Feedback in working with personnel. What does “feedback” mean? Principles for giving negative feedback

First, let’s figure out what feedback is on a website.
Feedback includes feedback forms, ordering a call back, online chats, forms for ordering goods in online stores, and even a contact page where your phone numbers and email are written. This is the information and functionality that allows the site owner to communicate with its visitors.

What does feedback give to the site owner?

1. The most important thing here is to turn a site visitor into a client, that is, conversion, receiving direct profits and benefits. If you have a competitive offer, you quickly and clearly answer all questions about the product or service, then with a high degree of probability the visitor will place an order with you.
2. Warming up interest in yourself and the product (service). If your offer is not well known or new on the market, then by clearly explaining everything to the visitor, you can count on him to soon turn into a client. Even if you offer something standard and not new, a site visitor who has received competent and quick advice will remember you and return (we all love attention - this is pure psychology).
3. Collection of statistics, from which you can understand how many visitors contacted you after viewing the information on the site, from which pages they made the request. All this is a rather labor-intensive process, which will ultimately help increase conversion and, accordingly, profit.

If necessary, be sure to ask the web studio a question about the options for communication forms and their availability in the project.

Why does the client need feedback?

The site visitor is left alone on the Internet with the product (service), a detailed description, with examples, photos and videos (it all depends on the product and service), of course makes the choice easier, but there are often questions that are impossible to think through and describe in advance. In this case, the client is left alone with the problem - this should not be allowed under any circumstances. It is for this purpose that customer feedback forms have been created and implemented, so that as soon as an issue arises, it can be resolved.

The main options for feedback forms on the site.

— Indication in contacts of a phone number, e-mail, Skype nickname and the like.
— Placement of a phone number or email in the upper (header) or lower (footer) part of the site.
— Regular feedback form through the website, when filling out which, the client indicates his name, the topic of the question, the question itself and his email to receive an answer.
- a window for correspondence that opens directly on the website, similar to standard instant messengers.
—Order a call back, with fields for when to call back, to what number and the name of the person who sent the request.
Don't forget to put a captcha in each form to avoid spam.

Requirements for feedback forms.

1). Availability and visibility(this is already part of usability, or the convenience of the site for users). While on the site, I, as a client, do not have to search for a long time for anything, including a form of communication. There is usually a separate contact page with different contact options. Recommended places on the site where you can place the main contacts and feedback forms are the site header (the top area, usually to the right of the menu - here you can and should write your phone number and email), or the footer (here you can easily place a feedback form, in addition to contacts ). A call back or online chat is best placed at the bottom of the page on the right.

2).Variety of communication options. Provide an alternative for clients, don’t limit it to just mail or phone. Consider the features of your website by design, visitors (age, status), capabilities (can you afford to be online all day, is there a person in the company who can) and then decide where and what forms of communication you need. Offer several options for communicating with you to your clients (some like to write, others like to call - you shouldn’t limit them, this can be perceived negatively and as a personal insult).

3). Response speed and information content. If you have created feedback forms on your website, please respond quickly and informatively. Typically, the norm is a response within 30 minutes (during business hours, which should be indicated on the website), in the worst case, no more than an hour. There are complex issues that require more time. In any case, you need to make it clear to the client that you have received his message and are working on his solution, and at the same time indicate the time frame for the solution. Of course, the answer must be comprehensive and adequate. That is, as a result of the answer, the problem becomes solved or ceases to be a problem at all, and the answer is written correctly and with the obligatory lines in the spirit: “With respect ... “. These are common rules of good manners, but they are often forgotten.
4).Adequate operation of communication forms. Before launching such forms, you should carefully test them on yourself and your friends: do they work correctly, do you receive all the information correctly in full, can you process all the information that comes. Carefully look at the required fields to fill out, whether there is anything superfluous (few people like to write a lot and in detail), or, on the contrary, did you forget to ask the necessary information in the form (for example, ordering a call back without a field indicating your number, where to call in this case? ). It would be a good idea to test the operation of forms from mobile devices (are all fields visible, is it possible to fill them out, etc.); there is no need to talk about the number of people accessing the Internet from such devices.

