Prepare a test question. This acts as an ice breaker, while familiarizing the participants with their voting keypads.
It is best not to start voting with the very first slide, especially if the participants have never before used the voting machines or if any stakes are attached to the vote (an exam, a game with prizes, etc.).
Create a test question (just for practice), to place at the beginning of the presentation, before any real voting is carried out.
The choice of question is important.
It can be humorous: What colour was Henry IV’s white horse?
- black
- red
- blue
- white
Or cultural: Who wrote The Sun Also Rises?
- Ernest Hemingway
- John Steinbeck
- Henry Thoreau
Rather absurd: You are:
- a man
- a woman
- unknown
- a racoon
Or of current interest: Who was elected President of the United States in November 2008?
In this manner, you not only test the system, you also lend confidence to the audience just discovering the interactive system.
Depending on the type of question chosen, you can also add an ingredient that should not be underestimated: a certain relaxation, the guarantee of improved receptiveness on the part of the participants.
Remember to also insert, before this test question, a few slides presenting the voting keypads and method.
