Giving feedback to your employees is good for a number of reasons:
<ul>
<li>It allows people to hone their work in a quick and efficient manner;</li>
<li>It opens up the opportunity for them to learn from a more experienced worker; </li>
<li>It motivates them to go to work and finish tasks.</li>
</ul>
However, invigorating a healthy culture of providing feedback is a task in itself. It can feel intimidating and a lot like criticism but if done correctly, it allows a comfortable environment that is open for discussion.

The importance of giving feedback

DO:
<ul>
<li>Schedule the meetings early, midway, and at the end of every project to provide in-depth feedback.</li>
<li>Don't be shy to bring in experts from other teams.</li>
<li>Set an official facilitator and set ground rules for the conversation.</li>
</ul>
DON'T:
<ul>
<li>Don't overcrowd the meeting. Less than seven is advised.</li>
<li>Don't set up a meeting for a finished project, unless there are revisions needed to be done.</li>
<li>Don't let the conversation get flooded by too many ideas, only list down those that are important.</li>
</ul>

Do's and don'ts for feedback meetings

DO:
<ul>
<li>Establish a set schedule for everyone in the team to participate for quick updates and feedback.</li>
<li>Ask the important questions like: What did you do yesterday? What will you do today? Is anything in your way?</li>
</ul>
DON'T:
<ul>
<li>Don't prolong the check ins. It isn't the time to discuss what would be discussed for a meeting.</li>
<li>Don't keep seated. Stand up, get on your feet and keep your body moving to get energy flowing.</li>
</ul>

Do's and Don'ts for quick check-ins

DO:
<ul>
<li>Include everyone who participated in the project.</li>
<li>Try to consider using a survey to get everyone's perspective.</li>
<li>Use this as an opportunity to have everyone integrate what they have learned from the project.</li>
</ul>
DON'T:
<ul>
<li>Forget to reflect on the humps that happened during the project and discuss what could've been done better.</li>
</ul>

Do's and Don'ts for feedback after project completion

Here is how to give feedback to poorly-made projects: DO:
<ul>
<li>Have a moderator that is impartial for the discussion that can set ground rules for a better flowing conversation.</li>
<li>Focus on the timeline of events and facts.</li>
</ul>
DON'T:
<ul>
<li>Finger point. Instead, send an e-mail containing the summary of the postmortem in a professional manner.</li>
<li>Finish the session without clarifying lessons learned and next step actions.</li>
</ul>

Do's and Don'ts for feedback on a postmortem

<img alt="Here&amp;#8217;s what you should (and shouldn&amp;#8217;t) do when giving formal feedback" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/www-inside-design/uploads/2020/01/people-talking-table-810x810.jpg" width="329" height="609">Feedback is arguably the most important <a href="https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/7-free-resources-every-product-designer-needs/" rel="" dir="ltr">design resource</a>: It helps skilled designers hone their work faster, gives junior designers the opportunity to learn from more experienced team members, and, when done well, helps everyone stay focused on goals and outcomes.Yet, despite all this, establishing a healthy culture of feedback within a design team isn’t necessarily easy—even when it is formally integrated into the design process. Criticizing each other’s work in <a href="https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/how-to-run-design-reviews/" rel="" dir="ltr">design reviews</a>, standups, retrospectives, and postmortems can feel intimidating, but that shouldn’t mean acceptance of non-optimal feedback. Instead, teams must practice their feedback skills so designers can get comfortable expressing and hearing differing ideas.Here’s a solid place to start: In the early going, I recommend tempering your criticism and leaning towards encouragement. It’ll help establish momentum, rapport, and trust. Over time, you’ll find you’ve developed a framework and language for thinking and talking about design more clearly, and feel freer to express direct criticism, too.In hopes of making the process as successful as possible, I’ve put together some do’s and don’ts on ways to optimize your feedback in four common formal settings: design reviews, standups, retrospectives, and postmortems.<h2 data-text-variant="heading-400">The do’s and don’ts of formal feedback</h2><h4 data-text-variant="heading-300" dir="ltr">Design reviews (Meetings to provide in-depth feedback focused on project goals.)</h4><UL><LI>Do schedule these reviews early, midway and at the end of a project.</LI><LI>Don’t include more than about seven people.</LI><LI>Do bring in experts from other teams.</LI><LI>Don’t use a design review to reveal finished work.</LI><LI>Do choose a facilitator and ground rules for the conversation.</LI><LI>Don’t let designers pitch ideas or explain too much.</LI></UL><h4 data-text-variant="heading-300">Design standups (Quick check-ins to keep team members on the same page.)</h4><UL><LI>Do establish a fixed time for everyone to participate in daily standups.</LI><LI>Don’t let stand-ups turn into design critiques.</LI><LI>Do answer three questions: What did you do yesterday? What will you do today? Is anything in your way?</LI><LI>Don’t sit down. Stay on your feet and keep things moving.</LI></UL><h4 data-text-variant="heading-300">Retrospectives: (Meetings to analyze&nbsp;a project after launch or a sprint after completion.)</h4><UL><LI>Do include everyone who participated.</LI><LI>Don’t skip this opportunity to integrate lessons learned.</LI><LI>Do consider using a survey before retrospectives to gather all voices.</LI><LI>Don’t forget to reflect on what did and didn’t go well.</LI></UL><h4 data-text-variant="heading-300">Postmortems: (Meetings to evaluate a project that has gone poorly.)</h4><UL><LI>Do rely on an impartial moderator for the discussion.</LI><LI>Don’t start without some ground rules.</LI><LI>Do focus on a timeline of events and facts.</LI><LI>Don’t descend into finger pointing.</LI><LI>Do send out a summary email after the postmortem</LI><LI>Don’t quit the process without clarifying lessons and action steps.</LI></UL>Now, in all formal situations, I’d recommend paying careful attention to the language you use in giving feedback. For example, if you think a layout misses the mark, talk about the “design” and not the person who made it. I’ve found criticisms are easier to swallow when they do not feel overly personal.For a deeper look at all four of these feedback processes, check out chapter four of the <a href="https://www.designbetter.co/principles-of-product-design/show-and-tell" dir="ltr">Principles of Product Design</a>.