Let's summarize: Feedback forms not only should, but are required to be on the site; which ones and in what quantity are up to you to decide based on your needs and capabilities. Adding them to an existing project or just one being created is not a problem; now there are many services that offer their services for a fee or even for free (online chats, callbacks - in the free mode the functionality will be somewhat limited and usually the name and address of the developer are added), as well as plugins for feedback forms, order forms and the like.
Good luck in communicating with your clients and site visitors.

Order the creation and configuration of feedback forms:

For consultations, clarification of cost terms, as well as ordering the creation of a feedback form, use the feedback form, telephone or mail.

When communicating with another person, it is important not only to speak out, but also to receive an adequate response. Psychologist and editor Sergei Galiullin explains what feedback is, how to recognize it and respond correctly to it.

Every year the number of social connections a person has increases. We communicate live, online, by phone. Such a number of contacts tires a person, and his ability to hear another person is periodically turned off. This is how we miss the other person’s reaction and react to it inadequately.

What is feedback

The term “feedback” comes from cybernetics, but now almost all humanities define it in their own way. In sociology, feedback is considered a stage of interaction between several people. A person provides information to another person, receives feedback and corrects his actions. Including statements. You say to someone: bring water. Then at each stage something can go wrong. You can say it in the wrong tone, the person can answer rudely, and you can adjust your actions in a negative direction and brandish a knife in the kitchen. Why understand how it works? To avoid conflicts, quarrels, misunderstandings.

What Happens During the Feedback Stage

So, you asked your interlocutor to bring water. Now it’s his turn - he will refuse or bring water, or agree, but say that he will bring it later. This will be feedback. But before that, he will hear or not hear you. For a person to hear you and respond, three conditions must work.

The interlocutor must hear our request. If he listens to music on headphones or is sick and has difficulty hearing, our request will not find an answer. In addition, he must understand and accept it. He will be able to understand if the request is in a language he knows. Accept - if he is at all able to perceive the requests of other people.

The form and content of the request must not contradict each other. If you are tired and cannot pour yourself some water, most likely your request is almost a plea of ​​the weak before the strong. If in this case you hysterically ask for water, the interlocutor will be amazed. You depend on him and yet you scream.

The interlocutor can and wants to answer. A child under one year old hears our requests, but cannot answer. Or he even wants to reach us or throw a ball in our direction, but his arms and legs do not obey him. The adult must be in a good mood and feeling well.

What can go wrong and how to fix it

The interlocutor may not see or hear our request.It is important here not to try to repeat it more persistently and loudly. If there is no answer, you need to understand the reason. If a person cannot hear because of the headphones, you need to attract attention with a gesture or look. If you don’t understand the words, choose the right ones. If you are tired, be as polite as possible.

The interlocutor may hear something else in the request.For example, when asking for water, a tired wife hears that her husband is sitting on her neck and cannot do anything on his own. Or, when asked to show the diary, the child comes up with the idea that you will see bad grades in it and scold him again. Feedback is not only what a person does, but also what he thinks while he is doing it. This means that in order to get through, you need to explain why you are asking the person, why you cannot do it yourself, and why it is important for you that it is he who fulfills the request.

The interlocutor may not be ready to answer us or fulfill the request.Moreover, he is not always able to tell us that he is not ready. This means that you will have to be careful - if possible, not to distract a playing child or a working adult. But at the same time, looking at the laptop screen and checking whether the husband is on social networks instead of working is a violation of personal space. This will lead to even greater reluctance to respond.

The interlocutor gave feedback, but we didn’t hear it, didn’t understand it, didn’t accept it.It seems trivial, but sometimes people answer in a low voice and we can’t physically hear them. Or a person says that he will bring water, but at the same time sighs heavily. This means that he will help, but through force, and we should be very grateful and not bother him next time. It seems that this is how one can become paranoid, but one should not make up ideas for one’s interlocutor, but listen and ask again. We may not understand our interlocutor due to differences in sense of humor, education, or cultural background. The only way out is to ask again and negotiate.

The person refuses to fulfill the request, but we do not react to this or react negatively. Refusal is worthy of respect, because we want to have the right to “no.” If the request is too serious, you can clarify the reason for the refusal and ask to fulfill it later. If you can do it yourself, back off until next time. After all, you just want to drink water, and are not raising an ideal communication partner.

