When to use Ranking, Rating, Focused Selection, or Multi-Vote Slide

Audience response system is often used to 'rank' or 'rate' items in the list.

However, it's not always effective to use a true "Ranking" slide.

So what's the best way to use the ranking function in EZ-VOTE?

Terminology

In EZ-VOTE, we use the terms: Ranking Slide, Rating Slide, and Focused Selection Slide when we want the audience to order, or reorder items on a list.

Ranking Slide

Ranking slide doesn't have a chart (graph) and does not use a rating scale of any kind.

Multi-digit keypad users (MyVOTE LCD or ProVOTE TXT) can enter ALL of their choices at once, and even correct their choice BEFORE submitting their vote.

Presenter/content creator should phrase the question as: "Rank these items in the order of best to worst" (or worst to best).

User enters all the numbers in the order they'd like them to be in, e.g. 2,5,1,3,4 and presses OK/SND on their keypad.

If you're using a single-digit keypad (MyVOTE or ProVOTE), you're going to enter one number at a time, in the order you'd like the items on the list to appear in.

Rating Slide

Rating slide must have a rating scale associated with it. It doesn't have a chart (graph).

Presenter/content creator should phrase the question text as: "Rate each item in the order it appears in the list, using a scale of 1 - 5" (or any other scale).

User then pushes the button that corresponds to the VALUE on the rating scale and presses OK/SND to confirm.

First value is associated with the first item on the list, the second value is associated with the second item and so on...

Focused Selection Slide

Focused Selection slide does use a chart/graph and it is definitely THE best way to get a group of people to rank/order/reorder a list of options.

Why? Because groups are having a hard time deciding on the order all at once, or making corrections to the once submitted order.

Using Focused Selection slide lets you introduce the list to the audience ONCE and ask them to make ONE decision. No multiple choices; no multiple votes.

If they make a mistake in their selection, they can correct it for as long as the polling is open on the current list/question.

Only the last submitted answer will be counted.

Once the polling is closed, results are shown.

Next slide is automatically generated by the software and shows one less option.

Depending on the settings, the item that is missing is either the one with LEAST votes, or the MOST votes.

In other words, you're eliminating items from the list in each round of polling until you only have two items left.

Once you've reached the point where the results are shown for the last two options, moving forward (click) will show you the FINAL order of all items.

Why Use Ranking/Rating and How

Sometimes, you may want to use a simple Multi-Vote slide to do the "ranking" for you.

For example, if you ask your audience: "Please rank your two best options from this list" and give them 10 options to choose from.

What are you looking for?

If it's the GROUP consensus of 'which two items on the list have the most votes', then all you need is a simple Multi-Vote slide.

No need to complicate things with explaining how Ranking or Rating slides work.

Everyone will be able to submit their two votes and voila - you have your results.

By the way, with multi-digit keypads (MyVOTE LCD and ProVOTE TXT), you can submit all your votes at once, e.g. 2,3 and then press OK.

Single-digit keypads (MyVOTE and ProVOTE) will require you to submit the first choice, wait, and then press the button for the second choice.

However, if you're looking to evaluate each INDIVIDUAL person's (as opposed to group) responses and how they decided the order of things on the list, then you do want to use the Ranking or Rating slides, so that you can get the proper reports.

We hope this makes sense. Let us know if this article is helpful below.