What is true about nominal group planning as used to analyze community data?

• A. In nominal group planning, participants generate ideas independently and then share with the group.
• B. Ideas are generated only by the facilitator.
• C. It relies on open debates with no structured steps.
• D. Rankings are ignored.

Answer: (A)

Nominal group planning uses a structured, inclusive process to gather community ideas. Participants generate ideas independently, often in writing, which helps prevent one person from steering the discussion. After that quiet generation, ideas are shared with the group in turn so everyone sees all contributions. The group then discusses the ideas for clarity and evaluation, but the discussion stays organized and focused. Finally, participants rank or vote on the ideas to establish priorities. This blend of independent idea generation, equal sharing, structured discussion, and ranking is what makes this method effective for analyzing community data. The other descriptions—ideas generated only by the facilitator, open debates with no structure, or ignoring rankings—don’t fit how nominal group planning actually works.