55

STRATEGIES, IDEAS
AND PROTOCOLS
TO IMPROVE
FEEDBACK
DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATION

Written by
Tom Barrett
Welcome!
This fifty page digital resource is packed full
of protocols, strategies and practical ideas
you can use to help improve feedback.

This is a collection of insights and practices I

have experienced over nearly two decades.

I have explained each idea in a bite size

format and included some highlighted blog
posts along the way. These links will help you
find some further reading material and
expand your skillset.

I would be delighted to hear what you find

useful and which protocols resonate with you.
There are lots of ways to connect with me,
why not drop me an email and let me know
what you think.

tom@dialogiclearning.com

Director
Dialogic Learning
 30
Be kind
Be mindful of how your comments will be heard. Be
sensitive and critique the work not the person.

I like the way you are thinking here, and have you
considered X? I like what you are aiming to achieve, and
would X be useful to consider?

Be specific
when you give
and receive
feedback
General comments are not helpful. Feedback will be
easier to process and use if the commentary is very
specific. This is also the responsibility of the receiver,
who can ask for comments and critique for specific
aspects of the work.
 40
Be helpful and
constructive
Ensure your critique is moving the work
or idea on.
It is about offering a new perspective and helping to improve.
When there are glaring issues, highlight them clearly and
specifically and explore some actions together that would address
them.
 50
Approve or improve
Maybe all feedback should fall into these two actions. Approach the
feedback session with the attitude that you will either approve the
progress by affirming the developments so far, or you will improve the idea
by offering ideas that will move it forwards.

Be ambitious
Be positive and encouraging in your critique. Share the challenge of
making the idea more ambitious. What would it look like if it was 10x
bigger/smaller/wider reaching? What constraints are imposed? What if
they weren't there?

Be realistic
Ensure the advice being shared can move ideas on in a
realistic way. We want to be exposed to critique that is
actionable and appropriate for where we are in our process.
Small steps might be best.
 60
Share the progress
you have made
This will help frame their response to you
and avoid any overlaps.

Before someone offers

you critique ensure you
have spent some time
explaining the progress
you have made so far.
Share the iterations and drafts of your idea and if you have already gathered
critique explain what that is.
 70
Is this 30% or
90% feedback?
Feedback can be shared at different
points in the development process.

It is very difficult to
process late stage
feedback that suggests
fundemental changes
Earlier feedback (30%) might offer bigger changes and
conceptual alternatives. Whereas it is more appropriate for
later feedback (90%) to provide smaller alterations and
refinements. Find out what type of feedback is required,
30% or 90%.
 80
How to make the most
of 30% feedback
“It takes two to tango” as the song goes and the dynamic of
feedback is based on a relationship between two (or more)
people. Providing feedback is one role, receiving the feedback
the other and we can develop strategies to receive feedback as
well as those related to offering it.

Read more
From the blog Sept 2015
 90
Don’t create an
emotional story.
Focus on the specific feedback provided.

Avoid painting a
picture of the feedback
exchange with the
emotions we have
about the experience.
Most of the time this can cloud our interpretation of what was shared and we
make assumptions that are unfounded. Ask for specific written feedback if it is
not offered. Clarify your notes with the feedback giver afterwards.
 01
Stay open
Remaining open to feedback is a difficult skill.

There will be times

when we don’t want to
hear anymore, and just
want to protect
ourselves from further
critique.
The long arc of feedback in our professional lives means staying as open to
feedback as possible will be a significant developmental advantage.
 11
Remove yourself
from the work
We can get very caught up in the ideas and projects we create. In order to
be able to receive feedback more effectively we have to be able to
distance ourselves enough so that others can offer critique.

Hold your ideas

lightly
Do not clutch your ideas too tightly. We need to invest emotionally and
intellectually in the projects and ideas we are developing to make them
shine. But don’t shield them from the world of critique around you.

Feedback from others is a crucial part of development and we should hold

our ideas lightly enough to allow others in to contribute and make them
better.
 21
Hold your ideas
lightly
There is no tension in our grasp of the idea because we have
invested lots of time and energy into developing it. It is
probably early on in terms of our thinking and we are open to
what others say.

Read more
From the blog Feb 2015
 31
Take action - do
something with
the feedback
How effective the feedback is relies
on what you actually do with it.

After you have been

offered critique make
some immediate plans to
action something.
You might need to get some clarification about what was
shared, or there are some simple small actions you can get
on with straight away. You might choose to objectively
disregard most of the feedback and that is fine whatever
you do, choose to do something. The gift of feedback
needs you to take action.
 41
Is now the right
time?
Consider the timing of your feedback

Address the disposition

and emotional state of the
person receiving feedback.
We want to create the best possible conditions for receiving feedback as
we can, so we need to pay attention to each other. This means we need
high energy levels for it, so maybe now is not the right time.