Criticizing others' work can feel intimidating. Check out our trusted tips on giving formal feedback

Communication

Feedback is arguably the most important <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/7-free-resources-every-product-designer-needs/" rel="">design resource </a>: It helps skilled designers hone their work faster, gives junior designers the opportunity to learn from more experienced team members, and, when done well, helps everyone stay focused on goals and outcomes.

Yet, despite all this, establishing a healthy culture of feedback within a design team isn’t necessarily easy—even when it is formally integrated into the design process. Criticizing each other’s work in <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/how-to-run-design-reviews/" rel="">design reviews </a>, standups, retrospectives, and postmortems can feel intimidating, but that shouldn’t mean acceptance of non-optimal feedback. Instead, teams must practice their feedback skills so designers can get comfortable expressing and hearing differing ideas.

Here’s a solid place to start: In the early going, I recommend tempering your criticism and leaning towards encouragement. It’ll help establish momentum, rapport, and trust. Over time, you’ll find you’ve developed a framework and language for thinking and talking about design more clearly, and feel freer to express direct criticism, too.

In hopes of making the process as successful as possible, I’ve put together some do’s and don’ts on ways to optimize your feedback in four common formal settings: design reviews, standups, retrospectives, and postmortems.

The do’s and don’ts of formal feedback

Design reviews (Meetings to p rovide in-depth feedback focused on project goals.)

<ul><li>Do schedule these reviews early, midway and at the end of a project. </li><li>Don’t include more than about seven people. </li><li>Do bring in experts from other teams. </li><li>Don’t use a design review to reveal finished work. </li><li>Do choose a facilitator and ground rules for the conversation. </li><li>Don’t let designers pitch ideas or explain too much. </li> </ul>

Design standups (Quick check-ins to keep team members on the same page.)

<ul><li>Do establish a fixed time for everyone to participate in daily standups. </li><li>Don’t let stand-ups turn into design critiques. </li><li>Do answer three questions: What did you do yesterday? What will you do today? Is anything in your way? </li><li>Don’t sit down. Stay on your feet and keep things moving. </li> </ul>

Retrospectives: (Meetings to analyze a project after launch or a sprint after completion.)

<ul><li>Do include everyone who participated. </li><li>Don’t skip this opportunity to integrate lessons learned. </li><li>Do consider using a survey before retrospectives to gather all voices. </li><li>Don’t forget to reflect on what did and didn’t go well. </li> </ul>

Postmortems: (Meetings to evaluate a project that has gone poorly.)

<ul><li>Do rely on an impartial moderator for the discussion. </li><li>Don’t start without some ground rules. </li><li>Do focus on a timeline of events and facts. </li><li>Don’t descend into finger pointing. </li><li>Do send out a summary email after the postmortem </li><li>Don’t quit the process without clarifying lessons and action steps. </li> </ul>

Now, in all formal situations, I’d recommend paying careful attention to the language you use in giving feedback. For example, if you think a layout misses the mark, talk about the “design” and not the person who made it. I’ve found criticisms are easier to swallow when they do not feel overly personal.

For a deeper look at all four of these feedback processes, check out chapter four of the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.designbetter.co/principles-of-product-design/show-and-tell">Principles of Product Design </a>.

The best tips for giving formal feedback

The importance of giving feedback

Do's and don'ts for feedback meetings

Do's and Don'ts for quick check-ins

Do's and Don'ts for feedback after project completion

Do's and Don'ts for feedback on a postmortem

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The best tips for giving formal feedback

The importance of giving feedback

Do's and don'ts for feedback meetings

Do's and Don'ts for quick check-ins

Do's and Don'ts for feedback after project completion

Do's and Don'ts for feedback on a postmortem

It's time to Read like a Pro.

A Tactical Guide to Managing Up: 30 Tips from the Smartest People We Know

5 Ways to Give (And Receive) Negative Feedback | Planio

How to manage the anxiety of giving negative feedback

It's time to
Read like a Pro.