Note and vote: dot voting in 15 minutes

Note and vote is a micro-workshop you can drop into any meeting: everyone writes ideas alone, then everyone votes with dots, in silence, and you discuss only what got the most votes. AJ&Smart, the design sprint agency, use it constantly, and teach it as the first thing a new facilitator should run, because it's hard to get wrong.

In 15 minutes it does what an hour of open brainstorming often doesn't: every person contributes, the loudest idea doesn't win by default, and you leave with a ranked list.

How to run it

AJ&Smart call the first step working together alone: everyone is in the same room or call, but thinking on their own, so nobody biases anyone else.

The rules to say out loud

• One idea per note. Short but understandable: not an essay, not a single vague word.
• Use a thick marker in a room. It forces people to be brief and makes notes readable from across the room.
• Three dots each. You can vote for your own idea. You can put more than one dot on an idea you feel strongly about, but then you have fewer for the rest.
• No discussion while voting. Questions and lobbying come after.

What to say

• Opening: "Instead of brainstorming out loud, we'll do this in two quiet steps. First, five minutes to write your ideas alone. Then we each vote. It'll take about 15 minutes, and we'll come out with a list we can work from."
• Before the timer: "Before I start the clock, try writing one note so I know nobody's stuck."
• Before voting: "We can't discuss all of these in the time we have, so let's prioritize first. Three dots each. Read everything, then vote."
• After: "Here's our list. Let's start with the one at the top."

Online

Use a whiteboard tool (Miro, FigJam, Mural) with a column of empty notes under each person's name and a set of dots beside each name. Two things make it smooth on a call:

1. Let everyone test the tool before the timer starts: double-click a note and type, or drag a dot. It saves five minutes of "I can't find it" later.
2. Play quiet music during the writing and voting, and keep the timer visible.

Common mistakes

• Discussing every note before voting. That's the two-hour brainstorm you were trying to avoid.
• Leaving names on the notes. People vote for the boss's idea.
• Too many dots. With more than five, people stop choosing.
• Treating the vote as the final decision on something big. Dot voting ranks ideas; for a commitment, check agreement with fist to five.

Run it with Claryoo

If you don't want a whiteboard, run the vote as a live poll that allows several answers: list the ideas as options, and people type their picks in the meeting chat ("a, c, f") or tap them on their phone in a room. Make it anonymous so nobody votes with the boss. The ranked results appear as votes arrive, and they're in your summary afterwards.

More to watch

• How To Facilitate Your First Workshop, AJ&Smart (21 min): note and vote step by step, with the full script and a remote walkthrough.
• Become A Better Workshop Facilitator In 8 Minutes, AJ&Smart (10 min): how to end a workshop so people remember it.
• Need more ideas before you vote? Start with brainwriting.