Dot Voting

Copione di facilitazione

1. 1

   Display all options on a board or wall and walk through each briefly so every participant knows what they mean.

   3 min
2. 2

   Hand out the dots — a good default is votes equal to roughly one third of the number of options — and state the stacking rule explicitly.

   2 min
3. 3

   Invite everyone to vote at the same time. Simultaneous voting reduces anchoring on early votes.

   5 min
4. 4

   Count the dots together, rank the options, and mark the cut-off line for what moves forward.

   3 min
5. 5

   Sanity-check the result with the group: ask whether anything critical fell below the line and capture objections before closing.

   5 min

Suggerimenti

• Decide upfront whether participants can stack all their dots on one option — allowing it creates stronger signal but can be gamed.

• For sensitive topics, run a 'blind vote' where everyone places dots simultaneously.

Errori comuni

• Announcing the stacking rule after voting has started — changing rules mid-vote invalidates early votes and frustrates the room

• Letting participants vote one after another instead of simultaneously, which anchors later voters on earlier dots

• Treating the dot count as the final decision rather than a prioritisation signal that still needs a feasibility check

• Using dot voting on two or three options — it adds ceremony without adding information

Variazioni

Use coloured dots to distinguish votes by role or seniority. Run 'reverse dot voting' — give everyone red dots to mark options they strongly oppose. Dotmocracy can be adapted for remote voting using digital platforms that allow for similar dot-based selection.

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