Voting System

The voting system is the core of FeatureVote, enabling your community to collectively prioritize feature development through democratic feedback.

How Voting Works

Vote-Based Prioritization

Features are naturally prioritized by community votes:

• Higher votes = Higher priority and visibility
• Real user demand drives development decisions
• Community consensus emerges organically
• Democratic process ensures fair representation

Voting Mechanics

Each person can vote once per feature:

• Single vote per user - Prevents vote manipulation
• Anonymous participation - No account required for customers
• Email verification - Ensures vote authenticity
• Persistent tracking - Votes remembered across sessions

Customer Voting

Anonymous Voting Process

Customers can vote without creating accounts:

1. Browse features on your public board
2. Click vote on features they want
3. Enter email address for verification
4. Confirm vote via email link
5. Vote is counted and displayed

Email-Based Identity

Customer identity is managed through email:

• One vote per email per feature
• Secure verification process
• Privacy protection - emails not shared publicly
• Persistent voting history across visits

Team Voting

Internal Prioritization

Team members can also vote on features:

• Equal voting weight with customers
• Strategic input on development priorities
• Internal consensus building
• Balanced perspective on feature value

Voting Strategy

Teams should consider:

• Customer demand - High vote counts indicate market need
• Development effort - Balance popularity with feasibility
• Strategic alignment - Consider business objectives
• Resource allocation - Plan development capacity

Voting Analytics

Understanding Vote Patterns

Monitor voting trends to gain insights:

• Rapid vote accumulation - Strong immediate interest
• Steady growth - Sustained community interest
• Vote plateaus - Natural saturation points
• Geographic patterns - Regional feature preferences

Vote-Driven Decisions

Use voting data for:

• Development roadmap planning
• Resource allocation decisions
• Customer satisfaction measurement
• Product-market fit validation

Managing the Voting Process

Encouraging Participation

Increase voting engagement:

• Clear instructions - Explain how voting works
• Regular updates - Show voting impact on development
• Feature promotion - Highlight important requests
• Community building - Foster active participation

Vote Integrity

Maintain voting authenticity:

• Email verification prevents duplicate votes
• Rate limiting stops voting abuse
• Regular monitoring for unusual patterns
• Community reporting of suspicious activity

Best Practices

Feature Presentation

Present features to encourage informed voting:

• Clear descriptions - Help users understand the request
• Use cases - Show practical applications
• Visual mockups - Illustrate complex features
• Impact statements - Explain benefits clearly

Voting Communication

Keep your community informed:

• Vote thresholds - Explain when features get prioritized
• Development updates - Show voting impact on decisions
• Thank voters - Acknowledge community participation
• Transparent process - Explain how votes influence development

Response to Voting

Act on voting results appropriately:

• High-vote features deserve serious consideration
• Explain decisions when not following vote order
• Balance votes with technical feasibility
• Celebrate implementations of popular requests