Voting Methods

Configuring voting on the Voting tab is a two-step decision. First pick the voting mode (who scores submissions), then pick the voting method (how they score). Both controls live in the setup card.

Voting mode

The voting mode controls who can score submissions. Switch between modes at the top of the setup card.

There are three options:

• Judge only (default): A panel of judges scores submissions. The audience voting link is hidden. Best for formal evaluation where you want a controlled set of evaluators.
• Judges + audience: A panel of judges scores submissions and a public link is available for a People's Choice sidecar. Both Audience Voting and Judge Voting cards appear on the Voting tab. Audience and judge results are tallied separately and can be compared on the Results tab.
• Audience only: Open voting via a shared link, no judging panel. The Judge Voting card is hidden. Best for community-driven events or quick informal voting.

The mode you pick determines which sections appear on the Voting tab. Switching modes is non-destructive. Judges and audience votes are kept in case you switch back.

The voting method (below) determines how votes are cast and how results are calculated. The same method applies to whichever groups your voting mode enables.

Score Criteria

Judges score each submission against weighted criteria on a numeric scale. This is the default method and best for formal evaluation where you want detailed, comparable scores.

How it works

You define criteria (e.g., "Innovation", "Technical Execution") with weights that total 100%. Judges rate each submission on every criterion using a slider. The final score is the weighted average across all criteria.

Score scale

Choose the range judges use when scoring:

• 0-5: Simple and quick. Good for large events with many submissions.
• 0-10 (default): More granular. Better for smaller events where differentiation matters.

Adding criteria

On the Voting tab, click Setup to open the configuration panel, then click Add Criterion.

Each criterion has:

• Name: What's being evaluated (e.g., "Innovation", "Technical Execution")
• Description (optional): Guidelines for judges on what to look for
• Scope: Whether the criterion applies to all submissions or only to a specific track or challenge (see Track and challenge criteria below)

Weights

When you have two or more criteria, each one gets a weight. Weights must total 100% across all criteria.

You can edit weights directly from the setup card by typing into the percentage fields next to each criterion. Click Equal to distribute weights evenly, or adjust them manually to prioritize what matters most for your event.

Track and challenge criteria

If your event has tracks or challenges, you can scope criteria to specific competitions. This lets you evaluate track-specific skills alongside your general criteria.

When adding a criterion, the Scope dropdown lets you choose:

• General: Applies to all submissions and is scored by all judges. This is the default.
• A specific track or challenge: Only applies to submissions entered in that competition.

For example, a "Best Use of Convex" challenge might have its own "API Integration" criterion that only applies to submissions in that challenge. Judges still score the general criteria for every submission, but the challenge-specific criterion only appears when reviewing a submission entered in "Best Use of Convex."

How scoped criteria work

• Each track or challenge gets its own set of criteria with independent weights
• Scoped criteria appear as a separate section below the general criteria in the setup card
• The general criteria header changes from "Scoring Criteria" to "All Submissions" when track criteria exist
• Judges see both the general criteria and any relevant track/challenge criteria when scoring a submission

Assigning judges to track criteria

Each track criteria section shows a Judges button. Click it to control which judges see that track's criteria:

• No judges assigned (default): All judges see the track's criteria when scoring submissions in that track
• Specific judges assigned: Only those judges see the track's criteria

This is useful when you have domain experts. For example, assign your API specialists to judge the "Best Use of Convex" challenge criteria, while all judges still score the general criteria.

Tips

• Keep the number of criteria between 3 and 5 for a good balance of depth and speed
• Write clear descriptions so judges evaluate consistently
• Match weights to your event's priorities
• Use track criteria sparingly to avoid overwhelming judges with too many dimensions

Top Picks

Judges pick and rank their favorite submissions instead of scoring individual criteria. This is a simpler, faster method best for smaller events or informal judging.

How it works

Each judge selects a set number of their favorite submissions and ranks them. Rankings are calculated based on how many judges selected each project and where they ranked it. No criteria, no weights, just picks.

Configuring Top Picks

The only setting is Picks per judge: how many submissions each judge can select (default is 3). Adjust this based on your event size. For example, with 30 submissions, 5 picks gives judges enough range to differentiate.

When to use Top Picks

• Smaller events where detailed scoring would be overkill
• Events with non-technical judges who may not be comfortable scoring on multiple dimensions
• "People's Choice" or community voting alongside formal judge scoring
• When you need judging done quickly