In this article we will look at the question of what feedback (F.S.) is. In addition to the main formulation, attention will be paid to the species diversity of this process, analysis by purpose, application and characteristics of its course. We will also separately focus our attention on feedback signaling.

Technical concept of feedback

Answering the question “what is feedback?”, in a broad sense, we can say that it is any form of signal, a kind of response, recall or response to a specific event or action.

In a technical sense, feedback is described as a process in which the result comes to give the system functionality by setting parameters that are transmitted by a signal. These impulses are an information flow that can influence the parameters of the mechanism in which it carries out its activities. The fact is that upon input, the system is exposed to a signal that is proportional in magnitude to its output signals. Knowledge of this property can be used to impart the necessary dynamism to the functional processes of the system.

There is a concept of positive and negative feedback. The latter is characterized by changes to the input signal; they cause opposition in response to changes in output signals. This action allows you to increase the stability and reliability of the mechanism, which can be useful in case of unwanted influence on it.

The positive form of such a connection, on the contrary, has an enhancing effect on changes in the structure of output signals. Systems that have a strong positive OS may tend to become unstable. This manifests itself in the occurrence of undamped oscillations.

O.S. acoustic type

When considering the question of what feedback is in technology, it will be important to mention the acoustic form of the OS. In general, it is represented by a number of signals that arise between sound sources and the link that perceives them. In this case, transmission occurs through acoustic signals.

Some data on acoustic O.S.

Speaking about the species diversity of acoustic OS, it is important to first determine the possible reasons for the occurrence of signals. This phenomenon owes its existence to the result of self-excitation of an acoustic type system. An example would be to re-amplify the sound from a speaker using a microphone. Small rooms benefit from the use of reflection and amplification devices. For example, the sound signal from a loudspeaker causes vibrations in the record player, which is done using a pickup. In other words, it is possible to achieve the formation of a positive O.S. loop, in which the vibration will maintain itself independently and at the same time increase.

Application of acoustic OS in biology

Biological and medical sciences regard the concept of feedback as the most important structural component in the program for recognizing, correcting speech and developing professional speaker skills.

Currently, there are five main elements of acoustic O.S., including: amplification of a signal in real time, playback in reverse order with delays, DAF (delayed O.S. of the auditory type), masking, and tempo control.

O.S. in car alarms

In the production of passenger cars, alarms with auto-start and feedback have often been used. So what is it?

It’s better to start the description by familiarizing yourself with the concept of a car alarm, which is presented in the form of a device that can notify the car owner about a possible threat to the car through the use of a sound signal. The alarm system must contain: a main unit, a transceiver antenna, a key fob, an LED indicator, shock sensor and service buttons.

In the production of cars, two types of alarms are used, among which are alarms with one-way and two-way (reverse) communication. If we talk a little more about the latter, it is important to know that such a security system instantly makes it possible for the system to react to penetration into the car. Data on impacts and/or volume changes are also recorded using sensors.

Purpose

A car alarm with feedback provides the owner with information about any incidents with the car. If a situation arises that threatens the safety of the car, a signal indicating the nature of the danger is immediately transmitted to the owner over a distance of no more than two kilometers. Signal notification is not always accompanied by audio signals.

Among the main algorithms for car alarms with feedback, carried out using the double-link method, there are:

• presence of dynamic encoding;
• conversational coding ability;
• transmission of an alert signal through the operation of mobile networks and communications.

Any method of creating codes and parameters is associated with the characteristics of the anti-theft characteristics of the alarm. Nowadays on the car market there is a huge number of different anti-theft alarm equipment that operate on the principle of feedback based on tuning functions. An example is autostart with engine feedback without driver participation, as well as regulation of the operation of air conditioning devices, radio, etc. It also follows that the list of available options and the level of quality of car alarms can vary greatly depending on the price. Most often, buyers do not pay attention to these parameters of the car, but in vain, because they are important.

