10.17

Questions for Discussion

1. Collectively, how did the group answer the question? Do you believe that this answer accurately reflected the feelings of the group?
2. How did the various groups’ answers compare? Were they similar or different? Why?
3. What were the major problems, if any, associated with the nominal group experience? For example, were there any group members who were reluctant to wait their turns before speaking up?
4. How do you think your group experiences would have differed had you used a totally unstructured, traditional face-to-face group instead of a nominal group?

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Directions 1. Select a topic suitable for discussion in a nominal group composed of students in your class. It should be a topic that is narrowly defined and on which people have many different opinions (these work best in nominal groups). Some possible examples include the following: What should your school's student leaders be doing for you? What can be done to improve the quality of instruction in your institution? What can be done to improve the quality of jobs your school's students receive when graduating? 2. Divide the class into groups of approximately 10 students. Arrange each group in a circle, or around a table, if possible. In each group, select one person to serve as the group facilitator.