a buyer's guide to 360 degree feedback

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This guide will enable you to compile a checklist of decision points when selecting a 360 degree feedback provider.

As a 360 specialist, we’re well placed to offer you advice on considerations for buying a 360 degree feedback programme.

By reading this guide, you’ll clarify for yourself the things that you must have, could have and don’t need.

This’ll mean you spending less time talking to companies that don’t match your requirements, and save you money too as you won’t pay for anything you don’t need.

Service provided Reader notes

Reputable client list

Dedicated project management support

Post-sales support (technical/IT or consultative support)

Experience in delivering 360 for different purposes (i.e. for appraisal, cultural change, to embed values)

Flexibility of service to fit exact business needs

1. Supplier profile

What expertise and skills are you looking for in a 360 partner? Consider the type of company you’d prefer to partner with.

A buyer’s guide to:360 degree feedback

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2. Consultancy support

How much help will you need to devise your 360 degree feedback programme? Consultancy support from business psychologists will ensure you get a 360 programme that’s been designed to deliver your specific aims.


Guidance on introducing 360 feedback for the first time or re-launching it

Align 360 questionnaire with competency framework, values and/or strategy

Help communicating with key stakeholder groups

Support participants on how to receive feedback

Support participants with taking action and changing behaviour

Advice on frequency of 360 to drive behavioural change


Create questionnaire(s) – wording of questions and devising rating scale

Create a competency framework (if you don’t have one already)

3. Creating materials

You’ll need to think about what content will be needed for the 360 programme and who will be able to create these materials. Start by identifying what expertise and capacity you have in-house to do this.

If you know you’re going to need external support from a supplier with some content creation, make sure you capture these requirements in your brief.

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Theoretical and practical expertise to develop a culturally-appropriate 360 process

Technical knowledge to design an online system that will fit your business

IT security to store your data in the most secure manner and experienced in assisting with strict penetration testing to prove this

Buyer’s guide: 360 degree feedback

4. Reporting

The quality and flexibility of reporting outputs is a key consideration when evaluating providers. Consider who’ll need to access reports, what formats they’ll want data in and how data will be used. Answering these questions should inform your reporting requirements.


Different levels of access to 360 data (e.g. for managers, admin users, executives)

Summary reports for participants

Group reporting and demographic splits (e.g. by gender, region etc.)

Norm groups, percentile and quartile reporting (shows individual scores versus colleague norms)

Analysis of results for stakeholders (e.g. capability, diversity, links with engagement)

5. Behavioural change

The success of 360 degree feedback is ultimately measured by the changes that result. You need to provide the right tools, create the right processes and offer sufficient support to participants to be able to address the behaviours they need to change after 360.


Guide feedback receivers on interpreting their results to identify actions

Interpret group-level data to identify action at an organisational level

Host manager workshops to help feedback receivers interpret reports

Create action toolkits for feedback receivers

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Create communication materials (emails, user guides etc.) for the programme

Translate 360 questionnaire into different languages

Buyer’s guide: 360 degree feedback

6. Technical requirements

You needn’t be a technical whizz but you should know enough to inform your basic requirements. Involve your IT team before you speak with providers and capture a list of technical and security-related restrictions or preferences for where data is stored, how the data is stored and how the system is accessed.


Approval steps / selection and approval of raters (by manager)

Customisable 360 tool (i.e. apply company branding to all materials, add new questionnaires, custom reports etc.)

Compatibility with other devices or off-line (i.e. smartphone, tablet)

Host the 360 (and all data) externally

Integration with other HR software or a company intranet

Rigorous security (penetration) testing by your IT team or their external tester of choice

7. Cost

The overall cost of a 360 degree feedback system could vary wildly depending on the complexity of your requirements. Having said this, pay-per-use is the most common pricing model whereby you pay an agreed price or credit amount (anything from £50-£150 is typical) per 360 feedback receiver.

You should also factor in the likely upfront costs. For a customised 360 programme and system you’ll pay for the development work and, when buying off-the-shelf, you’ll have to buy the software.

Getting participants to change behaviour based on 360 feedback can be particularly challenging when you’re dealing with a senior population and with people who are unwilling or unable to change how they work.

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Train the trainer sessions

Coaching support for feedback receivers

What should you do next?

Æ Use our checklist and consider to what you must have, would like to have and don’t needÆ Create your brief using this information Æ Speak with people in your network and get their recommendationsÆ Do some research and shortlist 3-5 companies that meet your criteria to invite to talk.

Can we help? If you’d like to speak with us about your requirements, please contact us via

Call us on +44 (0)1932 222700

Or e-mail us at [email protected]


a buyer's guide to 360 degree feedback

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