Keep talking
Keep talking when you are still naming the options, or you are two people who like the chat. Stop when the thread is longer than the plan you are avoiding.
All comparisons
Everyday
Group chat or a vote
This is the question Pickaside is for. A chat is a good place to joke and a bad parliament.
A group chat is good for a joke, a time check, and a yes from two people. It is bad at choosing among four restaurants, because the last message wins and the person who was driving never voted. A short ranked vote gives everyone the same list and a result you can point at.
A vote is the wrong tool for a feeling that is not ready to be options, and for anything that is not casual. Do not vote on a person’s worth. Do vote on Friday’s food once you have had the conversation twice.
Send a vote
Send a vote when the options are known and more than a pair of people care. Four to eight choices. A deadline. Then do what won, unless someone marked it unworkable.
What actually differs
| Difference | Keep talking | Send a vote |
|---|---|---|
| Good for | Tone and a quick yes | Three or more options |
| Who is heard | The fastest typist | Everyone with the link |
| Record | A scroll | A result |
| Time | It expands | A deadline ends it |
| Failure | No decision | A list nobody can do |
Questions about this choice
What if the vote picks something someone cannot do?
They should flag it before the result, not veto it after. If they never saw the link, talk. A vote is not a trap.
Do we have to use this site?
No. A show of hands works in a room. The failure is the endless thread, not the logo on the tool.