Dot Voting

5 minutes 5 Questions

Dot Voting, also referred to as 'Multi-voting', is often used as a decision-making technique in Agile software development. However, it can also be used as an estimation technique, particularly for gauging the level of effort for large backlogs. Every team member votes on each work item by assignin…

Guide to PMI-ACP Agile Estimation Techniques: Dot Voting

Dot Voting is a widely used technique in Agile Project Management for decision making and prioritizing project tasks. It helps in making collaborative decisions, by letting every team member have an equal say.

Why it is Important:

Dot Voting is important because it encourages team participation and consensus building. It allows all team members to have their voices heard, thus creates a transparent environment. This technique also helps in making swift decisions.

What it is:

Dot Voting, often known as 'dotmocracy', is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. In Dot Voting, each participant is given a set number of dot stickers. They then distribute their dots (or 'votes') among the different options by placing their stickers. The option with the most dots at the end ‘wins’.

How it Works:

The process starts with a brainstorming session where all the possible options are written down. Each member gets the same number of dot stickers. They place their dots next to the options they feel are the most important. Once everyone has cast their votes, the votes are tallied and the option with the most dots is considered the highest priority.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Dot Voting:

When you encounter a question about dot voting in an exam, remember the following tips:
1. Understand the basic concept: You should have a clear understanding of what Dot Voting is and why it's used.
2. Know the process: Understand how dot voting actually works.
3. Application of Dot Voting: Be able to discuss specific scenarios where Dot Voting is beneficial.

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PMI-ACP - Dot Voting Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Dot Voting

Question 1

During a Dot Voting session, a team member starts to lobby for his/her idea. As a Scrum Master, what should be your approach?

Allow it as it's healthy competition Immediately halt the dot voting session Dock the member's votes for lobbying Gently remind the team about the non-bias principle in Dot Voting and ask team members to consider all views

Correct Answer: Gently remind the team about the non-bias principle in Dot Voting and ask team members to consider all views

As a Scrum Master, one of the roles is to ensure that all team decisions are made in a fair and unbiased way. During a Dot Voting session, it would be inappropriate for a team member to lobby for his/her idea as it contradicts the core principle of Dot Voting, which is equality and individual decision-making. This principle is compromised if someone tries to influence the decisions of others. Therefore, the correct approach would be to gently remind the team about the non-bias principle in Dot Voting and ask team members to consider all views. The other options are incorrect. Allowing lobbying isn't aligned with scrum values as it introduces bias and unhealthy competition. Halting the dot voting session would be too drastic a response and would hamper the team's progress on decision making. Docking the member's votes is also not a suitable solution as it conflicts with the principle of equality in the decision-making process.

Question 2

Your team is using Dot Voting to allocate tasks, but some team members are constantly receiving fewer votes, creating dissent. As a Scrum Master, how should you handle this situation?

Ignore the situation as it is up to the team to decide Force the team members to distribute their votes equally Remove the members who are receiving fewer votes from the team Reinforce the objective of Dot Voting and encourage team members to make choices that are in the best interest of the project

Correct Answer: Reinforce the objective of Dot Voting and encourage team members to make choices that are in the best interest of the project

As a Scrum Master, it is important to remind the team of the objective of Dot Voting. Dot Voting is a prioritization tool used in decision-making processes to give visual representation of preferences for options or tasks. It should be used to make choices that are in the best interest of the project, not individual preferences or popularity. The end goal should always be to deliver value to the customer, keep the team on track, and make the best use of resources. 'Ignoring the situation' would not facilitate a nurturing and productive environment, 'forcing equal distribution of votes' would undermine the purpose of dot voting as a voluntary and preference-based tool, and 'removing members' would not solve the problem but create further issues.

Question 3

As a Scrum Master, you find that your team members aren't putting much thought into their Dot Voting and are rushing to finish. How should you respond?

Punish the team members who seem to be rushing Switch to a different prioritization technique Introduce a discussion phase before voting for team members to present and debate their choices Increase the number of dots each member gets to distribute

Correct Answer: Introduce a discussion phase before voting for team members to present and debate their choices

The best response when team members aren't putting much thought into Dot Voting is introducing a discussion phase before voting. This allows the team members to present and debate their choices, encouraging better engagement and thoughtfulness in the process. Increasing the number of dots each member gets to distribute might simply result in hasty and somewhat random allocation, not necessarily better decision-making. Punishing the team members who seem to be rushing is unlikely to foster a positive and collaborative team environment. Furthermore, the issue may not be with the Dot Voting technique itself, but rather how it's being conducted, hence there is no immediate need to switch to a different prioritization technique.

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