The nominal group technique primarily aims to:

The nominal group technique is specifically designed to facilitate a structured approach to idea generation and evaluation in group settings. Its primary aim is to separate the processes of idea generation from the evaluation of those ideas. This separation allows participants to freely generate ideas without the influence of immediate criticism or debate, which can hinder creativity and participation.

In practice, during the nominal group technique, members first generate ideas individually, without discussion, which helps ensure that all voices are heard. After this initial phase, the group comes together to discuss and evaluate the ideas presented. This approach minimizes the dominance of more vocal participants and encourages quieter members to contribute. Ultimately, by separating idea generation and evaluation, the technique enhances the quality of the final decisions or solutions formulated by the group.

The other options do not accurately reflect the essence of the nominal group technique; it does not primarily focus on debate, collective discussions, or promoting a hierarchical structure in decision-making.