Coding typology

There is a concept of dynamic coding, based on programming algorithms that change codes. The block alarm system that lies within the car and the key fob can easily recognize one another by changing these codes. One of the most famous dynamic encoding methods is KeeLoq. Its popularity is due to its reliability, low cost of license and encoder, and compactness. However, the disadvantage of this protection is the presence of a system of code grabbers that can easily read information about codes and copy them. It is not easy to get it, but if an attacker has a similar device with the necessary list of programs, then hacking will not be difficult.

Conversational encoding has the same code as dynamic encoding (KeeLoq). The difference lies in the use of the program's most complex capabilities, devices that are based on the static and dynamic components of the algorithm. The installation of such a security system will create many problems that burglars will need to solve, which actually reduces the likelihood of car theft. Another advantage is its recent invention, because for this reason the villains have not yet had time to study it in sufficient detail.

Prices for car alarms with feedback may vary depending on the manufacturer, company and form of installation, but on average prices for such equipment range from three to five thousand rubles. Naturally, the numbers are average, because you can find more expensive and high-quality options. The disadvantage of both interactive and dynamic encoding is the small range of the O.S.

Biological significance of feedback

Feedback technology in biology includes a set of studies of physiology, preventive measures, treatment, etc., that aim to use feedback. In the predominant number of cases, the organization of research is based on various technologies, in particular, microprocessor or computer.

The use of stimulus signals, such as visual, auditory, tactile, etc., stimuli, allows a person to develop a diverse range of self-regulation skills. This is done through training and increases the lability of the regulatory features of the mechanisms.

The concepts of feedback and feedforward are closely interrelated and are often used in a wide variety of research mechanisms, as well as in the creation of technologies. Unlike O.S., the direct type is characterized by an increase in the performance of the system and gives it an open form. Since there is no feedback, the system is not able to change its quality parameters determined by the output signal.

Cybernetics and O.S.

The feedback form is the most acceptable and high-quality way of communication between the resource owner and users. This interpretation of OS is often used in cybernetics.

In this science, feedback is presented in the form of a circuit diagram of a series of cycles that occur in an unchangeable section of the machine. In addition, OS in cybernetics is a set of conditional instructions, a kind of instruction. In this type of signal transmission, special automata are distinguished that participate in various types of experimental studies. Norbert Wiener proposed one of the ways to use O.S. in solving a nonlinear series of problems. However, it is important to know that in such cases only analytical methods can be used.

"Foundation" of the approach

When answering the question of what feedback is in cybernetics, it would be advisable to look at the form of setting up experiments that allow solving many problems. For example, the task of analyzing nonlinear electrical circuits is to determine the coefficients of a certain number of polynomials. This is done by averaging the parameters of the input signals. In cybernetics, a black box experiment is used for such purposes. It depicts a nonlinear system that has not yet been analyzed. In addition to it, a white box is used, which is presented in the form of bodies with an unknown structure, which represent individual parts of the desired decomposition. The same noise is introduced into both the white and black boxes.

Research Feature

Research based on the use of such methods allows a person not only to determine all the coefficients of each white “color” box that are included in the summand equivalent of the idea of ​​a black box, but also to know them at the same time. If desired, you can make all the white boxes automatically tune to a level that corresponds to it, but when viewed from the point of view of the decomposition of the black box.

Regardless of the form of application, the feedback process always has a common foundation for its comprehensive characteristics, which defines it as any response or review, a kind of response to a certain impact.

Feedback is the impact of the output value of any system C (Fig. 1) on the input of the same system. In a broader sense, feedback is the impact of the results of the functioning of a certain system on the nature of this functioning.

In addition to the output value, a functioning system can also be affected by external influences (x in Fig. 1). The circuit AB through which feedback is transmitted is called a feedback circuit, line or channel.

Rice. 1.

The channel itself may contain any system (D, Fig. 2) that converts the output value during its transmission. In this case, they say that feedback from the output of the system to its input is carried out with the help of or through the system D.

Rice. 2.

Feedback is one of the most important concepts in electronics and automatic control theory. Specific examples of the implementation of systems containing feedback can be found when studying a wide variety of processes in automatic systems, living organisms, economic structures, etc.

Due to the universality of the concept, applicable in various fields of science and technology, terminology in this area has not been established, and each particular field of knowledge, as a rule, uses its own terminology.

