Chapter 8- Feeding Back Diagnostic Information Importance of Feedback in the Diagnostic Process 2. Characteristics of effective feedback data 3. Client Ownership of Data 4. Survey Feedback as a Key Technique 5. Summary

1. Chapter 8
Feeding Back Diagnostic Information
Prepared by:
Mona Sayed Mohmmed Ali
University of Khartoum
School of Management Studies
DBA Program

2. Contents
1. Importance of Feedback in the Diagnostic Process
2. Characteristics of effective feedback data
3. Client Ownership of Data
4. Survey Feedback as a Key Technique
5. Summary

3. DETERMINING THE CONTENT OF
THE FEEDBACK
Managing Feedback Content
• Large amounts of data are collected during diagnosis.
• Excessive data can confuse the client, making change seem
impossible.
• Data should be summarized for better understanding and actionable
insights.

4. Characteristics of effective feedback data
Relevant
• Feedback data must be meaningful to organization members.
• Involving managers and employees in data collection increases relevance.
Understandable
• Data should be easily interpreted.
• Graphs, charts, and visual aids can make statistical data clearer.
Descriptive
• Data should be connected to actual organizational behaviors.
• Use examples and illustrations to help employees grasp the data better.
Verifiable
• Data must be valid and accurate for guiding action.
• Information should allow members to verify whether the feedback reflects the true state of the
organization.

5. Characteristics of effective feedback data
Timely
• Feedback should be delivered soon after data collection to ensure relevance and motivation to act on it.
Limited
• Avoid overload members with too much information.
• Feedback should be limited to what can be realistically processed at one time.
Significant
• Focus on problems members can address.
• Feedback should energize members to direct efforts toward realistic changes.
Comparative
• Comparative data should be provided for context.
• Benchmarks help members understand how their group compares to others.
Unfinalized
• Feedback should stimulate further action, diagnosis, and problem-solving.
• It is a starting point for deeper discussions of organizational issues.

6. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
FEEDBACK PROCESS
Importance of the Feedback Process
• Equally important as the feedback data itself is how the feedback is delivered.
• Typically, feedback is shared in meetings where data is discussed, conclusions are drawn, and action
plans are formed.
Handling Sensitive Information
• Feedback may include sensitive or evaluative content about organization members’ behaviors.
• Participants may experience anxiety, fear, or hope before receiving the feedback.
Managing Defensive Behaviors
• Anxiety can lead to defensive behaviors such as denial or justifying actions.
• Properly managing the feedback process is crucial to minimize defensiveness and foster open dialogue.
Stimulating Positive Reactions
• Feedback can stimulate hope and motivation for positive change.
• A well-conducted feedback session can channel this energy into constructive problem-solving.

7. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
FEEDBACK PROCESS
Ensuring Ownership of the Data
• The primary goal of the feedback process is to ensure that organization
members take ownership of the data.
• Ownership refers to members’ willingness to accept the data, understand
its meaning, and use it for devising change strategies.
Avoiding Rejection of Feedback
• If the data is rejected as invalid or irrelevant, the motivation to change is
lost.
• OD practitioners must ensure that feedback is accepted and acted upon to
enable meaningful change.

8. Ownership of Feedback Data and
Successful Feedback Processes
1. Motivation to Work with the Data
• People must feel that working with the data will lead to positive outcomes.
• Explicit support from powerful groups encourages open discussion of issues.
• Lack of motivation or belief in the data's usefulness can prevent ownership.
2. Structured Feedback Meetings
• Meetings need structure, such as an agenda or discussion leader, to stay focused.
• Without structure, discussions can become too general, losing the energy for problem-solving.
• Maintaining focus, especially when dealing with negative data, is key to ownership.
3. Appropriate Attendance
• Include people with common problems who can work together to address them.
• Proper representation ensures that relevant participants can take ownership and act on the feedback.
• Without the right attendees, key issues may remain unaddressed.

9. Ownership of Feedback Data and
Successful Feedback Processes:
4. Appropriate power.
• Groups need clarity on which issues they can change, recommend, or have no
control over.
• Without clear boundaries, hesitation to act on feedback can occur.
• Ownership is lost if the group lacks the power to make meaningful changes.
5. Process Help
• OD practitioners can help keep discussions focused, especially when the data is
negative.
• Group process skills can prevent deflection and ensure meaningful problem-
solving.
• Assistance helps members improve feedback discussions, leading to stronger
ownership of the data.

10. SURVEY FEEDBACK
Definition of Survey Feedback
• A process that involves collecting and feeding back data from an organization or department
using questionnaires or surveys.
• Data is analyzed, shared with members, and used to diagnose the organization and develop
improvement interventions.
Role in Organizational Diagnosis
• Survey feedback is commonly used in diagnosing organizations, particularly in large-scale
OD efforts involving many participants.
• It serves as both a data collection tool and a powerful intervention.
Historical Importance of Survey Feedback
• Survey feedback has played a major role in the history and development of OD.
• Initially focused on gathering data about members' attitudes through questionnaires.

11. SURVEY FEEDBACK
Types of Data Used
• Attitudinal data is often supplemented with interview data and objective measures like productivity,
turnover, and absenteeism.
• This combination of subjective and objective data provides a comprehensive organizational
diagnosis.
Integration with Other OD Interventions
• Survey feedback can be combined with other OD interventions, such as:
• Work design changes
• Structural changes
• Large-group interventions
• Intergroup relations improvement
Outcome of Survey Feedback
• Survey feedback leads to planning and implementing changes.
• It acts as a foundation for further organizational development efforts.

