Quick Poll — Instant Group Vote

About Quick Poll

Put a question to the group and watch votes come in live. Useful for settling a decision quickly without a long discussion.

The main benefit is that it surfaces disagreement that a verbal round would hide. People rarely voice a dissenting view after three colleagues have already agreed, but they will vote it.

How to run it

1Set a clear question with distinct options.
2Let everyone vote.
3Show the results to the group.
4Discuss the split rather than only announcing the winner.

Polling usefully

Keep options genuinely distinct. Overlapping choices split votes meaninglessly.
Poll before discussing where you want honest opinion. Discussing first anchors everyone to whoever spoke first.
Treat a close split as information rather than a decision. A narrow result usually means the question needs more discussion, not less.
Limit to a handful of options. Long lists produce scattered results that decide nothing.
Be clear whether the poll decides the matter or informs it, before you run it.

Frequently asked questions

Should I poll before or after discussion?

Before, if you want honest opinion. Discussion anchors people to whoever spoke first, and polling afterwards often just measures the influence of the loudest voice.

What if the vote is close?

Treat it as a signal that the question needs more discussion rather than as a decision. A narrow split usually means the options are genuinely balanced.

How many options should a poll have?

Two to four. Longer lists scatter votes and rarely produce a result clear enough to act on.