Best examples of project-based performance review examples for 2024–2025

Real-world examples of project-based performance review examples

Let’s start where most managers wish every guide would start: with concrete wording. Below are real examples of project-based performance review examples you can adapt. I’ll keep the language natural, the tone professional, and the context clear, so you can plug them right into your review forms.

Example of a project-based review for a software development project

Imagine a full-stack developer who worked on a new customer portal over a six-month period.

Positive feedback example:
“During the Customer Portal Revamp project (Jan–Jun 2024), you consistently delivered high-quality code on or ahead of schedule. You broke down complex tasks into manageable pieces, which helped the team maintain momentum during tight sprints. Your collaboration with QA reduced post-release defects by approximately 30% compared to the previous release cycle. You also documented your work clearly, which made handoffs smoother for both QA and support teams.”

Constructive feedback example:
“On the same project, there were several occasions where requirements changed and you continued building against the original plan without confirming priorities. This led to rework late in the sprint. For future projects, I’d like you to pause and clarify scope changes with the product owner before proceeding, and to proactively flag potential timeline impacts to the team.”

These are the kinds of examples of project-based performance review examples that give people something specific to repeat or improve, instead of vague comments like “needs better communication.”

Example of a project-based review for a marketing campaign

Now picture a marketing specialist who led a multi-channel product launch.

Positive feedback example:
“In the Spring 2025 Product Launch campaign, you coordinated content, email, and paid social in a way that created a consistent brand story across channels. You hit every milestone on the campaign calendar and kept stakeholders updated with clear weekly status emails. As a result, the campaign exceeded the lead target by 18% and contributed to a 12% increase in demo requests compared to the previous quarter.”

Constructive feedback example:
“While execution was strong, the early planning phase could have benefited from more data-driven decision-making. For example, the initial channel mix was based largely on last year’s plan instead of current performance data. For upcoming projects, I’d like you to build a short data summary using recent campaign metrics and industry benchmarks to justify your channel and budget recommendations.”

Again, these best examples of project-based performance review examples work because they connect behavior to measurable outcomes.

Example of a project-based review for a cross-functional project manager

Project managers often sit at the center of chaos. Here’s how to make that visible in a review.

Positive feedback example:
“As project manager for the ERP Implementation (Aug 2024–Apr 2025), you coordinated work across IT, Finance, and Operations effectively. You ran structured weekly standups, kept the project plan updated in real time, and made it easy for leadership to see progress and risks. When a key vendor missed two milestones, you quickly organized a recovery plan and renegotiated the schedule, which kept the overall go-live date on track.”

Constructive feedback example:
“Several team members shared that they were unsure how decisions were made during the testing phase. While you gathered input, the final decisions were not always documented or communicated. For future projects, I’d like to see clearer decision logs and follow-up notes so stakeholders understand the ‘why’ behind major changes.”

This is a strong example of project-based performance review examples focused on leadership, risk management, and communication.

Example of a project-based review for a data analyst

Data work is often invisible unless you spell it out.

Positive feedback example:
“During the 2024 Customer Churn Analysis project, you transformed a messy dataset into a reliable model that helped the executive team identify three high-risk customer segments. Your documentation of assumptions and limitations made it easier for stakeholders to interpret the results accurately. Your dashboard reduced manual reporting time for the Customer Success team by about 5 hours per week.”

Constructive feedback example:
“In stakeholder presentations, some of your explanations were heavy on technical detail and light on business implications. For future projects, I’d like you to start with a one-slide summary of ‘What this means for the business’ before walking through the methodology.”

This is one of those examples of project-based performance review examples that translates technical work into business language.

Example of a project-based review for a hybrid/remote team lead

Remote and hybrid work are now standard in many organizations. Performance reviews need to reflect that reality.

Positive feedback example:
“As lead for the 2025 Knowledge Base Migration project, you coordinated a fully remote team across three time zones. You set clear expectations for response times, used shared documents effectively, and kept meetings focused with tight agendas. Team members consistently reported feeling informed and supported, and we completed the migration two weeks ahead of schedule with minimal downtime for customers.”

