When creating an ekota space, one of the first things you must consider is the space question. The space question is the overarching question that all participants are answering, and voting on the responses to. This forms the foundation of an ekota survey, and it must align clearly with your project goals.

When creating an ekota space, this question is typed into the Space question section (in black, on the left) of the space builder, as seen below. On the right-hand side, you can see a preview of how this question, and the supplementary prompt, first appear to participants when they join the space.

How to pick a good conversation question

• Use an open-ended question which gives participants the freedom to brainstorm and think outside the box (“What could your government do to increase the well-being of its citizens?”)
• Pick a question that prompts ideas that are likely to be novel, interesting, or pose something worth people voting on
• Ask for a second (and third) opinion to double-check that your space question is clear and unambiguous!
• Don’t pick a question that will be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (e.g. “Do you like chocolate?”)

The space question is crucial to the value of ekota’s outputs, so consider it carefully before going live.