Keypad Polling

Keypad polling is an audience response system software that is used to enhance training and decision making. A question from the facilitator or a participant is posed on a screen with a series of possible answers. Each participant, equipped with a wireless keypad, responds based on his or her own knowledge and opinions, or following discussion in a small group. Responses are automatically and instantly tallied and the results are displayed on screen.

The process is transparent and immediate and everyone, participants and leaders, can see the group’s response to the question. Based on the response, the moderator can change the direction of the meeting, or go into greater depth based on the level of understanding the group shows.

Keypad polling is frequently used at meetings with two different formats—auditorium style, where audience members interact minimally with each other and simply vote on questions asked by a speaker or moderator; and table meetings, where participants are seated at small tables and asked to discuss issues with others before voting.  Keypad polling can be used to collect feedback on nearly any issue or type of question, but can only collect responses for questions where respondents pick a single response, and for questions with no more than 10 possible responses, though there are ways to get around these technical limitations.  Keypad polling is often used in conjunction with opportunities for participants to speak or write comments, since the electronic technology itself does not allow for free-form answers.