The Dot Voting method
A dot voting system is a simple way for a group to make decisions democratically.
PURPOSE:
Dot voting is a simple yet affective technique to collaboratively prioritize a set of ideas, items, or actions. It is best used when a team needs to narrow down options, prioritize ideas, or figure out the most popular or favorable choice(s). It is a very easy and simple method to set up, low cost, engaging for participants, and provides a visible result.
DESIGN PHASE:
Vision and goals
Site exploration
Program development
Co-design
Design evaluation
Implementation
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Your choice of medium (sticky notes, notecards, whiteboard etc...)
Sticker dots
Can also be done digitally using a platform or tool
ONLINE PLATFORMS:
Use the following links for free platforms for digital voting:
PREFERRED FORMAT:
It is simple, quick, and a perfect method when a consensus is needed quickly amongst team members. It is best used with a group of 3+ members. It can also be done in an online meeting using digital platforms or tools. Dot voting is typically a fast process that usually only takes approximately 15 mins.
SUGGESTIONS:
One thing to avoid when dot voting is the “bandwagon effect”. As the dots as placed, other members of the group who have not placed theirs yet may be biased by the votes already placed. Participants need to make sure to think for themselves and not be pressed or persuaded by the existing dots.
Various modifications can be made to the technique. For example, you can use different colored stickers to represent different values such as negative or positive.
Dot voting ensures every voice is heard and taken into account in the decision-making process. It is an excellent method when a team needs to narrow down options, prioritize ideas, or figure out the most popular or favorable choice(s). In almost any situation, dot voting can be used to get a group to form a collective consensus, but it is particularly useful early in the design process. It allows you to narrow down potential big ideas a team may envision for a space. It is also useful later in the design process to make final decisions on smaller details such as plant selection or materials. Not only is it great for a design team to finalize ideas, but it is also a great tool to quickly get feedback from the community or client. Participants can gain a better understanding of how the final choice was made by physically seeing the decision process in action.
How-to
Follow these steps to begin the dot voting method:
Write each idea on a sticky note (or on a whiteboard, notecards etc...) and place it on the wall. The facilitator will review and explain the content the group will be voting on. Answer any questions the participants may have before getting started. It is important to ensure people are not confused about what they are voting for.
Give each participant a select number of sticker dots and ask them to place them next to their preferred option (a good rule of thumb is each person gets a number of dots equal to 25% of the total options). Give everyone enough time to revise each option and place their sticker wisely. The voting process should be silent, save the discussion for later.
Once everyone has placed their sticker dots, take a step back and review the board. Prompt the group to look at how the dots were distributed and tally the results to which were the most favored. Feel free to open up discussion now.
Depending on the goal of the vote, you may need to repeat this process. For example, if you used the first voting session to narrow down a long list of options, you may hold a second session to determine the number one option.
Example
BIGGER VISION Case Example
In fall of 2022, a group of students from the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia took on a landscape re-design project for Bigger Vision. Bigger Vision is a local homeless shelter in Athens, GA that has a desire to beautify their property and remodel their outdoor space so that guests will feel more comfortable and safer while staying at the facility. In order to understand the needs of the people we are serving, our team came up with multiple outreach activities, one of those including the dot voting method.
During the early stages of the design process, our team wanted to know what landscape elements were the most important to the community. We made a poster including images of outdoor programs such as patio seating, enhanced planting, shade structures, additional benches, murals, and a message board. During an informal meeting, we placed our posters on the wall and encouraged those who were interested to place 3 sticker dots next to the elements they deemed the most important.
Dot voting was a quick and effective method because we learned what the most important landscape elements were to the community in a short amount of time. This made our design process easier because we knew exactly what the community envisioned for the space. Participants expressed appreciation that we valued their opinion and their voices felt heard.
Lessons Learned
The other engagement activity used for Bigger Vision was a short survey, which we noticed people were less interested in. This proves that the dot activity was more engaging and simpler to the community.
Despite the dot method being very simple and quick, some community members chose not to participate. As designers, we have to accept that some people may not be interested and this is not a reflection of your hard work.
Overall, the dot method is best to narrow down options and prioritize ideas but there is no explanation for why a particular option was chosen. Use other methods if you desire more detailed explanations.