Schedule a follow up at a different time of day or in a different space your

sensitivity to this will strengthen your relationship and deepen the trust
that is shared.
 51
Make room for
DIRT
Create the opportunity for dedicated improvement and
reflection time (DIRT) after you have been provided
specific feedback from others.

This is often used in classrooms so that students have

the space to be able to do something with the
feedback that has been shared. A handy acronym to
remind us about the intentional focus on taking action
with feedback.

Be additive
Approach any opportunities for providing feedback
with the humble intent to add some value. These
interactions could be small or significant, but with an
additive mindset we can always find ways to help
improve.
 61
Hard on content
soft on people
Ask yourself are you being hard enough?

Critique the work,

not the person who is
sharing the work.
For feedback providers this is a vital part of effective critique. Establish this as a
norm and a protocol we can rely upon so that anyone involved understands it is
not about them, it is about improving the work. Set this as an expectation before
you begin to allay any fears and make the feedback more effective.
 71
Dear Mr Judgy Pants
We obviously approached the chat from different places. You
see, I thought we were there to share some ideas. You know,
like new things we hadn’t considered yet. It seemed you had
just brought your pre-loaded high calibre idea sniper rifle.
Those ideas didn’t stand a chance; I mean they barely had a
moment to breathe.

Read more
From the blog April 2016
 81
Good ideas can
come from
anywhere
Adopt the mindset that everyone has
something potentially valuable to add
and that good ideas can come from
plenty of different directions.

Seek out alternative perspectives on what you

have created and force yourself out of the
bubble you have worked in.

FInd collaborators who will add some creative

tension with their insight, trust in the presence
of good ideas and your ability to surface them
through feedback and dialogue.
 91
What is the
feedback story?
Before you sit down to offer critique attempt to
understand the story of feedback.

Avoid repeating old

feedback and generate a
better understanding of
the development process
involved.
Ask these sorts of questions:

How much feedback have you had so far?

Who has been involved in offering some critique?
How much time have you been working on this?
How long since the last version was shared for feedback?
What is the most useful feedback you have had so far?
 02
Ditch the feedback
sandwich
People see this coming a mile away.

It has become a cliché

that sets up comments to
be “good” and “bad”.
These are not helpful
feedback categories.
People focus on the
“bad” comments and
ignore the positivity.
The traditional idea of sandwiching tougher feedback comments between two
slices of positivity, is not an effective feedback strategy. As a result the
interaction moves away from being developmental and the positive comments
disregarded as just an attempt to appease or a tonic to the sandwich filling. We
can do better, ditch the sandwich.
 12
3 Variables That
Profoundly
Affect the Way
We Respond to
Feedback
As Ken Blanchard says,
“Feedback is the breakfast
of champions.” But it
would seem there are From the blog April 2014
certain things that dictate
our appetite for feedback.

Read more
 22
Adopt a divergent
mindset
Resist the urge to get too narrow or
protective of your ideas.

Feedback dialogue
should develop new
ideas and so we need
to be ready for them.
When you are receiving feedback from others it is most
useful to take an open mindset. We can also describe this
as divergent thinking, exploring and developing a range of
new possibilities.
 32
Talk about the
talking
Explore a set of norms for how the critique session will
progress. Talk about the talking you will share together
and be clear about what we should expect from each
other. Invite those involved to adopt these protocols
and be watchful for evidence of them throughout your
time together.

Avoid
Masterchef
style feedback
Keep clear of providing significant feedback to those
who are well down the creative path. In Masterchef the
amateur cooks often receive scathing critique when
they are fully committed with a recipe idea.

Catastrophic critique is caused when mentors say “You

shouldn’t do that” and feedback receivers are thinking
“I am onto a winner. My recipe idea is decided.”
 42
Avoiding
Masterchef
style feedback
Feedback is
unquestionably an integral
process for learners.
However, it is also a
process that binds and
carries the progress of
many other professions
and creative endeavours,
as well as almost
From the blog June 2016
everything else in between.

That is why when watching the TV

Read more show Masterchef, the amateur
cooking competition, the impact
of feedback was all too present
and obvious.
 52
Focus on
feedforward
What critique will move this idea onwards? Don’t just focus on comments
about what has been done or completed so far. Explore new ideas and
prospective developments together. By the way Chris Harte came up with
the phrase “feedforward” one hundred years ago.

