Performance Review Question Types

Last Updated: February 4, 2026

In this article:

• Overview
• Requirements
• Access Performance Review Templates
• Sections
• Basic Question Types
  • Scaled
  • Open-Ended
  • Multichoice
• Specialty Question Types
  • Competencies
  • Bullet Point
  • Agenda Builder
• Conversation Boosters
  • Performance Goals Booster
  • Goal Review Booster
  • Feedback Review Booster
• Comment Options
  • Required Comments
  • Encouraged Comments
  • Optional Comments
  • Disabled Comments

 

Overview

Use this article as a guide to the different question types for Performance Review templates.

Additional Resources:

• Launch a Performance Review cycle
• Create & Manage a Performance Review Template

Requirements

• Available to full admin users

Access Performance Review Templates

To access Performance Review templates:

1. Click and expand Administration; click Reviews
2. Click Templates
3. Click the template name or the corresponding Edit to navigate to the template creator

Sections

Use section headers in a template to organize questions by sections.

To add a section header to a template:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Click Section Header
3. Specify if the section header should apply to the Employee, Facilitator, or both (Figure A)
4. Enter a title for the section header as it will appear in the template (Figure B)
5. Optionally, enter a brief description or context for the section header (Figure C)
6. Optionally, toggle this option to enable/disable whether the section headers appear in the resulting analytics (Figure D)
7. Click Save to add the question

Basic Question Types

Scaled

Use scaled questions to capture opinions as measured, nuanced responses. Scales typically offer three to six options that range from least favorable to most favorable.

To add a scaled question to a template:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Click Scaled
3. Specify if the section header should apply to the employee, facilitator, or both (Figure A)
4. Enter the prompt as it should appear to the specified participants (Figure B)
   • Click Add from Library to open and add a best practice question
   • Click {x} to expand a menu to dynamically add the name of the employee/facilitator to the question
5. Optionally, enable Show help text/description to expand additional fields to enter any further context or instruction
6. Click the Category drop-down menu to select the category the question should be assigned to (Figure C)
7. Click the Scale drop-down menu to select the scale participants will use (Figure D) 
   • Click New Scale to create a custom scale, learn more
8. Specify if comments are required, encouraged, optional, or disabled (Figure E), learn more
9. Optionally, toggle this option to enable/disable if the score for the scaled questions appears in the resulting analytics (Figure F)
10. Toggle the Required option to specify if the question is required for the participant to share their responses (Figure G)
11. Click Add to add the question to the template

Open-Ended

Open-ended questions allow the participants to respond with more detail and thoughtful responses. Responses to open-ended questions require more elaboration which can lead to richer discussion and insights.

To add an open-ended question to a template:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Click Open Ended
3. Specify if the section header should apply to the employee, facilitator, or both (Figure A)
4. Enter the prompt as it should appear to the specified participants (Figure B)
   • Click Add from Library to open and add a best practice question
   • Click {x} to expand a menu to dynamically add the name of the employee/facilitator to the question
5. Optionally, enable Show help text/description to expand additional fields to enter any further context or instruction
6. Toggle the Required option to specify if the question is required for the participant to share their responses (Figure C)
7. Click Add to add the question to the template

Multichoice

Multichoice questions provide structured options for the participants to choose from. This can make it easier to gather specific information, gather clear feedback, or guide the conversation towards particular topics. 

To add a multichoice question to a template:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Click Multichoice
3. Specify if the question should apply to the employee, facilitator, or both (Figure A)
4. Enter the prompt as it should appear to the specified participants (Figure B)
   • Click Add from Library to open and add a best practice question
   • Click {x} to expand a menu to dynamically add the name of the employee/facilitator to the question
5. Specify if participants select a single choice or can select multiple choices from the list of options (Figure C)
6. Use the Choices fields to enter each potential choice (Figure D)
   • Optionally, click Triggers Comment if the selection of the choice should prompt further comment which can be configured to required, encouraged, or optional
   • Optionally, click Randomize Item Order to present the question with the choices in a randomized order
   • Click Add Choice to add a new option
7. Toggle the Required option to specify if the question is required for the participant to share their responses (Figure E)
8. Click Add to add the question to the template

 

Template: Specialty Question Types

Competencies

Competencies, available in Performance Reviews, provide a consistent way to measure expectations and behaviors across the organization. As opposed to evaluating individual skills, competencies use a shared framework to capture performance using a defined scale, making results easier to compare and analyze.

