Leveraging Information Technology tools to create cost-effective alternatives: Using Google Sheets as a platform for competitive debate and public speaking tabulation

Abstract

Traditional web-based debate tabulation systems like Tabbycat, offer robust features but often pose high costs and accessibility barriers that limit participation and the smooth organization of events. In this work, we present Tab XYZ, a novel debate and public-speaking tabulation platform built on Google Sheets, as a cost-effective alternative to conventional systems. We deployed Tab XYZ’s cloud-based features like Google Apps Script automation, Google Forms for data input, real-time collaboration, to replicate core functionalities of standard tabulation software without the need for dedicated servers or paid licenses. The proposed system was evaluated in five tournaments constituting a total of 435 participants, and compared against a popular web-based platform on key metrics including setup time, user satisfaction, reliability, and error handling. Results indicate that Tab XYZ eliminated all licensing and hosting costs while achieving user satisfaction scores (overall average 4.7 out of 5) comparable to the conventional system (4.6 out of 5). Tab XYZ also demonstrated robust data security and offline-capable error recovery by leveraging Google’s infrastructure. These findings illustrate a viable pathway to leverage readily available IT tools like spreadsheets and cloud services, to create innovative solutions for specialized domains, avoiding the cost and complexity barriers of traditional approaches.