Constructive feedback example:
“There were a few points where decisions were made in side chats instead of visible channels, which left some teammates out of the loop. Going forward, please summarize key decisions in the shared project channel so everyone has the same information, regardless of time zone.”

This is one of the best real examples of project-based performance review examples for modern, distributed teams.

Example of a project-based review for someone using AI tools

AI is now part of everyday project work, and performance reviews are starting to reflect that. While you should always follow your company’s AI policies (and data privacy rules from sources like the FTC and NIST), here’s how feedback can look.

Positive feedback example:
“In the 2024 Website Content Refresh project, you used AI-assisted drafting tools to speed up first drafts while still reviewing and editing for brand voice and accuracy. This allowed the team to complete 40% more pages than originally planned without sacrificing quality. You also documented which tasks were AI-assisted, which supported transparency and easier quality checks.”

Constructive feedback example:
“In a few cases, AI-generated suggestions included outdated product details that were not fully corrected before internal review. For future projects, continue using AI for efficiency, but build in an explicit fact-checking step against our official product documentation before sharing drafts with stakeholders.”

This is a timely example of project-based performance review examples that acknowledges modern tools without ignoring accountability.

How to structure the best examples of project-based performance review examples

Now that you’ve seen several concrete scenarios, let’s break down the pattern behind the best examples of project-based performance review examples so you can create your own.

Most strong project-based reviews quietly follow a simple structure:

First, name the project and timeframe.
This anchors the feedback in a specific context. Instead of “this year,” say “During the Q3 2024 Data Migration project.” That makes it easier for the employee to remember what you’re talking about and for future reviewers to see progress across projects.

Second, describe visible actions and behaviors.
Call out what the person actually did: led standups, created dashboards, negotiated with vendors, coordinated testing, or simplified requirements. The more concrete, the better.

Third, connect behavior to outcomes.
Did the project hit its deadline? Improve a metric? Reduce errors? Save time? Even a directional statement (“helped reduce rework” or “supported faster decision-making”) is more informative than generic praise.

Fourth, suggest one or two specific improvements.
The strongest examples of project-based performance review examples don’t shy away from growth areas, but they keep them actionable. “Improve communication” is vague. “Share a weekly summary email with risks and decisions” is something a person can do tomorrow.

This structure mirrors guidance from management and performance experts, including research on effective feedback and goal-setting from organizations like Harvard Business School. The pattern is simple, but the impact comes from how specific and behavior-based you make your comments.

Project-based performance review examples by competency

To make your life easier, here are more examples of project-based performance review examples organized by common competencies. You can mix and match these with the earlier real examples.

Ownership and accountability

Positive:
“Throughout the Q2 2025 Mobile App Redesign project, you consistently took ownership of your deliverables. When a third-party API change threatened the release date, you proactively identified the issue, proposed two feasible workarounds, and coordinated with the vendor to validate the final solution. Your actions kept the project within the original timeline.”

Growth:
“In the same project, there were a few missed opportunities to flag risks earlier, particularly around integration testing. For future projects, I’d like you to raise potential blockers in standups as soon as you see them, even if you’re not yet sure of the full impact.”

Collaboration and communication

Positive:
“During the 2024 Onboarding Process Improvement initiative, you acted as a bridge between HR, IT, and Operations. You listened to each group’s constraints and summarized them in a shared document that everyone could reference. This reduced miscommunication and helped the team agree on a realistic rollout plan.”

Growth:
“While your one-on-one communication is strong, updates to the broader project team were sometimes delayed. For upcoming projects, please send a short weekly summary to the full team highlighting completed tasks, upcoming milestones, and any decisions made.”

Quality and attention to detail

Positive:
“In the 2025 Compliance Documentation project, your attention to detail significantly reduced the number of revisions needed from Legal. You consistently checked references, dates, and regulatory citations before submitting drafts, which sped up final approval.”

