Classification Notice for Poll Without Decision

CLASSIFICATION NOTICE RE: Poll Without Decision (PWD) EFFECTIVE: Upon third consecutive poll without resolution

This notice formally classifies a group decision process as a Poll Without Decision (PWD) when the following conditions are met:

1. A poll was created to resolve a group decision.
2. The poll returned a result.
3. The result was not immediately acted upon.
4. A discussion of the poll results has lasted longer than the poll itself.

Description of the Category

A PWD occurs when the poll, intended as a decision mechanism, generates additional questions rather than resolving the original one. The result of the poll is used as data for continued discussion rather than as a conclusion.

Common PWD indicators include:

• "But did everyone who voted really understand what they were voting for?"
• "The numbers are close enough that we should discuss further."
• "Can we do a follow-up poll with clearer options?"
• "Option B won but what if we considered a hybrid of A and B?"

All four indicate that the poll has not been accepted as a decision instrument. The poll has been reclassified as a preference survey.

Historical Context

The poll was introduced to reduce discussion time. It assumes that collective preference aggregates into a decision. The PWD category exists because preference aggregation creates information, and information creates discussion.

A group that cannot decide can also not accept a poll result as a decision. The poll transfers the location of the indecision from "what should we choose" to "is this poll result valid."

Recommended Action

Accept the poll result. If the result is truly unacceptable, state the reason the result is unacceptable. The stated reason is the real disagreement. Address the real disagreement directly.

Polls cannot make decisions for groups that are not willing to make decisions. They can only clarify the location of the disagreement.

The poll result is available. It has been available for forty minutes.