• Overview
• Step 1: Gather multiple ideas
• Step 2: Vote on ideas
• Step 3: Prioritize and narrow down
• Additional Resources

Overview

This is a 15-30 minute activity you can use in any meeting or group. Get a clear decision fast, while making sure everyone’s voice is heard.

Use this to guide a group of any size through these 3 simple steps:

1. Gather everyone’s ideas and opinions
2. Vote on the ideas
3. Prioritise and narrow down

Step 1: Gather multiple ideas

Introduce the topic and the specific challenge you are trying to solve, and write it on the board so people can always see it.

• Explain: “In 5 mins write as many ideas as you can (1 per sticky)”
• Set a timer for 5 mins
• Everyone writes ideas and suggestions in silence

Step 2: Vote on ideas

Participants get 3 votes each, and they place them on solutions they think would be most likely to solve the challenge.

Don’t eliminate ideas that seem unfeasible - big ideas can be tackled incrementally.

• Explain: “You get 3 votes each, don’t feel limited by feasibility”
• Set a timer for 5 mins
• Each person places their 3 votes on the stickies
• They can put more than one vote on a sticky if they want
• They are allowed to vote on their own stickies!

Step 3: Prioritize and narrow down

• Re-arrange the stickies in order of votes (most votes at the top)
• Option 1: Top votes wins (easiest way forward)
• Option 2: Multiple solutions
• If you have the capacity to take action on more than one solution you can choose the top 2 or 3 ideas
• Option 3: Use a Decider to make the final call
• (see Using a Decider for more info)

Additional Resources

• Using a Decider
• Intro to digital collaboration
• Facilitation 101

• Mural (digital collaboration whiteboard)

• Windward & Lee
• Vision Setting