What do you do if feedback and evaluation become obstacles in software project management?

It's crucial to start by making sure that all team members understand the objectives of feedback and evaluation. This involves explaining what is expected of them and the proper ways to give and receive feedback.

Identificar a origem do problema, pode ser que a comunica??o entre a equipe e os Stakeholders n?o esteja fluindo da maneira adequada, resultando em feedbacks pouco claros ou avalia??es inconsistentes. Promover uma cultura de comunica??o aberta e construtiva, incentivando todos os envolvidos a expressarem suas opini?es e sugest?es de forma clara e respeitosa. Garantir que as avalia??es sejam baseadas em critérios objetivos e alinhadas com os objetivos do projeto, evitando que se tornem subjetivas ou enviesadas. Importante estar aberto a ajustes e melhorias contínuas no processo de feedback e avalia??o, buscando sempre identificar oportunidades de aprimoramento e adapta??o às necessidades específicas do projeto.

Not sure if these have to be considered as 'Obstacle' upfront. My recommendation: #1 For Feedbacks, Revisit Project Scope. If feedback points are - not under the scope, those are not valid, answer back referring as out-of-scope - under Scope, Not accomplished correctly, ACKNOWLEDGE THE FEEDBACK POINTS & address. Update Project Plan in Detail, Work closely with the team so similar mistake wont happen again. #2 If Evaluation becomes Obstacle, sounds like, Project Expectations Set was MISSING the agreement about the frequency of the evaluation or who owns. Communicate with stakeholders to SET CLEAR EXPECTATION OF EVALUATION TIMELINES & ACTION OWNERS, Update project plan & documents so it would not be Obstacle again.

When you decide to engage with feedback, it's important to prepare yourself fully—your body language and intentions should align to foster genuine growth. Remember, prioritizing people over project delivery is paramount. This principle should guide all your daily interactions. Sometimes, listening attentively proves more effective than simply speaking.

When feedback and evaluation become obstacles in software project management, it's crucial to address them promptly to ensure the project stays on track and meets its objectives. Here are a few steps you can take: 1. Identify the Root Cause 2. Open Communication Channels 3. Clarify Expectations 4. Implement Feedback Mechanisms 5. Address Resistance 6. Adapt Evaluation Methods 7. Continuous Improvement 8. Seek External Support Remember, addressing obstacles in feedback and evaluation is an ongoing process. By prioritizing open communication, clarity, and a willingness to adapt, you can overcome these challenges and drive your software project towards success.

Food for thought: if you are facing problems with feedback and evaluation, regardless of the type of team you are managing, there is a great disconnect between the expectations for the roles you are leading. Leading a team is way more than managing them. Each one of your team members should have a clear picture of where they fit in your organization and also what's expected from them. If feedback and expectations are not being clearly communicated, you have a bigger problem. Most likely, I would bet, the problem is on your side... since you, yourself, may not have clearly in your mind what needs to be done.

Communication stands as a fundamental pillar of success in all the projects I've worked on. It's been the catalyst unleashing the power of our teams. As Project Managers, we constantly communicate across various channels. Therefore, if you aspire to excel in the realm of feedback, investing in this soft skill is paramount. Numerous books and courses exist to enhance communication, but I recommend delving deeply into the realm of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), which can elevate your communication skills to unprecedented heights.

One of the things I learned in my working live from a former colleague is the difference between “Actionable Intelligence” and “Situational Awareness”. This can be applied on multiple things. Among others, feedback within software projects. It is important tot create a process with clear communication moments to provide feedback for the longer term “actionable intelligence” and a team culture to provide feedback for the short term “situational awareness”.

Escuta ativa e uma comunica??o assertiva. Estamos tratando sobre produto, temos que ter a maturidade para ouvir, para entender, para analisar o feedback em prol do produto.

