Over the past few weeks, I have been working my way along Bowland Solutions' approach to implementing 360 degree feedback.  I have now come to the online system element of that approach.  I'm not going to cover how to select an online 360 degree appraisal system.  I'll cover that another time as I don't want to corrupt this exercise with a sales pitch!

So, instead - I'll cover how to get the system to work for you.  We see the system's role as a supportive one - it only exists to help the process, it must not become the end itself.  So, you are looking to

• make it simple
• ensure the only time spent by people is on completing or reviewing feedback rather than clicking all over the place
• make error checking easy
• remove administration tasks / make them easier
• improve reporting and make it more timely

Most everything else is fluff.  So, when we are implementing the system phase, we work off a simple checklist of what needs to be done and we strip the system functionality down to this level.  The less noise the better.

If you have this level of simplicity then there should be no training requirement.  I repeat, there should be no training requirement on the system.  Those days are gone - no-one tells us how to use Google or the BBC/CNN websites.

For a service like ours there is no real IT project to implement.  The only area to take care on is ensuring that emails will get through firewalls/spam filters.

We do suggest that you pilot the 360 implementation if you can.  There are unlikely to be technical issues, but this does offer the opportunity to change wording of questions, instructional text, and review process.

Otherwise it should be a matter of getting the emails sent out and off we go.

If you are working with a system that requires installation then we would recommend a full project initiative.  Your supplier should assist you with that.

Next up in the series : training.

Brendan