Performance Appraisal Process Summary and Forms

for Project Leaders and Team Members

INTRODUCTION
What This Is:
A process and forms that can be used to promote recognition of project performance as part of
someone's normal performance appraisal each year. This template addresses both individual team
members and project leaders.

Why It’s Important:

A common complaint by project managers is that individual team members are rewarded by the company
for their performance in their functional area, such as engineering or marketing or manufacturing. Their
review often doesn't take into account whether or not they contribute well to a project. And of course,
project managers would like to be rewarded for the substantial efforts they put into this role.

How to Use The Contents of this File:

Follow the suggested processes, using the included forms. They are meant to provide additional inputs to
your existing review process, rather than replacing it.

The following pages contain an overview of how the project performance appraisal can be
implemented, guidelines for collecting the appraisals from project team members, and sample
forms for project leaders and team members.
 Process and Form for Project Leader Performance Appraisal Input
Overview:
• These forms will be filled out not necessarily at the very end of the project, but when the particular
team member is leaving the team. Performance will therefore be fresh in the project leader’s mind.
• The expectation will be set with functional managers that they must incorporate feedback from project
leaders in people’s annual review.
• They would have these forms on file for already-completed projects in the last year.
• They would be expected to solicit some kind of input from project leaders of current projects the
person is on (but doesn’t have to be the form).
• All those designated as team members on the team roles list should be reviewed, even if they are
part time members. Any appropriate notes about their amount of involvement can be included on the
form.

Process for Conducting a Project Performance Appraisal:

1. When the person is about to leave the project, the project leader will fill out the form
2. The project leader will then give a copy to the person and give them the option to schedule time to
discuss it. (If it is negative, it is assumed that they will discuss it.) The discussion could be a three-
way meeting with the functional manager and project leader.
3. The person will sign to indicate that they have seen the form and had a chance to review it (or
selected not to review it) with the project leader.
4. The project leader will give a copy of the signed form to the functional manager to be filed for the
person’s next review (and for any current issues to be addressed in the near term).
5. When the person is about to leave the project, they will fill out a form on the project leader. The form
can be anonymous.
6. The person will give the form to the project leader’s functional manager.
7. The functional manager will review the forms with the project leader. (The functional manager will be
responsible for protecting the anonymity of the team member.)
8. The project leader will sign indicating they’ve reviewed the forms, and they will be filed for the next
performance review.
 Project Leader Performance Appraisal Input Form

Project Leader being Appraised:____________________ Team member (optional): __________________ Project: ________________ Date: ________
Introduction: The purpose of this form is to solicit your feedback for this individual’s annual performance appraisal. Please rate and comment upon his/her work
on the above project. Provide enough detail to allow the person’s functional manager to commend the individual on strengths and accomplishments, and to point
out specific areas for improvement in the next year. NOTE: The intent is for you to spend only 5 to 10 minutes doing this basic assessment.
Poor Fair Good Very Excel- n/a or Comment specifically on
Good lent no strengths/accomplishments, or
opinion weaknesses/shortcomings in this area.
Project results: degree to which Product
Vision, schedule, and costs were met. ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
Leadership of a synergistic team
Effective use of the company's project ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
lifecycle; continuous improvement of
technical/team processes
Success at obtaining adequate cross-
____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
functional participation.
“People skills” demonstrated in working
____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
with individuals and motivating the team.
Ability to apply technical skills and other
____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
knowledge to make right project decisions.
Management Skills
Accurate and thorough planning, scheduling ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
Ability to keep the project on course. ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
Open, accurate, and timely communication
____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________
of objectives, progress, status, issues
Ability to run effective meetings ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____________________________________________

Overall performance as Project Leader ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____________________________________________

Particularly commendable contributions/strengths: ____________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Major dissatisfactions (major areas for improvement): __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other comments:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Team Member Performance Appraisal Input Form

Team member being appraised: _______________________ Project Leader:______________________ Project: ___________________ Date: ________
Introduction: The purpose of this form is to solicit your feedback for this individual’s annual performance appraisal. Please rate and comment upon his/her work
on the above project. Please provide enough detail to allow the person’s functional manager to commend the individual on strengths and accomplishments, and to
point out specific areas for improvement in the next year. You may leave an item blank if you do not have an opinion. NOTE: The intent is for you to spend only 5
to 10 minutes doing this basic assessment.
Poor Fair Good Very Excel- n/a or Comment specifically on strengths/accomplishments,
Good lent no or weaknesses/shortcomings in this area.
opinion
Quality of work performed on project _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
Timeliness of project task completion _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
Timeliness of action item completion _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
Contribution to meeting product cost _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
and project budget targets (may be not
applicable--n/a-- for all software projects)

Participation as a synergistic team

member (rate each sub-category)
Cooperation with other team members _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
Communication of progress, status, issues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
Communication on technical matters _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
Contribution to continuous improvement of _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
development, technical, team processes

Overall performance on project _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

Particularly commendable contributions/strengths: ____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Major dissatisfactions (major areas for improvement): __________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other comments: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________