Dotmocracy / Dot Voting
Dot Voting is a simple, visual prioritization technique where participants allocate a limited number of 'dots' to vote for their preferred options. It quickly surfaces collective priorities from a list of ideas or proposals.
Use Dot Voting when you need to quickly narrow down a list of options, identify popular choices, or gain a sense of the group's priorities in a democratic and engaging way.
Solves: Difficulty reaching consensus on a large number of ideas; lack of clear prioritization.
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Step 1: Present all ideas clearly, one per sticky note or slide. (5 minutes)
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Step 2: Allow participants to ask clarifying questions about each idea. (5 minutes)
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Step 3: Distribute a set number of dots (e.g., 3-5) to each participant. (1 minute)
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Step 4: Instruct participants to place their dots next to the ideas they support; they can distribute them as they wish. (5 minutes)
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Step 5: Count the dots for each idea and rank them accordingly.
- Clearly explain the voting rules before starting.
- Encourage participants to spread their votes or concentrate them as they see fit.
- If there's a tie, consider a brief discussion or a second round of voting.
- Weighted Dot Voting: Assign different values to different colored dots.
- Silent Dot Voting: No discussion allowed during the voting process.
- Limited Dot Voting: Participants can only vote for a certain number of ideas.