Keep things
balanced
List the positive and negative comments side by side from a range of
feedback responses. Recognise the balance of ideas shared and do not
get drawn into over-emphasising the negative. Read a positive comment
followed by a point for development. Another useful way to manage this is
to share your own critique of the session / lesson / workshop first pre-
empting anything that might be deemed negative.
 62
New perspectives are
valuable
Seek them out and value them.

Harness a beginner’s
eyes on long running
projects and more hefty
developments.
If you are lucky enough to have new colleagues in your organisation their fresh
perspective is a treasured resource. They may quickly fall in line with “the way
things are done around here” - so harness their beginner’s eyes on long running
projects and more hefty developments. They might just see something you have
not - we have to be open to this.
 72
Give yourself a
second score
The manner in which we receive the
feedback is important.
Your first score might be feedback that is challenging or
troublesome, but the way you listened and responded in an open
way, provides you the chance to give yourself a second score.
Receiving feedback is a skill and disposition we can actively get
better at.
 82
Second Score – use
this meta-feedback
strategy
It is no real surprise that we should invest time, energy and effort
in getting good at feedback. What follows is an outline of a a
handy technique, I will coin Second Score, which can aid the way
we receive feedback from others.

Read more
From the blog March 2016
 92
Feedback is not
advice
Advice tends to focus on the experiences and expertise of the “provider” of
advice. This advice may already exist and is simply shared, “When I have
experienced this before, I found that this strategy worked effectively.”
Feedback is a direct response to the idea or experience shared. Although
feedback is not advice, both play a part in rich developmental dialogue.

Create a safe space

Listening to feedback can be a challenging experience for some so pay
attention to creating the ideal conditions for feedback to be shared. A non-
threatening environment that offers comfort on many levels would be ideal. A
space that can be as private as you need to remain focused. Choose a space
that puts everyone at ease.
 03
Build trust
The hidden foundations of quality feedback are trusting relationships. Work
hard to build trust with your peers and colleagues so that when you ask for or
offer critique it is done in a trusting environment. Our immediate reaction to
feedback is a very good barometer of the trust we have of others.

Provide more
feedback earlier on
in the creative
process.
Early feedback is going to be useful to ensure the whole idea is not a waste
of time or “someone has already done that.” The quantity of feedback may
well reduce across the course of the development of an idea allowing you
time to build the next version and incorporate feedback offered. Ask early,
ask often.
 13
Develop the
disposition
There are a range of skills specific to giving and
receiving feedback, but there is also the development
of an appropriate disposition. Increase your awareness
of the mindset that you need to be open to feedback or
to provide it.

Seek it out
Be proactive in finding opportunities for feedback from a range of
different sources. Think carefully about when the feedback or critique
will be most useful and who you can turn to for commentary.

Where are you heading?

By gaining a sense of the direction a project or idea is heading we better
understand the context. Our feedback can be much more specific and
effective when we take into account the over context in which it is shared.
When there is no clear direction shared it still presents an opportunity to talk
about different paths and alternative outcomes.
 23
A Prototyping
Disposition
I bump into different
views of what
“prototyping” is,
should be or could be
quite regularly. It is
interesting to try and
help people,
especially educators,
change the way they
perceive a word and From the blog Feb 2015
begin to use it, even
understand it, in new
ways.
After all language is such a
decisive factor in our willingness
Read more to understand and so to change.
 33
Limit what you
invest
Be aware of pre-feedback commitment

When you have nascent

ideas try to limit what you
invest in communicating
the idea.
We all have a range of resources we might invest in an idea, from the
emotional energy give, to the time we invest. Before you get too caught
up in your plans and unleash your creative energy, build opportunities
for early check ins with feedback buddies to see if you are on a positive
track.
 43
Read “Inside the
Black Box”
The work by Dylan Wiliam and Paul Black is standard reading
for anyone interested in the ideas about feedback and
ongoing assessment. Useful as a foundation to other work
from Dylan Wiliam.

Move ideas forward

When providing critique keep in mind the progress you can contribute
to. Frame your comments and critique in terms of moving an idea or
project forwards. Pay attention to the momentum that has already been
built.

Build a culture of
critique
Pay attention to the long term goal of developing a culture that accepts and
champions feedback. Establish the critique language and habits that will help
build this.
 53
What Went Well?
Even Better If…
A great pair to consider as a simple protocol for feedback. Explore some
ideas that went well. Consider what would be even better if…

Focus on (self)
improvement
We can always learn. Feedback might be tough to hear and accept but
when we focus on self improvement everything is valuable. Sometimes this
value takes a while to reveal itself and that is OK.

