What's the best way to deliver feedback results?

1 Know your purpose

Before you deliver feedback results, you need to know why you are doing it and what you want to achieve. Do you want to inform, motivate, persuade, or challenge your audience? Do you want to highlight successes, gaps, or opportunities? Do you want to spark discussion, reflection, or action? Knowing your purpose will help you define your key messages, select your data, and choose your format.

2 Choose your format

Depending on your purpose, audience, and context, you may choose different formats to deliver feedback results. For example, you may use a report, a presentation, a dashboard, a video, or a podcast. Whatever format you choose, make sure it is appropriate, accessible, and appealing for your audience. Consider their preferences, expectations, and needs. For example, some people may prefer visual data over text, while others may prefer interactive data over static data.

3 Use data wisely

Data is the backbone of feedback results, but it can also be overwhelming, confusing, or boring if not used wisely. To use data effectively, you need to select, analyze, and present it in a way that supports your purpose and messages. To do this, you should choose data that is relevant, reliable, and representative of your feedback process and goals. Analyzing the data to find patterns, trends, insights, and implications that relate to your purpose and messages is also important. Additionally, present the data in a clear, concise, and compelling way using charts, graphs, tables or other visual aids. Explain the data in simple and meaningful terms using stories, examples or analogies that connect with your audience. Lastly, interpret the data in a balanced and honest way acknowledging any limitations, uncertainties or biases that may affect your results.

4 Engage your audience

Delivering feedback results is not just a one-way communication; it is an opportunity to engage your audience and invite their feedback, questions, or reactions. To do this, you must understand who your audience is and tailor your content, tone, and style accordingly. Speak in a conversational and respectful manner to build rapport and trust. Ask questions, hold polls or surveys, or use other interactive tools to gain their input. Use stories, anecdotes, or testimonials to illustrate your results and show the impact or relevance for your audience. Lastly, use humor, emotion, or surprise to capture their attention and keep them interested.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?