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Feedback

Feedback in Topicflow creates a continuous performance record. Instead of saving all observations for review time, managers and peers provide feedback throughout the year, making reviews more accurate and less stressful.

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What feedback is

Feedback in Topicflow is a documented observation about someone’s work, behavior, or impact. It can be:

• Positive (reinforcing what’s working)
• Constructive (suggesting improvement areas)
• Public (visible to the person and others)
• Private (visible only to the person and specific viewers)
• Formal (saved to the performance record) or informal (mentioned in meetings)

Feedback can reference specific work (projects, goals, meetings) or general patterns.

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Why feedback matters

Without continuous feedback:

• Performance reviews rely on recent memory
• People are surprised by feedback they never heard before
• There’s no record of what was discussed throughout the year
• Growth happens slowly because course-correction is delayed

With continuous feedback:

• Performance reviews summarize what’s already been said
• People have time to improve before formal evaluations
• There’s documented evidence of performance over time
• Coaching happens regularly, not just at review time

Feedback transforms performance management from an annual event into an ongoing conversation.

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Types of feedback

Positive feedback (reinforcement) Highlights what someone did well:

• “Your presentation to the exec team was clear and persuasive”
• “You handled that difficult customer conversation with professionalism”
• “The way you onboarded the new engineer was thorough and supportive”

Positive feedback reinforces effective behaviors and builds confidence. Constructive feedback (improvement) Identifies areas for growth:

• “The project update was late and lacked key details — let’s discuss how to improve communication”
• “I noticed you didn’t ask clarifying questions before starting the feature — this led to rework”
• “Your code reviews could be more detailed to help junior engineers learn”

Constructive feedback creates opportunities for development. 360-degree feedback (from multiple sources) Feedback from:

• Managers
• Peers
• Direct reports
• Stakeholders from other teams

Multiple perspectives provide a fuller picture of someone’s performance.

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How feedback works in Topicflow

Giving feedback

1. Go to Feedback and click “Give Feedback”
2. Select the recipient
3. Write the feedback
4. Choose visibility (who can see it)
5. Optionally link it to a goal, project, or meeting
6. Submit — the recipient and selected viewers can now see it

Requesting feedback

1. Go to Feedback and click “Request Feedback”
2. Select who you want feedback from
3. Optionally provide context or specific questions
4. The person receives a notification and can submit feedback

Feedback visibility

• Private to recipient: Only the person and their manager see it
• Shared with manager: Visible to the person, their manager, and feedback author
• Public: Visible across the team (often for positive feedback or recognition)

Visibility controls allow for sensitive constructive feedback without embarrassment.

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Where feedback appears

Feedback doesn’t live in isolation: In the person’s feedback view All feedback given and received is visible in one place. In performance reviews Feedback submitted during the review period automatically surfaces in reviews, providing context and examples. In one-on-ones Recent feedback can be discussed in meetings. In Topicflow AI Topicflow AI can reference feedback when preparing for reviews or one-on-ones.

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How feedback connects to the rest of Topicflow

Feedback and meetings Feedback is often given during one-on-ones. It can be:

• Mentioned verbally and captured in notes
• Formalized as a feedback item for the performance record

Feedback and goals Feedback can relate to how someone is executing on their goals:

• “Great progress on your Q2 goal — you’re ahead of schedule”
• “Your goal updates have been sparse — let’s discuss blockers”

Feedback and reviews Performance reviews pull in feedback submitted during the review period, making it easier to write comprehensive, fair evaluations. Feedback and AI Topicflow AI can help draft feedback or summarize feedback trends:

• “Draft feedback for [person] about their recent project work”
• “What feedback has [person] received this quarter?”

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What’s next