Dot Voting
Dot Voting is a collaborative prioritization and decision-making technique used in agile and design thinking processes. Participants are given a limited number of adhesive dots or virtual markers to place on options, ideas, or features displayed on a board, with each dot representing a vote. The method quickly surfaces consensus by visually aggregating preferences, making it effective for ranking items or selecting top choices in group settings.
Developers should use Dot Voting during sprint planning, backlog grooming, or design workshops to democratically prioritize tasks, features, or solutions when team input is needed. It is particularly valuable in agile environments for reducing bias, fostering engagement, and efficiently narrowing down options from brainstorming sessions, such as when selecting user stories or technical approaches.