Growth:
“During the same project, version control was occasionally inconsistent, which created confusion about which document was the latest. For future work, I’d like you to use the agreed naming conventions and update the shared folder immediately after each major revision.”

Adaptability during change

Positive:
“When the 2024 Supply Chain Optimization project had to pivot midstream due to vendor changes, you quickly adjusted your plans and supported the team through the transition. You updated timelines, clarified new priorities, and helped teammates re-scope their tasks without losing momentum.”

Growth:
“At times, your own workload planning lagged behind the new priorities. For future projects, I’d like you to re-estimate your tasks within a day or two of major scope changes and share any timeline concerns early.”

These competency-based snippets are smaller examples of project-based performance review examples you can drop into a larger review when you don’t need a full project narrative.

2024–2025 trends shaping project-based performance reviews

If your reviews still sound like they were written in 2015, people notice. Work has changed. Here are a few trends affecting how we use examples of project-based performance review examples today:

More cross-functional, temporary teams.
People move from project to project faster, often with different managers. That means project-based reviews are not just nice-to-have; they’re often the main record of someone’s performance. Being specific about each project helps future managers understand what this person can really do.

Hybrid and remote collaboration.
According to ongoing data from organizations like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, remote and hybrid work remain common in many knowledge jobs. Reviews now need to talk about how people communicate asynchronously, use digital tools, and maintain visibility without being in the same room.

Increased focus on skills, not just job titles.
Project-based feedback naturally highlights skills: stakeholder management, data storytelling, technical troubleshooting, or process design. This aligns with the trend toward skills-based hiring and internal mobility, which is being studied and promoted by groups like the World Economic Forum.

Use of AI and automation.
As AI tools become more common, performance reviews need to recognize both the smart use of these tools and the responsibility to verify and improve their output. Good examples of project-based performance review examples will mention how someone integrates tools ethically and effectively, not just that they “used AI.”

When you write reviews with these trends in mind, you’re not just rating past performance. You’re helping people see how their project work fits into where work is headed.

FAQ: examples of project-based performance review examples

Q: What are some simple examples of project-based performance review examples I can use today?
A: Start with one sentence naming the project and timeframe, one to two sentences describing specific actions, and one sentence on the outcome. For example: “During the Q1 2025 Website Accessibility Upgrade, you coordinated testing with three departments, documented all issues clearly, and helped the team resolve 95% of high-priority accessibility gaps before the deadline.” Then add one sentence suggesting a concrete improvement.

Q: How many projects should I reference in a single review?
A: For project-heavy roles, most managers highlight two to four major projects and mention smaller ones briefly. Pick projects that best represent the person’s impact, growth, and typical responsibilities. It’s better to give a few well-written, specific project-based performance review examples than a long list of vague mentions.

Q: Can I use the same example of project-based performance review examples across different employees?
A: You can reuse structure and phrasing, but you should always customize details. Copy-paste reviews erode trust quickly. Keep the skeleton—project name, timeframe, actions, outcomes—but change the specifics so the feedback reads like it was written for that person, on that project.

Q: How do I make project-based reviews fair when some projects are more visible than others?
A: Balance high-visibility projects with less glamorous work that still matters, like maintenance, documentation, and internal process improvements. Use examples of project-based performance review examples that call out behind-the-scenes contributions, such as stabilizing a system, cleaning up data, or improving a workflow that saves the team time.

Q: Should I tie project-based reviews to goals or OKRs?
A: Yes, when you can. Connect project outcomes to team or company goals so people see how their work contributes to the bigger picture. For example, note when a project supported a revenue target, a customer satisfaction goal, or a regulatory requirement.

If you keep these patterns and trends in mind, you’ll never have to stare at a blank performance review form again. Use these examples of project-based performance review examples as templates, swap in your own project names and outcomes, and you’ll quickly build reviews that feel specific, fair, and genuinely helpful.