Getting 360 degree feedback right starts with asking the right questions.
Well written 360 questions help align people onto what’s important, ensure reliability, and provide participants with clear, actionable insights.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
Whether you’re building a new questionnaire or reviewing existing ones, this guide will help you write questions that work.
For 360 feedback to be meaningful and actionable, the questions must produce data that is both reliable and valid.
Poorly written questions often fail on one or both of these fronts. They may:
The best 360 survey questions reduce reliability errors and improve clarity by applying the following principles:
You shouldn’t ask questions about someone’s understanding, feelings, beliefs, abilities, or internal thought processes, as these are not easily displayed or observed…. If it can’t be seen, it can’t be rated.
Avoid questions like:
Avoid double or triple-barrelled questions. They make it hard for respondents to rate accurately, particularly if the participant is strong in one aspect but weaker in another.
Don’t include questions like:
Questions should be easy to read and understand. Too many words can confuse meaning, so aim to keep them short, sharp, and clear.
Ideally with 6 – 8 words (a maximum of 10).
Make sure your questions are clear and mean exactly what you intend.
Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, jargon, management or corporate speak, and technical terminology, unless you can be sure everyone will interpret them the same way. Simple, straightforward language is always best.
Avoid mixing positive and negative statements within the same questionnaire. Mixing them can confuse interpretation and lead to inconsistent results.
Don’t write questions that rely on neighbouring questions for context or additional meaning.
Make sure the question works with the scale being used.
Examples of conflicts:
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Is able to... |
Asks about ability, not observable behaviour. |
| Holds regular 1:2:1s |
“Regular” clashes with a frequency scale |
| Is seen as the ‘go-to’ person |
Better suited to a yes/no answer than a frequency-based scale. |
Beyond the seven principles, a few other traps often reduce question reliability:
Our article Eight common mistakes to avoid when writing 360 feedback questions provides more information on this.
Before finalising your questionnaire, make sure each question:
Q. How do I write 360 degree feedback questions that actually work?
A. Focus on observable behaviours only - if it can’t be seen, it can’t be rated! Keep each question short, simple, and positive, describe one behaviour at a time, and make sure it stands alone. Following these principles improves reliability and validity, giving participants clearer, more actionable insights.
Q. What are the most common mistakes when writing 360 degree feedback questions?
A. Common mistakes include asking about internal thoughts/ understanding, combining multiple behaviours in one question, using vague or subjective language, and including behaviours raters rarely observe. Avoiding jargon and matching each question to the rating scale helps make your questionnaire clearer, more consistent, and easier to answer.