Quantum Workplace offers two categories of competencies:

• Org-Wide Competencies, which measure shared expectations across the organization and apply to all employees.
• Role-Based Competencies, which measure role-specific expectations using levels and are available only with Growth.

Note: For a limited time, both Competencies in Reviews and previously available template-level competencies (now referred to as Legacy Competencies) may be available. Available competency types may vary by organization.

The process for adding a competency to a Performance Review template is the same for both experiences:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Select the type of Competency you’d like to add
3. Optionally, mark the competency as Required
4. Select who should respond to the question
5. Choose a Scale
   • Note: Only one scale may be used per template. Selecting a different scale will prompt you to update the existing selection.
6. Complete any additional settings, including whether to include the competency rating in the Overall Score
7. Click Add to save

Important considerations:

• Changes made to competencies or scales do not apply retroactively once review participants have been added.

• All competency questions in a template must use the same scale.

• Competency questions can be placed anywhere within a Performance Review template.

• Role-Based Competencies require roles to be mapped in Growth.

Managing competencies:

• Admins and Focused Admins with Performance Reviews access can define and manage Org-Wide Competencies.

• Role-Based Competencies are managed in Growth and require Full Admin or Focused Admin permissions.

Bullet Point

Bullet Point questions allow for quick, concise, easy-to-read responses. Bullet Point questions are best used with specific prompts or areas of discussion to keep the conversation focused and organized.

To add a bullet point question to a template:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Click Bullet Point
3. Specify if the question should apply to the employee, facilitator, or both (Figure A)
4. Enter the prompt as it should appear to the specified participants (Figure B)
   • Click Add from Library to open and add a best practice question
   • Click {x} to expand a menu to dynamically add the name of the employee/facilitator to the question
5. Toggle the Required option to specify if the question is required for the participant to share their responses (Figure C)
6. Click Add to add the question to the template

Agenda Builder

Use the Agenda Builder question type to outline and structure different topics of discussion. Items in the agenda help ensure that both participants are prepared and focused on specific issues for a productive meeting.

To add the Agenda Builder to a template:

1. In the template creator, click the + icon
2. Click Agenda Builder
3. Optionally, edit the pre-populated text for the Employee/Facilitator text fields (Figure A)
   • Click Add from Library to open and add a best practice question
   • Click {x} to expand a menu to dynamically add the name of the employee/facilitator to the question
   • Optionally, enable Show help text/description to expand additional fields to enter any further context or instruction
4. Toggle the Required option to specify if the question is required for the participant to share their responses (Figure B)
5. Click Add to add the question to a template

Template: Conversation Boosters

Use the different Conversation Boosters to pull Goals and Feedback into the template.

Performance Goal Booster

Use the Performance Goal booster to pull performance goals into the Performance Review for review and discussion. Learn more about the Performance Goals booster.

Goal Review Booster

Use the Goal Review booster to review and guide the employee's goal progress together. Learn more about the Goal Review booster.

Feedback Review Booster

Use the Feedback Review booster to review the employee's feedback to help focus on the most important insights and identify actionable steps based on the key takeaways. Learn more about the Feedback Review booster.

Comment Options

Required Comments

If comments are required, participants must enter a comment to share/finalize responses as indicated by the comment field's corresponding asterisk.

Encouraged Comments

If comments are encouraged, the comment field remains visible to encourage participants to enter a comment.

Comments are not required to share/finalize responses. 

Optional Comments

If comments are optional, the comment field does not automatically appear for participants. Click Add to expand the field and enter a comment.

Comments are not required to share/finalize responses. 

Disabled Comments

If comments are disabled, the comment field is not available for participants.