Leading a project requires you to have [1] a clear view of what's necessary to be done, [2] the expectations for your team and also [3] how they would receive feedback if things are not going the way they are supposed to. Contrary to what many people think, there is not such a thing as delegate and forget in management. You, as a manager, needs to keep accountability and make sure the team is aligned and productive. That way you create clear boundaries related to feedback and evaluation. If you are confused about how to provide feedback and how to evaluate your team, it's better to rethink your communication strategy and stablish a better way to interact with them. So, define clear boundaries on how these things will be communicated.

Establishing clear boundaries in feedback meetings is crucial, ideally through regular and structured sessions. An insightful book I read long ago, 'The One Minute Manager' by Ken Blanchard, emphasized the importance of recognizing and encouraging positive behaviors. Therefore, adopting a proactive approach to giving feedback—not just when things go awry—can yield more effective results. By focusing on reinforcing what's going right, rather than solely addressing shortcomings, your feedback is more likely to resonate and drive meaningful improvement

Be sure to review the feedback in terms of Risks and Issues that may need to be captured, processed and actioned. Allocate an owner and establish a resolution timeline.

If feedback and evaluations become obstacles in managing software projects, it is important to approach the situation carefully and take appropriate measures to overcome these problems. It is essential to foster a positive feedback culture within the team, where everyone is encouraged to give and receive feedback in a constructive way. Emphasize the importance of feedback as a tool for continuous improvement and professional growth. Additionally, training and support could be offered to the team to improve their ability to give and receive feedback effectively. This could include communication workshops or other activities. Finally, any conflicts or differences of opinion related to feedback and evaluation must be promptly addressed.

As the renowned strategist Peter Drucker once said, 'Culture eats strategy for breakfast.' Within an organization, culture reigns supreme, wielding more power than any strategic plan. Moreover, a company tends to not surpass the limits of its own culture. Therefore, it's crucial to cultivate a positive culture that facilitates collective growth within the organization. Such an environment fosters maturity in feedback sessions, encouraging individuals to think innovatively and explore unconventional solutions.

Feedback should be internal as well as external. Continued Process Improvement drives excellence which generates positive feedback.

From my experiences, first action to foster a positive culture is to build a safe workplace where staff can communicate and share their opinions with other including peer level or supervisor level without fearing that their feedback will make them lose a job. In order to build a sustain business, the organization will have to improve continuosly from time to time corresponding to external factors (i.e. New technology, market competition etc.) so the feedback at working level is important to strengthen the business at its core. Organization should encourage the feedback giving and taking culture in appropriate way; there are many formats that could be applied with their organization.

Integrating project management tools with feedback and evaluation features can streamline your process. These tools help track progress, share feedback, and conduct evaluations seamlessly, making feedback a natural part of the development cycle.

Assess Feedback objectively to understand the real meaning of the feedback and plan action accordingly if necessary. Additionally, seek feedback from the provider's option on what could be best option from their view. Review it and adapt it if it is useful. 2. Identify Communication Gaps and try to fill them to bring openness, positivity and acceptance. Encourage meaningful feedback. 3 Define boundaries by setting up scope, cutoff time and standards for the feedback. 5 Speak Last: Make sure everyone speaks first under the subject and you speak last; you will be able to recognize different viewpoints and determine which options to consider. 6. Story telling is the best way to get feedback and make others realize the consequences.

From your team member's perspective, there is nothing worst than working for a manager who has unclear expectations and, as a result, doesn't provide accurate feedback. We all ran into that type of manager in the past: "Hey boss, how is my performance?" you asked. "Well... good." the manager replies with little to no specifics. It's virtually impossible to improve your team's performance in an environment where things are so abstract. The team in that case simply doesn't have any clear indications on how they can get better and improve their skills. So, besides defining how feedback and evaluation will be done, define what actually is important and needs to be done. Be clear on what you want from them and align the team through feedback.

In my experience, it's crucial to handle feedback with care, especially considering the diversity in culture and generations of today. People's behaviors and attitudes are a little bit crazy, is like nobody is in a good mental-health, influenced not only by the COVID-19 pandemic but also by overwhelmed technology-communication. As a project manager, to listen beyond the words spoken is essential. Lastly, the effectiveness of feedback often relies on the reputation and actions of the person delivering it—words must be backed by actions.