12. Survey feedback steps
1. Preliminary Planning of the Survey
• Involve all organization members, including top leadership, in the planning process.
• Clarify the level of analysis (organization, department, or group) and define clear objectives for the survey.
• Ensure the diagnostic framework is approved by members to address the right problems and gain ownership
of the data.
• Use a standardized questionnaire or develop a custom survey instrument, ensuring proper pretesting for
validity.
2. Administering the Survey
• Distribute the survey to all members of the organization or department.
• If a full survey is not feasible due to cost or time, use a large sample to maintain motivation for feedback
participation.
• The broader the data collection, the better the engagement during feedback sessions.
3. Data Analysis and Consultant Involvement
• The OD consultant analyzes survey data, tabulates the results, and suggests diagnostic approaches.
• The consultant also trains client members to lead the feedback process effectively, ensuring accurate data
interpretation.

13. Survey feedback steps
4. Cascading Feedback
• Feedback typically follows a top-down approach, starting with leadership and cascading down
the organizational levels.
• Each level discusses the data relevant to their group and introduces it to the next level.
• A bottom-up approach is also possible, where workgroups address issues within their control
and escalate others up the hierarchy for action.
• This ensures that those closest to the issues propose the initial solutions.
5. Feedback Meetings for Action Planning
• Feedback meetings allow members to interpret their data, identify problem areas, and develop
action plans.
• OD practitioners facilitate these meetings to ensure clear understanding, maintain focus, and
help craft effective action strategies.
• These meetings are crucial for fostering ownership of the data and commitment to change.

14. Survey Feedback and Organizational
Dependencies
Traditional Survey Feedback Approach:
• Traditionally applied to individual work groups or organizational units.
• Limited focus on dependencies and interactions between groups.
Research indicates the need to vary the survey feedback design based on the level of dependency between
units.
Independent Units:
• When units are relatively independent with minimal interaction needs.
• Focus on internal dynamics within each group.
• Feedback can be applied separately for each group.
Interdependent Units:
• When units are dependent on each other and require coordination.
• Survey feedback must consider relationships between units.
• Greater attention is needed to potential intergroup conflict.

15. Limitations of Survey Feedback
Ambiguity of Purpose:
• Managers and staff may struggle to reach consensus on the survey's
purpose, content, and feedback process.
• This confusion can lead to disagreements over data interpretation and
inaction.
Distrust:
• Survey feedback can be ineffective in environments with high levels of
distrust.
• Employees must trust that their responses will remain anonymous and that
management is committed to transparency and problem-solving.

16. Limitations of Survey Feedback
Unacceptable Topics:
• Organizations often have certain sensitive topics they prefer not to address
in surveys.
• This limitation can constrain the survey's scope, especially if the ignored
topics are significant to employees.
Organizational Disturbance:
• The survey-feedback process can disrupt daily work activities by
infringing on employee time.
• It may also highlight issues management is unwilling to address,
potentially leading to unrealistic expectations for improvement.

17. Results of Survey Feedback
1. Widespread Use:
o Survey feedback is used in various sectors: businesses, schools, hospitals, governments, military.
o Example: The Navy used it across 500 commands, generating over 150,000 surveys, with promising results in areas
like drug abuse reduction and training performance.
2. Longitudinal Study by Bowers:
o A five-year study involving 23 organizations and over 14,000 people.
o Compared survey feedback with other OD interventions like process consultation and laboratory training.
o Survey feedback was the most effective in improving organizational climate.
3. Literature Reviews and Perspectives:
o Some studies indicate survey feedback has the greatest impact on attitudes and perceptions, rather than direct changes
in behavior or output.
o Survey feedback serves as a bridge between diagnosing problems and implementing solutions.
4. Improved Data Use Over Time:
o The more the data were used to solve problems between surveys, the better the outcomes.
o Positive effects on productivity, costs, absenteeism, and process variables like openness and decision making.

18. Results of Survey Feedback
5. Comparison to Other OD Approaches:
o Survey feedback often most effective when combined with other interventions like team building and process consultation.
o Less effective when used alone—success rates increased when paired with team-building activities.
6. Meta-Analysis of Effects on Attitudes:
o Survey feedback showed limited impact on overall satisfaction or attitudes toward co-workers, job, or organization—
accounted for only 11% of satisfaction variance.
7. Conditions for Success:
o Effectiveness depends on leadership quality, participants' understanding, relevance of survey topics, and alignment with
respondents' values.
o Studies show that involving supervisors and organization members in the feedback process enhances success.
8. Field Studies:
o Active involvement of supervisors, consultants, and organization members increases the use and impact of survey feedback.
o Long-term and periodic use of survey feedback can lead to sustained organizational changes, as demonstrated in a mining
operation study.

19. Summary
• Data Feedback Process:
• A central activity in most OD programs.
• Involves identifying the relevant data to be fed back to the client system.
• Ensures the client system takes ownership of the data, motivating members to solve organizational problems.
• Survey Feedback:
• A widely accepted application of the data collection and feedback process.
• Used to collect diagnostic data from a large number of organization members.
• Facilitates the feedback of that information for problem-solving purposes.
• Importance of Client Contracting:
• Contracting with the client system is critical for the success of survey feedback.
• Ensures clarity about the process and goals, discussed earlier in Chapters 4 and 7.
• Data Collection Categories:
• Establishing relevant categories for data collection is essential.
• Helps in diagnosing organizational problems effectively.
• Role in Organizational Interventions:
• Feeding back data is a necessary step for developing interventions to address organizational issues.
• Enables the organization to identify and solve problems collaboratively.

20. Thank you