Anonymous vs. non-anonymous feedback? Which is better?

Question

Contrary to popular belief that anonymous feedback results in negativity, I feel that there are significant advantages to it and that the negatives can be controlled (read more in this article: https://link.medium.com/dL47MSw829). I built a tool (www.360katas.com) to streamlines seeking voluntary anonymous feedback from co-workers at the workplace too to aid in our personal development!Wanted to hear your opinions on anonymous vs non-anonymous feedback for personal development!

el_dev_hell · Accepted Answer

I've lied, and will continue to lie, on every "360 feedback" form I've been required to fill out. Mostly because I've seen the backend of the 360 feedback system and know it's not truly anon.
In my general opinion, negative feedback is very helpful for personal development. Most people will also have some resentment towards the bearer of negative feedback.
It's not my job to make my manager a better person if it means I miss out on a cushy pay bump next review.

kleer001 · Answer

"It sucks" anonymous or not is useless feedback.
"I had a hard time with XYZ" Is better.
"When a and b was difficult, but not a and c, that was fine." Is even better.
However, "I would have abc instead of xyz" isn't great." Depending on who it came from might be a wild goose chase.
So, overall, if the human can take it thought full, actionable, and accurate advice always wins out in technical spheres.
Personal development is similar, but it takes a strong person to take feedback of any kind. Mostly because there's so much subjectivity involved. Which, of course, washes away when 3 out of 4 people in a company of 400 all say the same thing.
I would say the quality of the feedback is more important.

foldr · Answer

Taken in itself anonymous feedback can be more honest and thus more useful. But I think the culture it creates can be quite toxic. If people respect each other, then they can give honest feedback face to face. And if they don't, it won't be long before they're misusing the anonymous feedback mechanisms.

austincheney · Answer

My learning from Reddit:* Any comment at all is probably far too much effort, as confirmed by comments when behavior was criticized, especially if the substance of that comment isn&rsquo;t already stated.* Down vote is just the right amount of effort, like Goldilocks.* Up votes are also a tremendous effort like fighting a crushing gravity.* Up votes suddenly become easier with social validation. The more popular an idea appears, up votes per minute, the more irresistible the up vote button becomes like a black hole gravity well.

Jocund · Answer

Anonymous feedback doesn't really work. It's not hard to figure out who wrote the feedback if they write anything non-trivial.

emil_stoyanov · Answer

Most people don't accept negative feedback, it's just how human psychology is. So feedback, anonymous or not only works when there is also "recommendation" of how the criticized behavior can be improved.