Method comparison

Quadratic voting vs dot voting

Dot voting is a lightweight workshop technique. Quadratic voting is a formal mechanism for costly preference intensity. Both can help teams prioritize, but they are built for different levels of decision rigor.

Start a decisionSee the mechanism

Nicolas mechanism signals

These concepts follow the mathematical contract used by the app.

Convex cost

cost = c * sum a_ij^2

Voice budget

sum a_ij^2 <= B

Outcome rule

shifted softmax over support

What dot voting reveals

Dot voting gives participants a small number of identical dots to place on options, so it is easy to run and works well for quick workshops or low-stakes prioritization.

Those identical dots can also blur the difference between mild interest, strong support, and principled opposition.

What quadratic voting makes explicit

Quadratic voting uses a mathematical cost function. Stronger vote intensity is possible, but it becomes progressively more expensive under the participant's finite voice budget.

Nicolas also supports negative intensity, delegation, shifted-softmax outcome probabilities, and transparent cost accounting, which makes the decision record more inspectable.

How to choose

Use dot voting for quick facilitation when the decision is informal, the stakes are low, and the group only needs a rough priority signal.

Use Nicolas when the decision needs a durable record, intensity-aware support and opposition, or a mechanism that can be explained and audited.

Use cases

Where this decision model helps

Dot voting fit

Fast workshops and lightweight prioritization where rough signal is enough.

Quadratic voting fit

Higher-stakes prioritization where intensity and opposition need a visible record.

Nicolas fit

Team decisions needing reproducible records, delegation, costs, and outcome probabilities.

FAQ

Is dot voting bad?

No. Dot voting is useful for quick, low-friction prioritization. It is just less expressive than quadratic voting when intensity and opposition matter.

Can Nicolas be used for roadmap prioritization?

Yes. Nicolas can help teams compare roadmap alternatives when they need to measure how strongly people care, beyond which ideas receive dots.

Why use a formal mechanism instead of dots?

A formal mechanism is useful when the decision record needs explicit budgets, costs, support, opposition, delegation, and outcome probabilities.

Keep reading

Continue with adjacent concepts and practical Nicolas workflows.

Team prioritizationSee where Nicolas fits roadmap and team planning workflows.Quadratic votingUnderstand why stronger votes become progressively more expensive.