Polling is Evolving

We appreciate voting takes a little time and effort, and that’s why we’ve been working hard to make it faster and easier. When polling begins for Asia and Australia & NZ on Nov 10, a new polling process will be live. There are no changes to the methodology, we’ve just made the ballot more intuitive and relevant to you.

The key improvements are below and FAQs are further down the page. Here's a video showing the key improvements:

Ballot Builder

Buy-side voters now construct a ballot around the categories most relevant to them. It’s easier to vote in a greater number of categories which, in turn, provides a more holistic view of how the market evaluates research and service.

 
My Ballot

Only the topics selected in the Ballot Builder will be displayed. Select a topic to start voting. To rank a firm or analyst, either drag and drop the name into a ranking position or click the + icon. Voters can adjust the ranking at any time by dragging entries up or down. Votes are automatically saved.

Bookmarked Firms & Analysts

Voters can bookmark firms and analysts they rate regularly. On the first firm rating screen, the voter selects a firm and clicks the Bookmark icon. In each subsequent question, bookmarked firms appear automatically on the right-hand side of the screen under 'Saved' for quick selection. A similar process is in place for analysts. This reduces repetitive searching and shortens the time required to complete the ballot.

Mobile Compatibility

Designed as ‘mobile-first’, the new responsive interface is considerably better suited to mobile devices than the previous ballot. Drag-and-drop ordering and a simplified layout allow you to complete the ballot on a mobile device for extra convenience. 

                              
FAQs

Has the way results are worked out changed?
No. The ballot has been redesigned to make voting simpler, but the methodology hasn’t changed: rankings are calculated exactly as before. Ballots are also checked before they’re included, as they always have been, and any that don’t reflect a genuine assessment may be excluded.

Do I have to vote on every topic?
No. Vote on the topics where you have a view and leave the rest. Your ballot is set up around your role and the areas you cover, so most of its topics should be relevant to you; if one isn’t, leave it or take it off your ballot. The most useful ballots reflect the firms and people you actually use, across the areas you cover.

C-Suite & IR works a little differently: your ballot always includes at least 10 of its topics. Voting in them is still optional, but your views on the companies you cover carry particular weight, so please vote where you can.

How is progress measured, and what does ‘complete’ mean?
Votes on a topic count whether or not you complete it, and you can change any of them until voting closes. Progress shows how close each topic, and your ballot as a whole, is to complete.

Each topic has a few steps: a ranking, then on some topics the people at the firms you ranked, then a comment. A topic is complete, and shows a tick on My Ballot, once five places are filled, a person is ranked for each role asked at each of those firms, and one comment is written.

Completion is set at what we consider most voters can give on a topic they know well. It’s a guide, not a rule: if you only use three firms for a topic, rank those three. The topic won’t show a tick, but your votes count just the same, and a genuine ranking is worth more than places filled for the sake of it. Equally, complete isn’t a signal to stop: where a topic has room for more, extra rankings and comments all count.

The overall percentage at the top of this page combines the progress of every topic on your ballot, weighted by size, so bigger topics move it more. You don’t need to complete every topic or reach 100%.

Can I leave and come back later?
Yes. Every vote is saved as you make it, and the menu shows Votes saved to confirm it. Close the page whenever you like and carry on later, on this device or another. There’s no final submit step. You can change any vote until voting closes.

How do I add or remove topics on my ballot?
Choose Edit Topics in the menu, then tick a topic to add it or untick it to remove it. Once your ballot is set up, you can also add a voting area that isn’t on it yet from its card on this page. Removing a topic keeps your votes on it, so they come back if you add it again. Only topics on your ballot when voting closes are included in the results.

What if the firm or person I want to vote for isn’t listed?
Search the full list first, as some firms and people are listed under a slightly different name. In some voting areas you can add a firm or person yourself; where that’s possible, the option appears when you search. If you still can’t find them, contact support voting@extelinsights.com

Who sees my votes, and how are they used?
Your individual votes are never shown to the firms or people you vote for. All responses are strictly confidential and used only in aggregate, combined with every other voter’s to produce the published results. Comments are shared with firms anonymously.