Skip links and keyboard navigation

Dot voting

Prep time:
10 mins
Run time:
20 – 45 mins
People:
2-12 (incl. 1 facilitator)
Contributed by:
Digital Service Design Office, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
Stages:
DiscoveryAlphaBetaLive

Dot voting is an activity that allows participants to prioritise and make choices as a group from a range of options using dots or stickers. Options with a greater number of votes at the end of the session are considered a higher priority than the ones with fewer dots. Dot voting is considered more impartial, less prone to bias and more private than some other methods, such as a show of hands.

This activity can be conducted online using virtual tools such as Miro or Microsoft Whiteboard, or in person with physical dot (or other shapes) stickers.

As a decision-making tool, dot voting is often used towards the end of another process, such as a brainstorming session.

It can be used to help identify:

  • ideas to explore further
  • features to add, remove or adapt
  • pain points to address first
  • options to choose topics to discuss

Tip

This play can be added to many of the other activities in this playbook

View larger image Dot Voting Miro Board
Dot Voting Miro Board

Outcomes

  • Rank items in order of priority
  • Make a selection or multiple selections from options
  • Encourages ownership of the process and outcomes
  • Provides participants a voice in the decision-making process

The stages

The four stages of the Service design and delivery process are Discovery, Alpha, Beta, and Live.

The four stages of the Service design and delivery process are Discovery, Alpha, Beta, and Live.

The stages of the design and delivery process

Share your feedback

Take our short feedback survey and tell us what you thought of this play, or report an issue.

This playbook is a beta product, your feedback helps us improve it for everyone.

Contact us

If you need advice, mentoring, or guidance on how to use the playbook, or you’d like to contribute to the playbook, you can contact us.