Peer review is the practice of team members on the same hierarchical level reviewing one another's performance and skills. When employed correctly, peer review can greatly improve a team’s function and productivity.

If you’ve ever wondered “how long does peer review take,” or “what are the types of peer review process,” you might be interested to find that there’s no set-in-stone answer. Some peer reviews might cover just a few basic questions. Some might require more thought. The peer review process you design will depend on the needs of your team.

Peer reviews may feel daunting, but they are important for a handful of reasons. One of the primary examples of peer review importance is team-building. By requiring team members to evaluate one another's strengths, weaknesses, and responsibilities peer reviews build empathy and insight. By trying on new perspectives and practicing constructive feedback, you can foster a smoother, better-informed team dynamic.

Peer review also supports individual growth and understanding. It can be difficult to evaluate your performance, and sometimes it’s tough to take in honest feedback from supervisors. A peer review provides practical, directly informed knowledge from a trusted collaborator.

There is no one way to conduct a peer review, but a sample peer review should always include a few key sections:

• Strengths
• Opportunities for improvement
• Major past contributions
• Concrete future goals

FigJam’s example of peer review template provides you with the space to explore these categories, along with whatever else you, or your organization, would like to incorporate.

But how does peer review work after you’ve customized your template? Once you have a complete roster of areas to examine, split your team into groups of two or send your review to a trusted partner. Then, fill out the template and meet to discuss the review comments—either in person or on FigJam’s open platform.