Effective decision making with Online Voting
You organization is set to hold an upcoming meeting virtually. To make sure that your members can still cast votes on agenda items or motions with complete security and privacy, you have decided to use an online voting solution with live voting capabilities. What key considerations should you keep in mind while preparing for your online meeting, and on the day of the event?
Selecting the right provider
The first step in preparing for your meeting is choosing the right online voting provider. A few factors to bear in mind are:
The advantages of an internet-based solution
Some online voting solutions rely on software that needs to be installed on each user’s device. Not only can new software be unfamiliar to your members and difficult to use but ensuring that everyone has the correct and most up-to-date software downloaded ahead of time can also be complicated.
Typically, web-based solutions are more user-friendly, being accessible from any device with an internet-connection. Information about how to access the online meeting portal is distributed to your members ahead of time, and can also be published in familiar places, like your organization’s website or internal network, so your members always know where to go to attend the online event.
The capabilities your organization requires
Some online voting solutions come with only a basic set of features. If your meeting requires more specific or “advanced” voting capabilities, such as free-text options, preferential or ranked voting, weighted voting, proxy assignments, and meeting a quorum, you will need to verify that an online voting provider has the ability to accommodate these needs.
Furthermore, you should make sure that a particular online voting solution can meet the demands of your organization’s meeting in terms of size, as some systems have limits on the number of voters or participants who can access the platform.
A provider’s experience and support
While online voting can often make decision-making processes more efficient and streamlined, having an experienced helping hand can ensure that your meeting is free of complications. Looking for a solution that is fully supported by the online voting provider is the easiest way to guarantee a stress-free and successful event. Additionally, choosing a provider who has experience with organizations like yours means that they will be familiar with your needs from the start.
Preparing for the Event
Once you have an online voting solution and provider selected, you can begin working with them to prepare for your online meeting. One of the first steps that will need to be addressed is the creation of an up-to-date voter’s list. This should include the contact details (usually an email address or phone number) for all members eligible to participate and vote in your online meeting. It is important for this list to be accurate since members may be receiving important event information, including unique codes to access the online voting portal, via email or SMS.
You will also work closely with your online voting provider to ensure that the event portal is set up with your meeting specifics, like the agenda items and motions, and to make sure that the meeting will run according to your organization’s requirements, such as with public or anonymous voting. Prior to your event, you will be able to test the meeting and conduct a practice session so you can see how everything will work.
The Main Event
On the day of your meeting, your members will access the online voting portal following the instructions they received beforehand. If you are using a video-conferencing solution to meet virtually, they can also access the videoconference through a link in the online voting portal.
When you’re ready to vote on an agenda item, it is opened with a single click. Your members will then be able to access the item and select their preferred choice, casting their votes with complete security. You can then proceed with the meeting and the next item. Depending on your preferences, you can also opt to open all agenda items at once rather than one at a time, such as at the end of the meeting, for example.
As an administrator, you will be able to track participation on each agenda item in real-time. Once the meeting is over, you will also be able to share all results with your members, as needed.
Organizing and running a meeting with online voting is a great way to provide a secure decision-making platform while offering a flexible and convenient online meeting experience. With the help of an experience provider, your upcoming meeting will be more accessible, transparent, and efficient than ever before.