For example, in automatic control systems widely used concepts of negative and positive feedback, which determine the connection between the system output and its input through an amplifier with a correspondingly negative or positive gain.

In the theory of electronic amplifiers, the meaning of these terms is different: negative is feedback that reduces the absolute value of the overall gain, and positive is feedback that increases it.

Depending on the methods of implementation in the theory of electronic amplifiers, there are current, voltage and combined feedback.

Automatic control systems often include additional feedback, used to stabilize systems or improve transient processes in them. They are sometimes called corrective and among them are tough(carried out using an amplifier link), flexible(implemented by a differentiating link), isodromic and so on.

In various systems you can always find closed chain of influences. For example, in Fig. 2 part C of the system acts on part D, and the latter again on C. Therefore, such systems are also called systems with a closed chain of influences, systems with a closed cycle or a closed loop.

In complex systems, many different feedback loops may exist. In a multi-element system, the output of each element can, generally speaking, influence the inputs of all other elements, including its own input.

Any impact can be considered from three main aspects: metabolic, energetic and informational. The first is associated with changes in the location, shape and composition of matter, the second with the transfer and transformation of energy, and the third with the transfer and transformation of information.

Management theory considers exclusively the information side of influences. Thus, feedback can be defined as the transfer of information about the output value of the system to its input, or as the receipt of information, transformed by the feedback link, from the output to the input of the system.

The principle of the device is based on the use of feedback automatic control systems (ACS). In them, the presence of feedback provides increased noise immunity due to a decrease in the influence of interference (z in Fig. 3) acting in the direct path of the system.

Rice. 3.

If in a linear system with links having transfer functions Kx(p) and K2(p), the feedback circuit is removed, then the image x of the output value x is determined by the following relation:

If it is required that the output value x is exactly equal to the reference action x*, then the overall gain of the system K(p) = K1(p)K2(p) must be equal to unity, and interference z must be absent. The presence of z and the deviation of K(p) from unity cause the occurrence of error e, i.e. the difference

For K(p)=1 we have

If we now close the system using feedback, as shown in Fig. 3, the image of the output value x will be determined by the following relationship:

It follows from the relationship that if the gain coefficient Kx(p) is sufficiently large in magnitude, the second term is negligible and, therefore, the influence of interference z is negligible. At the same time, the value of the output quantity x will differ very little from the value of the reference action.

In a closed-loop system with feedback, it is possible to significantly reduce the influence of interference compared to an open-loop system, since the latter does not respond to the actual state of the controlled object, and is “blind” and “deaf” to changes in this state.

Let's take an airplane flight as an example. If you set the plane's rudders in advance with high precision so that it flies in a given direction, and firmly fasten them, then gusts of wind and other random and previously unforeseen factors will knock the plane off the desired course.

Only a feedback system (autopilot) can correct the situation, capable of comparing the given course x* with the actual x and, depending on the resulting mismatch, changing the position of the rudders.

Feedback systems are often said to be controlled by error e (mismatch). If the link Kx(p) is an amplifier with a sufficiently large gain, then under certain conditions imposed on the transfer function K2(p) of the rest of the path, the closed system remains stable.

In this case, the error e in the steady state can be made as small as desired. It is enough for it to appear at the input of the amplifier Kx(p) so that a sufficiently large voltage u is formed at its output, which automatically compensates for the interference and provides a value of x at which the difference e = x*-x would be sufficiently small. The slightest increase in e causes a disproportionately greater increase in u. Therefore, any (within practical limits) interference z can be compensated, and, moreover, with an arbitrarily small value of error e, a shunt path with a large gain is often called deep.

Feedback in mixed systems also occurs during the functioning of complex systems consisting of objects of different natures, but acting purposefully. These are the systems: operator (person) and machine, teacher and student, lecturer and audience, person and learning device.

In all these examples we are dealing with a closed chain of influences. Through feedback channels, the operator receives information about the nature of the functioning of the controlled machine, the teacher receives information about the behavior of the student and the results of training, etc. In all these cases, during the operation, both the content of information transmitted through the channels and the channels themselves change significantly.