Their perception is
their truth
We all see the world through our own assumptions and
biases. Everyone will have a different viewpoint, your
awareness of this will help you give (and receive) feedback
and critique in a more measured and balanced way.
 63
Learning in
Perpetual Beta
There are cultural and
ethical stances people
have that influence
their perception of
mistakes and failure in
learning. We need to
help the whole
learning community
appreciate this
positive prototyping From the blog June 2016
disposition.
Learning in perpetual beta is all
about continuous improvement
with an emphasis on engineering
Read more as many opportunities for
feedback as we can.
 73
Zoom out to see
the feedback
journey
Be mindful not to be drawn into the
minutiae of a single piece of feedback.

Get some perspective by reminding yourself how far you

have come with a design or idea. Look at the whole
feedback journey and identify some key turning points.
Who has made the biggest difference so far? At which
point did I get the most useful critique?
 83
Don’t waste
any time
Feedback is only as good as what you do with it. If
someone has taken the time to share some ideas and
critique waste no time in exploring what you will keep
or kick out. You don’t have to incorporate every piece
of advice, but you do need to make a timely choice.

Take every
feedback
opportunity
Seek out new sources of feedback and take as many
opportunities to get critique as you can. We tend to get
invested in our work as time ticks by, so this is
especially useful in the early days of an idea. Get in the
habit of asking for thoughts and ideas from others.

2 Stars and a Wish

At the end of a session or workshop ask participants for 2 Stars and a Wish. 2
things that they thought were enjoyable / memorable / that resonated - and
something that they wish for.
 93
Develop next steps
together
Work together to create some actions from the critique that
has been provided. We can all step up in these situations to
collaborate on a set of small step actions based on the
feedback. It is not just about waiting for someone else to tell
you what to do.

What is the
standard?
How do you know what a good one looks like? Ensure that you have
spent time exploring and sharing what the standard is we are
attempting to emulate or surpass. This will help feedback to be more
specific and useful.

Informal check-ins
count
Feedback does not need to be highly formal. Your casual discussions with
colleagues and peers can act as useful pointers that you are on a useful path.
Keep it light and informal.
 04
Find an
appropriate
time and place
If we are not in the right mindset to give or receive
feedback it can create a block. Think carefully about
the time of day, what previous or future meetings there
are, and an appropriate learning space to develop
some ideas together.

Ask questions
Use your questions to dig deeper into an idea or the
motivations behind something shared. Clarify and probe
through open questions and ensure you have all of the
information you need to be able to provide useful feedback.
 14
The Spaces you Need
to Innovate
Innovation is a process with a range of other ideas nested within it.
When you peer inside you see creativity, curiosity, feedback and
taking action. All interdependent and collectively they might be
called innovation.
When you think of the “space to innovate”
what immediately springs to mind? The
physical environment around you? Space
where you might develop ideas?
Read more Alternatively perhaps something about
the time you have available?
From the blog Sept 2018
 24
Pay attention to
emotions
“Is this the right time to share some critique?” Your ability to connect with
those who you give feedback to is vital. Pay attention to the emotional
stories unfolding and check in against these. Also be aware of your own
emotional reactions as a giver of feedback.

Show empathy
It is hard to walk in someone else’s shoes, perhaps impossible. Your
feedback and critique will be better if we can better understand the
experiences of those on the receiving end. This might help us to choose
words more carefully or re-arrange a feedback session for a better time.
 34
Be aware of
body language
We communicate a great deal to each
other through body language and how
we hold ourselves.

Sit calmly, use eye contact

and open body language.
This helps when giving and receiving feedback. Feedback and critique is
a momentary opportunity for development and so we want to remain as
open as possible. Allow your disposition to mimic your intentional open
body language.
 44
Don’t make
assumptions
Take your time to understand the full picture.

We have a tendency to
jump to assumptions
when we are both giving
and receiving feedback.
Be aware of this and ask yourself, “Is that an assumption I am making?”
Continually reflect on the different elements of your feedback. Challenge any
underlying assumptions you might be making by being transparent about your
thinking and instigating some dialogue.
 54
Establish processes
for dynamic and
ongoing feedback
Invest in the culture and structure that
allows feedback to occur successfully.

It is not just about the skills and protocols that exist at the
point of feedback. We rely on the culture and expectations
about feedback too. Make critique the norm within your
projects and under the right conditions it will flourish in a
variety of ways.
 64
Prototyping –
the quickest
way to learn
how bad your
ideas really are!
Prototyping is all about
the process of
generating multiple
versions of a solution so From the blog March 2018
you can continually
improve it.

Read more
 74
Photo and Images
Thanks to all of the amazing artists and
photographers. Please click their name to
explore their portfolios.

Riccardo Annandale
Michael Browning
Adam Jang
Pawel Janiak
Alex Jones
Drew Graham
Steffi Reichert
Jon Tyson