Nominal Versus Interacting Group Processes for Committee Decision-Making Effectiveness.

Key Points

• To evaluate and synthesize research on the relative effectiveness of interacting group discussions versus nominal group processes in committee decision-making and problem-solving.
• Conducted a systematic literature review analyzing experimental and observational studies on group decision-making processes.
• Assessed performance differences between spontaneous interactive group discussions and structured nominal processes characterized by individual, silent effort in a group setting.
• Nominal group processes consistently generate a greater volume of unique problem-solving dimensions and higher-quality ideas than interacting groups.
• Interacting groups frequently experience social inhibitions, dominance by vocal participants, and premature evaluation that reduce overall decision effectiveness.