11 Jun, 2024 - About 2 minutes
Feedback Etiquette
Intro
This article by Cara Marin provides a concise yet insightful summary on comments and feedback etiquette in distributed work environments. It offers valuable hints on how to enhance collaboration through effective commenting practices. I highly recommend reading it for practical tips and best practices.
Summary
In the context of distributed work, effective comments and feedback are crucial for collaboration among software engineers. Poor comments etiquette can hinder collaboration and complicate decision-making.
Key Principals
Key Principles for Good Comments Etiquette:
- Listen Fully and Presently: Engage completely with the document before commenting.
- Confirm Alignment and Understanding: Ensure mutual understanding before responding.
- Collect Your Thoughts: Think before providing feedback.
- Provide Actionable Feedback: Comments should be constructive and practical.
- Agree on Next Steps: Ensure clear next steps are outlined.
Importance of Comments Etiquette
Repetitive tasks, like reviewing documents, can lead to habits that undermine effective feedback, such as jumping to conclusions or making hasty comments.
How to Get High-Quality Feedback
- Specify the Feedback Needed: Be clear whether you need strategic, directional, or final-stage proofreading feedback.
- Guide Reviewers: Direct attention to specific parts of the document needing feedback.
Best Practices for Commenting
Direct Quotes and Highlighting
Use quotes or highlight text effectively to make comments clear.
Appropriate Use of Comments
Know when to use comments and when to opt for a direct conversation, especially for sensitive or complex feedback.
A general rule is: If you need more than three comments back and forth to discuss, you should probably move to a face-to-face conversation, like a Slack huddle or Zoom call. Make sure you circle back on the initial thread and document a summary of what was discussed during that call for future reviewers
Notify Colleagues
Inform teammates when feedback is provided to avoid confusion and ensure timely responses.
Conclusion
Adopting and maintaining good comments etiquette is essential for effective collaboration in distributed teams. Leading by example can promote better feedback practices within an organization.