TABLE OF CONTENTS When a team has to choose among several alternatives, one method they can use is to vote on the choices. Voting allows the team to reduce many choices to several choices. It also promotes team buy-in of the chosen alternative.
There are several methods for teams to carrying out voting. Improper use can result in frustration for some team members; it can possibly result in the wrong alternative being selected.
This tool and the ranking methods described in Appendix A-3 usually serve the same purpose. When there are no clear criteria for evaluating a list of items, or the merits of each item on the list is evident, then voting is preferable to using a formal ranking method. In the process management methodology, voting is used:
In Step 3, "Select Issue and Process," to select the highest priority issue.
In Step 7, "Confirm Process / Issue Focus," to determine if activities need a further level of analysis.
In Step 8, "Set Improvement Objectives and Schedule," to choose the next activity or performance gap to work on.
In Step 11, "Select Root Cause to Eliminate / Investigate," to choose the next cause to work on.
In Step 13, "Evaluate and Select Best Solution," to choose the best solution.
There are many methods of voting on several alternatives. Our experience has found that the three methods described below work successfully in teams. The methods discussed here are:
Regular voting
Voting by...
