How do you get feedback from stakeholders on software?

Feedback is essential for any software project, as it helps you understand the needs, expectations, and satisfaction of your stakeholders. However, getting feedback from stakeholders on software can be challenging, as they may have different perspectives, preferences, and priorities. How can you collect and manage feedback effectively and efficiently? Here are some tips to help you.

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1 Choose the right tools

Depending on the type and stage of your software project, you may need different tools to gather feedback from your stakeholders. For example, you may use surveys, interviews, focus groups, user testing, prototypes, demos, or analytics to collect quantitative and qualitative data. You may also use stakeholder management software and platforms to centralize and organize feedback, communicate with stakeholders, and track progress and changes. Choose the tools that suit your project goals, budget, and timeline, and that are easy to use and understand for both you and your stakeholders.

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John Chrysostomides

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You may want to trust your users to tell you how to improve the software by working with it for 6 months and collecting suggestions onhow to speed up their processes and decide how the software can slim down actions. Process change goes hand in glove with software implementation

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2 Define the scope and purpose

Before you ask for feedback, you need to define the scope and purpose of your request. What are the main objectives and outcomes of your software project? What are the specific features or functions that you want feedback on? How will you use the feedback to improve your software? Communicate these clearly to your stakeholders, and set realistic expectations and boundaries. For example, you may want to specify the time frame, the format, the criteria, and the limitations of the feedback process.

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John Chrysostomides

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Why put parameters on individuals, ask for feedback any time any place anywhere and use agile techniques and regular reviews to continually check what should change, how and what is the return on investment (roi). To continually make improvements.

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3 Segment and prioritize your stakeholders

Not all stakeholders are equal when it comes to feedback. Some may have more influence, interest, or expertise than others. Some may be more responsive, cooperative, or constructive than others. Therefore, you need to segment and prioritize your stakeholders according to their relevance, importance, and availability for feedback. For example, you may use a stakeholder matrix or map to identify and categorize your stakeholders based on their power and interest in your software project. Then, you can tailor your feedback methods and strategies to each stakeholder group or individual.

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John Chrysostomides

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Not all recommendations are equal, stakeholders making them are. Hierarchy decisions on stakeholders make segmentation and confusion in development of improvement. The decision should be based on merit of change not on individual level. The boss does not always know best I large organisations e.g. NHS, councils multinationals. The girls and boys on the ground know what makes their lives easier, but they need also to know the product

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4 Ask the right questions

The quality of your feedback depends largely on the quality of your questions. You want to ask questions that are clear, specific, relevant, and actionable. You also want to avoid questions that are vague, ambiguous, leading, or biased. For example, instead of asking "Do you like this software?", you may ask "What are the benefits and drawbacks of this software for your work?" or "How would you rate this software on a scale of 1 to 10 on usability, functionality, and reliability?" You may also use open-ended questions to elicit more detailed and nuanced feedback.

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5 Listen and acknowledge

Getting feedback is not only about asking questions, but also about listening and acknowledging. You need to show respect and appreciation for your stakeholders' opinions and insights, even if they are negative or critical. You also need to acknowledge their feedback and let them know how you will address it. For example, you may use active listening techniques such as paraphrasing, summarizing, clarifying, and confirming to ensure that you understand their feedback correctly. You may also use positive feedback techniques such as thanking, praising, complimenting, and encouraging to motivate and engage your stakeholders.

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6 Analyze and act

The final step of getting feedback is to analyze and act on it. You need to review and evaluate the feedback that you have received from your stakeholders, and identify the main themes, patterns, gaps, and opportunities. You also need to prioritize and implement the feedback that is most relevant, valuable, and feasible for your software project. For example, you may use a feedback matrix or dashboard to organize and visualize the feedback data, and to assign tasks and responsibilities for feedback actions. You may also use a feedback loop or cycle to monitor and measure the impact of your feedback actions, and to solicit more feedback as needed.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you get feedback from stakeholders on software?

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1 Choose the right tools

2 Define the scope and purpose

3 Segment and prioritize your stakeholders

4 Ask the right questions

5 Listen and acknowledge

6 Analyze and act

7 Here’s what else to consider

Senior Stakeholder Management

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How do you get feedback from stakeholders on software?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Choose the right tools

2 Define the scope and purpose

3 Segment and prioritize your stakeholders

4 Ask the right questions

5 Listen and acknowledge

6 Analyze and act

7 Here’s what else to consider

Senior Stakeholder Management

Rate this article

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