Better Asynchronous Feedback with E, S, & O
The tool: E,S,O: Edit, Suggestion, Opinion
The purpose: More specific asynchronous feedback from reviewers
Uses for this tool:
Have you ever submitted a document for review, and received a long list of comments, but were still left confused?
You think to yourself, “I was only asking for information about x, why did they get caught up in y and z?” SMEs being subject matter experts, they may think that you were asking for one thing, but really you wanted something very different.
Or maybe, as a supervisor or peer, you thought you were providing helpful notes, but your recipient seems confused or frustrated with your review.
If this feels familiar, consider asking for a E,S,O review of your work.
E, S, O: Edit, Suggestion, Opinion
Using the ESO method of feedback asks a reviewer to classify their feedback as one of three types – Edits, Suggestions, or Opinions.
Edits are just, well, edits - specific changes that need to be made. Grammar, spelling, or word choice all usually fall under edits.
Suggestions are things that are not incorrect but could be better. Some suggestions may be out of scope due to software constraints or budget limitations.
Opinions are ideas the reviewer would like to see addressed, but may not have explicit changes associated with them
Here are some examples of using ESO in reviewing a storyboard for a short module that describes different types of cows:
Edit: Change “that cows” to “those cows.
Edit: There are two types of cows that need to go in the pen. List both Angus and Hereford cows in this list.
Suggestion: Consider adding appropriate cow sounds to slide 4, this will help with retention by using the modality principle.
Suggestion: Consider dividing learning objectives into two parts – this will help segment the content into more manageable chunks
Opinion: Beautiful cow graphics! I too think the use of realistic-looking cows is best suited for this type of content.
Opinion: In our organization, our learners expect this type of module to take 10 minutes, but it took me 20. - (Note: This is just an opinion, unless it is backed up by data).
This type of feedback gives the recipient parameters with which to receive it - you are making clear what you want them to do.
The pros
This is a great tool if you are working to develop a long-term relationship with your reviewer/reviewees.
If you feel your working relationship with someone is not going as well as you would like, using this type of language helps the recipient focus on work you are asking for. It also helps prioritize changes - there isn’t always time or money to make every single change we want in a design, and designers can spend a lot of extra time figuring out if a request is urgent and necessary.
The cons
E,S,O is a two-way street - both parties have to agree on what the words “edit” “suggestion” and “opinion” mean. It helps to give a few examples of each. You do not necessarily have to use these words exactly - maybe your team wants to use “change” “nitpick” and “kudos” instead. It can be an ongoing conversation.
Additionally, it may take too long to explain this process if you are only asking for a one-time review or have a short-term project. This type of feedback works better for longer-term relationships that you are trying to make more effective.
The takeaways
The words used in this tool are not as important as establishing shared meaning. It all comes down to creating a shared language that helps classify your review, and leaves the reviewee feeling empowered, rather than unfairly criticized.
Have you used a similar tool in your work? Share your own version of E,S,O below!
