Placement sections use a judge-ranked voting format. Instead of elimination rounds, you assign placement positions (1st through 10th) to participants.
How Placement Voting Works
- All participants are shown in a grid of numbered circles (sorted by entry number)
- Tap a participant number to open the position picker
- Assign a position (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) each position can only be assigned to one participant
- Fill all positions: the Submit button activates when all placements are assigned
- Submit your placements and wait for other judges to finish
- Points are calculated from all judges' placements using the placement scorecard
The Placement Interface
When a placement section opens, you see:
- A grid of numbered circles: each number is the participant's display number
- A placement counter showing how many positions you've assigned (e.g., "4/10 placed")
- A placement summary strip showing all positions with assigned participants
- A Submit Placements button (activates when all positions are filled)
How to Assign Placements
- Tap a numbered circle: a position picker modal opens
- Select a position (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
- Positions already taken by another participant are greyed out
- To reassign a position, tap the participant and select a different position
- To clear a participant's placement, tap them and select "Clear Placement"
- Once all positions are filled, tap Submit Placements
After Submitting
- You'll see a confirmation screen with your placement summary
- A progress indicator shows how many judges have submitted (e.g., "2 / 3 judges submitted")
- The system polls every 10 seconds to check for other judges
- Once all judges submit, the reconciliation process runs automatically
- Points are calculated and the section advances
How Points Are Calculated
After all judges submit, the system:
- Averages each participant's placement across all judges
- Ranks participants by average placement (lower = better)
- Resolves ties using most 1st-place votes, then 2nd-place votes, etc.
- Assigns points using the default point scale (1st = 10 pts, 2nd = 9 pts, ..., 10th = 1 pt)
- Writes score records for schedule advancement
Offline During Placement
If you lose internet connection:
- Your placement assignments are saved locally
- When you reconnect, queued placements are automatically submitted
- The offline queue handles deduplication (newer submissions replace older ones)
Tips for Placement Voting
- Numbers are randomised per judge: your display order differs from other judges to prevent bias
- Watch all participants before assigning positions
- Use the summary strip to review your assignments at a glance
- Reassign freely: tap any participant to change their position before submitting
- Don't close the page while waiting for other judges