A company is gathering data directly from consumers to make predictions about future demand for a product. Which model of forecasting is being used?

The simple moving average is a quantitative forecasting technique that calculates the average demand over a specific number of past periods to predict future demand. While useful for identifying trends, this method does not involve direct consumer input, making it less applicable for scenarios where current consumer sentiment is crucial.

The Delphi technique is a structured communication method that relies on a panel of experts who provide forecasts based on their insights. Although it can yield valuable predictions, it does not involve direct consumer feedback, which is essential for understanding real-time consumer demand.

Exponential smoothing is a forecasting method that gives more weight to recent observations in data to predict future values. Similar to the moving average, it relies on historical data rather than direct consumer interactions, making it unsuitable for capturing current consumer sentiment and preferences.