How Complete Is Your Feedback Loop?

1. The service-provider's decision-makers (government, non-profit organization, or other:

Ask for more information about constituent feedback

Reference feedback in strategy meetings

Account for feedback collection methods in budgeting

Informally talk with constituents

Make a plan to discuss the results of the feedback

Create discussion groups with constituent communities

2. The constituents:

Have strong opinions about service provision in their communities

Talk amongst their friends and families about quality of local services

Actively look for avenues to share their thoughts with service organizations

Give feedback to service organizations

Informally talk with service organizations

Regularly work with service organization to improve local services

3. We use feedback results as the basis to hold further discussions with constituents.

Never

Sometimes

Always

4. When designing the feedback process,

We test the process locally and iterate upon it before fully launching

We make a note of biases so that they can be accounted for during analysis

We allow respondents to remain anonymous, if they would like

Questions are written in a way that is respectful of constituents, for purposes that they understand and endorse

Decision-makers know how they can use the answers for every question asked

5. We have created at least one method for gathering constituent opinion.

No

Yes

6. The method (i.e. survey, focus-group discussion, stakeholder working group)

Is implemented by a suitable party, be it a trained community member or third party

Begins by explaining the purpose and purpose of the method to constituents

Asks constituents clear, targeted questions (i.e. What prompted you to stop using our service?)

Asks constituents to evaluate the services they experience based on multiple factors (service importance, service quality, relationships, and outcomes)

Includes a question about how constituents really feels about the service organization (i.e. in business, many use the Net Promoter Question: e.g. "How likely are you to recommend ABC Services to a friend or colleague?")

7. We separate the analysis of our data based on respondents'

Different demographic variables (i.e. age, gender) to understand what different groups think about the same issue (disaggregation)

Different levels of satisfaction (segmentation)

8. We compare our responses (This is rare! The field is just getting going. Click here to find resources to help you benchmark.)

With past responses to assess change over time (benchmarking)

With those of our peers in the sector (benchmarking)

With other sources of data, including narrative feedback (i.e. interviews, focus groups) and outcome data (i.e. employment rate, infrastructure improvement) (triangulation)

9. We summarize the responses in clear conclusions and simple visual representations that maximize understanding.

Never

Sometimes

Always

10. When sharing our findings we publish the feedback on an easily accessible public platform.

After Some Delay

Quickly

In Real Time

11. When learning more about our results,

We hold open conversations with constituents about our findings

We talk with respondents to understand the motivations, causes, and reasons for the responses

12. When discussing the results of the feedback,

We engage all key decision makers and ask them to think about what the feedback is saying and how they would respond

We talk with a representative sample of constituents to help us understand how accurately the responses reflect local opinion

We encourage decision-makers and constituents to co-create actionable recommendations and timelines

If there are disagreements, we have decision-makers and constituents explain to each other why certain changes are not feasible

13. The service-providing organization has experience in making small, iterative steps and testing them before making larger changes.

Never

Sometimes

Always

14. When we talk with decision-makers (i.e. those who can change services)

We see timely responses to our recommendations

We present and propose specific changes

We agree on practical ways of improving the service or relationship

15. We monitor whether the feedback has led to action and improvement by

Following up with the decision-makers on their progress

Checking to see that this progress is reported back to the constituents

Monitoring responses to see if the constituents agree that the issue has been addressed

Asking constituents whether the corrected response is sufficiently working

Supporting decision-makers in institutionalizing the feedback loop