Dot Voting

Collaborate and use a democratic exercise to vote on a variety of ideas. Dot voting can help us to determine which solution is beloved by our team or community.

Dot Voting

Step 1. Determine the criteria that is important for ranking your ideas. Like customer delight, adherence to deadlines, customer satisfaction, support vision etc.

Step 2. Have a team member give an explanation of their ideas or an idea. ( All ideas should be written on post it notes)

Step 3. Place the ideas (post-its) on the wall and give each participant a certain number of votes (3-5 dots). Ask participants to choose and endorse the ideas that best meet the criteria. Have members vote in private (or all at the same time), so as not to be influenced by other voters. To vote, place a dot at the bottom of the post it.

Step 4. Organize ideas with the most votes or even conduct two votes to determine the most favorable idea. Have a discussion with your team regarding the top votes and make a transparent decision on which idea the team will choose.

Dot Voting

Play your digital story. Utilize Dot Voting for evaluating and ranking ideas from brainstorming sessions. Begin by defining the criteria for ideas. Next, vote for the best ideas by placing a dot next to the idea. Cluster high-ranking ideas and evaluate then determine next steps.

Group Size: 5-10

Materials Needed: Dot Voting Pens, Markers and Post-its, Camera

Duration: 15-20 mins

Dot Voting

Collaborate as a group to rate and evaluate ideas. Dot voting can help you resolve disagreements and get a consensus as you move forward with a particular idea.

  • Make a clear decision on which ideas will be pursued.

    Collaborate as a team to make a decision on an idea.

    Make a quick decision.

    Get consensus from the team on which idea should be pursued.

  • Work in small groups of 5-10 team members. Review with your team the criteria for evaluating ideas. Have a team member read an idea, then cluster together similar ideas. Finally, vote for the most liked idea and have a discussion.

  • Step 1. Determine the criteria that is important for ranking your ideas. Like customer delight, adherence to deadlines, customer satisfaction, support vision etc.

    Step 2. Have a team member give an explanation of their ideas or an idea. ( All ideas should be written on post it notes)

    Step 3. Place the ideas (post-its) on the wall and give each participant a certain number of votes (3-5 dots). Ask participants to choose and endorse the ideas that best meet the criteria. Have members vote in private (or all at the same time), so as not to be influenced by other voters. To vote, place a dot at the bottom of the post it.

    Step 4. Organize ideas with the most votes or even conduct two votes to determine the most favorable idea. Have a discussion with your team regarding the top votes and make a transparent decision on which idea the team will choose.

  • Allow team members to present their ideas before the vote.

    Cluster together similar ideas and try to eliminate like ideas.

    Give each participant/voter 3-5 dots to use for voting.

    Request participants to make their vote private.

    Use in combination of 2x2 Matrix to future rate top ideas.

    Use different colors to distinguish votes from specific team members.

    You can also perform dot voting on a scale for example ( 0-do not implement the idea to 10-definitely implement the idea).

Dot Voting

Dot voting, also known as dotmocracy or dotmocrat, is a simple and effective method used to prioritize or make decisions in a group setting. It is a democratic and participatory process that allows individuals to express their preferences or opinions on a particular topic.

Here's how dot voting typically works:

Topic/Question: Begin by clearly stating the topic or question on which the group needs to make a decision or gather preferences.

Options: Present the different options, ideas, or proposals related to the topic. These options could be written on a whiteboard, flip chart, or displayed on a screen.

Dot Allocation: Give each participant a set number of dots or stickers (usually adhesive dots of a specific color). The number of dots given to each participant depends on the context and the desired level of engagement. For example, participants might receive three dots each.

Voting: Participants then place their dots on the options they prefer or find most valuable. They can distribute their dots among multiple options or concentrate them on a single choice.

Tallying: Once everyone has placed their dots, tally the votes for each option by counting the number of dots on each. This process helps identify the most popular or preferred options.

Discussion: After tallying the votes, it's common to engage in a discussion to explore the reasons behind participants' choices. This allows the group to gain a deeper understanding of the preferences and can lead to further refinement of the options or decisions.

Decision-making: The final decision or prioritization is typically based on the results of the dot voting. The option with the highest number of dots indicates the most popular choice. However, it's important to consider the context and any additional factors that may influence the decision-making process.

Dot voting is often used in brainstorming sessions, team meetings, workshops, or any situation where a group needs to reach a consensus or make a decision based on collective input. It encourages active participation, respects individual opinions, and provides a visual representation of the group's preferences.