to focus on the issue at hand

[me78]

Hi, just one more question:
The Delphi method helps the participants to focus on the issue at hand.
What does this mean, to get information from the experts

thanks

[BobK]

Originally Posted by me78

Hi, just one more question:
The Delphi method helps the participants to focus on the issue at hand.
What does this mean, to get information from the experts

thanks

Aha - yet another Parts of the Body idiom. The issue 'at hand' is the issue uppermost in the minds of all the relevant people. For example, at a business meeting the 'issue at hand' would be fairly high on the agenda. Don't confuse 'at hand' with the idiomatic usage 'to hand' - within easy reach: "I think I'm free at that time, but I don't have my diary to hand".

(I wonder whether I thought of that example because I was wondering whether I should have used 'agenda' in my first example. This is a false friend: 'agenda' doesn't mean 'diary'; 'an agenda' is a list of things to be discussed. The word 'agenda' is also used figuratively to mean 'something that can be discussed': "Don't mention our previous relationship: that's just not on the agenda".)

b

[me78]

and my sentence means that they discuss more than usual at this meeting, I don't understand what you mean, could you try to explain it easier

[Philly]

Hi me78
.
The Delphi Method helps people remain focused on the topic that is currently under discussion (and therefore it also helps people avoid "getting sidetracked" and discussing things that are irrelevant, unimportant, etc.).
.
Here are two dictionary links for you:

at hand:
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionar...ary&va=at+hand

sidetracked:
http://dictionary.reference.com/sear...detracked&r=66

[me78]

I've got it, sorry , I 've post already something that I erase it because I found my fault,
ok, this method helps people to concetrate on important and relevant topics and to be always on the actual level of knowledge or something like that

[Philly]

Hi me78
.
If you have a meeting because a specific problem needs to be solved, then that is what should be discussed. Solving the problem is the "issue at hand" and/or "the topic under discussion".
.
Things that are not directly related to solving the problem should not be discussed.
.

[me78]

ok, thanks, it was very helpful, thanks to philly and bobK