A scoping review of applying the Delphi method based on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted conducting research pandemic impacted conducting research

Abstract

South Africa and the world had been adversely affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. It became nearly impossible to host face-to-face interviews for data collection as meeting in person increased the risk of infections. It was difficult to gain direct access to conduct research, as companies, schools, and researchers resorted to working virtually. Therefore, the Delphi method was crucial to ensure continuity and progress in the academic world. It is not concerned with demographics and allows the study's outcome to be validated and verified with expert reviews, making it a more suitable method during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study is to provide evidence of the use of the Delphi method to add value to research and replace face-to-face interviews based on the impact and restriction of COVID-19 pandemic. The study conducted a scoping review to identify articles that used the Delphi method to reach a consensus due to the COVID-19 restrictions and unavailability of face-to-face interviews with participants. The articles were identified in the Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore databases as well as Google search engines. Only five articles out of 89449 publications were found appropriate for the purpose of this paper.