DotVoting

Dot voting, often referred to as dot voting or dotmocracy, is a facilitation technique used to surface group preferences and prioritize options in a transparent, democratic process. The method is simple and low-cost, making it popular in workshops, agile planning, design sprints, and community deliberations.

To run a dot vote, a facilitator presents a set of options. Each participant receives a fixed number of votes, or dots, which they can distribute among options as they wish, including placing multiple dots on a single option. Dots can be colored or uncolored and may be placed publicly on a board or digitally in an online tool. After voting, options are ranked by total dots; the highest-scoring options are typically carried forward. Some configurations include threshold rules, tie-breakers, or a subsequent discussion.

Variants and tools: Physical dot voting uses stickers or sticky dots; digital tools simulate the same process with draggable dots or click-to-vote. Some implementations allow private voting; others make votes public to reveal preferences and spark conversation.

Applications: prioritizing product features, selecting project ideas, allocating resources, or guiding policy or design decisions. It is used to accelerate decision-making and surface the group's preferences quickly.

Strengths and limitations: Strengths include speed, inclusivity, and transparency. Limitations include potential bias toward popular ideas, limited expression of intensity beyond the number of votes, and the risk of premature consensus if not complemented by discussion. It is not a substitute for careful analysis or stakeholder equity considerations.

Best practices: define a clear vote limit, ensure information about options is complete, combine with discussion or criteria, consider separate rounds for different dimensions, and use skilled facilitation to manage participation.