Feedback- this is a response to a speech utterance: an answer to a question, agreement or disagreement, a new speech, etc. Feedback can take the form of action; after listening to the speaker, people act on his recommendations.

Feedback is the verbal and nonverbal messages a person intentionally or unintentionally sends in response to another person's message.

The listener is able to influence the speech behavior of the speaker precisely because he is nearby and his reaction is obvious. This reaction is nothing more than (in terms of information theory) a manifestation of feedback.

In interpersonal communication, we constantly provide each other with feedback, whether we want it or not. Everything we do or fail to do towards or in interaction with others can be considered feedback. Let's say a young man wrote several dozen letters to a girl and did not receive an answer to one - the feedback in this case is the lack of action. We laugh at a joke told when we really find it funny or when we want to please the teller - these are examples of spontaneous and deliberate feedback. Love expressed by a glance or a poetic message are examples of nonverbal and verbal feedback. If our words or actions cause an undesirable reaction in someone and we rush to accompany them with the phrase: “You misunderstood me...” or “That’s not what I meant at all” - this is how we try to control the feedback.

A person’s actions, in which her ability to hear turns out to be, precisely because of their “reactive” (that is, reacting to a stimulus) nature, provide the very possibility of feedback, and all the factors discussed above, improving the ability or preventing it, directly affect the content of the feedback. "connections.

Among the types of feedback are: evaluative and non-evaluative reverse. Evaluative feedback - communicating your opinion, your attitude to what is being discussed.

A group of American researchers led by A. Jacobs investigated a phenomenon called the “jump in probability.” Its essence lies in the fact that positive feedback is always assessed as more reliable than negative feedback. With regard to the optimal sequence of feedback delivery, a number of experimental data suggest that negative feedback is rated as more credible and desirable when given after positive feedback rather than before it.

The mentioned group of researchers conducts experiments in accordance with a “long-term” program, studying the dependence of feedback acceptance on three variables: 1) the sign of feedback ("+" or "-") 2) the sequence of its presentation - first "+", then "- ", and vice versa; 3) form of feedback: a) behavioral (“I think you’re acting too bossy”), b) emotional (“I like you,” “I’m angry at you”), c) emotional behavioral (“You’re acting bossy.” , and that makes me angry.").

One of the ways to increase the reliability of feedback, discovered during an experiment called the “amplifying effect.” Its essence is that the emotional "additive" to the behavioral basis increases the likelihood of feedback compared to purely behavioral feedback, if both are positive. And the emotional addition itself reduces the likelihood of feedback if it is negative. In other words, “reinforcing” a positive behavioral observation (“You're attentive”) with a positive emotional response (“I like you”) increases the likelihood of a behavioral observation, while pairing a negative behavioral observation (“You're distracted”) with a negative emotional response ("I don't like you") reduces the credibility of a behavioral comment: the comment may be perceived as biased and caused by a negative attitude. A. Jacob believes that the use of the "reinforcement effect" is a powerful lever for changing the likelihood of feedback.

Evaluations can be positive (“you’re doing well”) or negative (“what nonsense are you talking about”). Positive evaluative feedback serves the function of supporting the “I-concept” of our partner and the interpersonal relationships that have developed with him.

Negative evaluative feedback performs a corrective function aimed at eliminating unwanted behavior, changing or modifying our relationships.

The structure of evaluative feedback involves the use of phrases that indicate that we are talking about a person’s own opinion: “it seems to me,” “I think,” “in my opinion.” If such expressions are absent, and the assessment is expressed quite definitely and openly, then the statements become static in nature, are often perceived as rudeness or impoliteness and cause psychological defense in the interlocutor. Therefore, relationships become strained or even collapse. Let's compare the statements:

“It seems to me that this is not so” and “How stupid!”

Non-judgmental feedback - type of feedback does not contain our attitude to the issue under discussion. We use it when we want to learn more about a person's feelings or help her formulate an opinion on a specific issue, without directly interfering with the actions of the interlocutor.

This goal is achieved through techniques such as clarification, paraphrasing, clarification, and reflection of feelings (or empathy). Such procedures formed the basis for the identification of listening styles that we discussed earlier.

So, feedback is a necessary component of effective communication.