Continuing this series of posts on how to get a 360 degree feedback project up and running, let's look at the design phase.

The design phase covers reports, competencies, and questionnaire design. We try to start with the report – by doing so, you recognise that it is the output of the process that is important. 

The competencies are very important, but if you start with how the report will be structured, it focuses the mind on how these competencies will be used.

One of our key principles is that 360 degree appraisal is a method of consolidating feedback rather than averaging it; consequently, this influences everything we do so let me spend a little time on it.

360 is useful when it describes to you the range of responses that your colleagues give against observable behaviours. That some people think you are a star at delegating while two of your direct reports find your approach troublesome, is the value of 360.
So, only create scores or averages where they give value rather than obscuring information.

Second, we believe that narrative feedback offers the richest information - the rating scales simply tell you where to look. Anyone who has given 360 feedback will tell you that the comments that raters provide give you the evidence and narrative that explains or gives context to the behavioural scoring.

With these principles in mind, in my next post I'll draw out the detail of how we go about designing the report (competencies and questions will follow later).

(This series of posts are excerpts from our 360 degree appraisal white paper).

Brendan