Evaluation software

Evaluation software is software that allows organizations to digitally prepare, conduct and follow up evaluations. Think of performance reviews, appraisal moments, 1:1s, feedback rounds and development conversations.

With evaluation software you can, among other things:

• prepare evaluation forms;
• collect feedback from managers, employees and colleagues;
• evaluate goals, KPIs and competencies;
• record meeting notes and agreements;
• analyze progress and results.

The goal of evaluation software is not only to digitize conversations. The software should mainly help to make evaluations clearer, fairer and more valuable. Managers know better what to look out for and employees better understand what is expected of them.

Organizations use evaluation software to bring more structure to conversations about performance, development and collaboration. That can be during formal evaluation moments, but also throughout the year.

You use evaluation software for example for:

• annual or semi-annual performance reviews;
• interim check-ins;
• 1:1 conversations between manager and employee;
• 360-degree feedback;
• evaluating goals, KPIs and competencies;
• development agreements and personal growth plans;
• reports for HR and management.

Evaluation software is especially valuable when you want to make evaluations less manual and less subjective. Instead of loose notes or different working methods per manager, you work with one clear approach.

This way, evaluating doesn't become a one-off moment at the end of the year, but part of a continuous review cycle.

Good evaluation software should be easy to use and also help substantively with better conversations. If the software is too complicated, managers and employees will use it less. If the content is too superficial, evaluating remains an administrative task.

Pay particular attention to:

• User-friendly evaluation forms, so managers and employees can quickly get started.
• Fixed templates for consistent conversations.
• Automatic reminders for deadlines.
• Room for feedback and self-evaluation by the employee.
• Linking with goals, competencies and development agreements.
• Central storage of notes and agreements.
• Reports for HR and managers to spot trends and signals.
• Secure access and clear permissions.

The best evaluation software supports the whole process, from preparation to follow-up. This way you prevent evaluations from being completed only because they have to be, and you actually make them valuable for growth, performance and development.

Three types of evaluation are often distinguished: diagnostic, formative and summative evaluation. These terms originally come from education and learning, but you can also apply them well to HR and Performance Management.

• Diagnostic evaluation
  You use this evaluation to determine where someone currently stands. For example, at the start of a new role, onboarding or development track. You map out which knowledge, skills or competencies are already present and where support is still needed.
• Formative evaluation
  This evaluation takes place during the process. The goal is to learn, adjust and stimulate development. Think of interim check-ins, feedback conversations or 1:1s in which manager and employee discuss what is going well and what could be better.
• Summative evaluation
  This evaluation usually takes place at the end of a period. The goal is to look back and form an opinion about performance, goals or development. Think of an end-of-year review or formal performance review.

In modern evaluation software these forms often come together. You measure where someone stands, follow development throughout the year and use the outcomes for a substantiated evaluation.

A good evaluation process starts with clear expectations and ends with concrete follow-up. Evaluation software helps to record these steps and make them clear for everyone.

A practical evaluation process consists of these steps:

1. Determine the goal of the evaluation, is it about performance, development, feedback, reward or a combination?
2. Make expectations clear, record on which goals, KPIs, competencies or skills someone is being evaluated.
3. Collect input, use feedback from the manager, the employee themselves and possibly colleagues.
4. Conduct the evaluation conversation, discuss results, behavior, development and collaboration.
5. Record agreements, note concrete actions, development goals and next steps.
6. Follow up on progress, use check-ins or 1:1s to discuss how things are going.
7. Use insights for HR decisions, think of development, growth, compensation, talent management or team planning.

With evaluation software you prevent evaluations from remaining isolated moments. You make the process clearer, more measurable and easier to follow up on.

The right evaluation software fits the way you work. A small organization may be fine with simple evaluation forms, while a larger organization needs more reports, automatic workflows and integrations with HR systems.

Ask yourself these questions in advance:

• Which evaluation conversations do we want to support?
• Do we only want to evaluate or also follow up on development?
• Should goals, KPIs and competencies be part of the evaluation?
• Do managers need help with templates or conversation tips?
• Do we want feedback from colleagues or only from the manager?
• Does HR need insight into progress, scores and trends?
• Should the software integrate with existing HR systems?

Choose evaluation software that not only digitizes the conversation, but also helps make evaluations fairer and more consistent. Especially when multiple managers conduct evaluations, it is important that everyone works from the same structure.

Learned helps organizations bring performance reviews, goals, feedback, 1:1s and development agreements together in one platform. In addition to evaluation software, you can also work with 360-degree feedback software and employee survey software in the same platform. Find current packages and pricing on our pricing page.

In digital evaluations, trust is important. Employees need to know how their input is used, who can see the results and whether feedback is anonymous. Without that trust, people more quickly give socially desirable answers or hold back important feedback.

Anonymity is especially relevant for feedback from colleagues, 360-degree feedback or evaluations about collaboration and leadership. For formal evaluation conversations between manager and employee, complete anonymity is usually less logical, because the outcome is discussed and followed up directly.

For digital evaluations, pay attention to:

• communicate in advance how feedback will be used;
• make clear who can see which information;
• use anonymity where needed for honest input;
• avoid reports that can be traced back to one person;
• make sure feedback is focused on behavior and development;
• record agreements transparently.

Psychological safety means that employees feel free to reflect honestly, ask questions and give feedback without fear of negative consequences. Evaluation software can help with this, but the surrounding culture is at least as important.

Good evaluation software therefore not only supports recording assessments, but also conducting open, honest and development-oriented conversations.