The Importance of Feedback

The process of feedback came to our attention in our very first years and soon became a need. The familiar act of a child handing his recent kindergarden drawing to his proud parents illustrates this emerging need. 

                                                          "Wow! You are so talented!" 

The inventors of Scrum have detected the need and came up with its own ceremony called Sprint Review which had been widely discussed.

Yet, during the development process we encounter the need for feedback in many other occasions. We have all experienced cases where we have anticipated to show off are latest genius design. How else would we share our success if not for the good old code review? Would we have coded in the same level without it or would you have subconsciously cut a few corners?

What is it About Feedback That Makes it so Desirable?

The first component of the feedback is the attention which emphasizes the importance of one's achievement. Disregarding an achievement will soon put in doubt the importance of it and most likely minimize motivation in one's future work.

The second component is the process of learning. Wikipedia explains the word us being a part of a cause-effect loop, "the event is said to 'feed back' into itself".

The feedback will help us learn how to improve the quality of our achievement including reducing unnecessary work.

Everyone and Everything Deserve a Feedback

There is sometimes a misconception which assumed that feedback should granted to junior employees and regard only to their main occupation. However, everyone, no matter their experience, would benefit from a feedback for even a routine work like writing a document. A work not worth a feedback is most likely not worth doing.

Give an Effective Feedback

Compliments are always well received, try not to exaggerate in order to maintain their positive effect in the long term. Criticism, on the other hand, is a more sensitive case which may be easily interpreted as public humiliation. So, a rule of thumb will be to praise in public and criticize in private.

Facebook has figured this one out long ago.

Remember that the opposite of compliment isn't criticism, but disregarding.