Note-and-Vote

Note-and-Vote

Run a structured group decision in 20-30 minutes. Silent contribution surfaces independent thinking before group dynamics narrow the option space; explicit Decider supervote closes the choice. Produces a written audit trail of the decision and the alternatives considered.

When to Use

• A small team (3-10 people) needs to make a fast decision with diverse input.
• Groupthink, status bias, or loudest-voice dominance is a real risk.
• A workshop or meeting moment demands silent ideation before open discussion.
• The decision needs an audit trail (what was considered, why the chosen option won).
• Decision authority is clear (a Decider exists and is in the room or available).
• Used heavily across Foundation Sprint and Design Sprint at decision moments.

When NOT to Use

• A single person owns the decision and just needs to make it. Use direct judgment.
• Consensus has already emerged organically. The voting overhead adds friction without value.
• The decision is high-stakes enough to warrant longer deliberation (multi-day investigation, written proposals, formal review). Note-and-Vote is a 25-minute tool, not a governance process.
• No Decider is available and the team has no authority to close the decision themselves. Defer until a Decider can attend.

The Five-Step Protocol

1. Frame the question (1-2 min)
2. Silent ideation (3-7 min, depending on complexity)
3. Silent voting (2-5 min, multi-vote or single-vote)
4. Brief discussion of the vote distribution (5-10 min)
5. Decider supervote (1 min)

Total: 12-25 minutes depending on time allocations. Default is 25 minutes for a non-trivial decision.

flowchart TB
    Start([Decision needed])
    Start --> S1[Step 1: Frame the question<br/>1-2 min, spoken]
    S1 --> S2[Step 2: Silent ideation<br/>3-7 min, silent]
    S2 --> S3[Step 3: Silent voting<br/>2-5 min, silent]