Best examples of project-based performance review examples for 2024

Strong examples of project-based performance review examples for high performers

Let’s start where most managers want help: writing examples of project-based performance review examples for people who knocked it out of the park.

Example of a project manager leading a cross-functional product launch

For a project manager who led a complex product launch across engineering, marketing, sales, and customer success:

"On the Q2 Product Launch project, you consistently kept a 26-person cross-functional team aligned across time zones and priorities. You maintained a living project plan in Jira and Asana, updated weekly, which reduced schedule slippage from 18% on the prior launch to under 5% this cycle. Your proactive stakeholder updates meant we had no executive escalations for the entire 14-week project. When engineering flagged a critical integration risk, you re-scoped the sprint and renegotiated non-critical features with Product, preserving the launch date without burning out the team."

Why this works: it anchors feedback in measurable outcomes (slippage reduced from 18% to 5%), refers to specific tools and practices, and ties behavior to impact on stakeholders and team health.

Example of a software engineer on a data migration project

For a senior engineer responsible for a high-risk data migration:

"During the CRM Data Migration project, you designed and implemented a migration strategy that cut projected downtime from 6 hours to 45 minutes, verified by our post-mortem review. You built automated validation scripts that caught 97% of data discrepancies before cutover, which directly contributed to zero data-loss incidents. You also documented the migration runbook thoroughly in Confluence, enabling two other engineers to execute dry runs independently. This level of technical depth and knowledge sharing significantly reduced our operational risk."

This is one of the best examples of project-based performance review examples for technical roles because it connects technical decisions to business continuity and risk reduction.

Example of a marketing lead running a multi-channel campaign

For a marketing manager who owned a major campaign:

"In the Spring Demand Gen Campaign project, you led strategy and execution across paid search, paid social, and email. You coordinated inputs from Product Marketing, Sales, and Design to launch on schedule, despite late-breaking messaging changes. Your optimization of targeting and creative increased MQL volume by 32% compared with the prior quarter while keeping cost per lead flat. Your weekly performance reviews with Sales ensured rapid feedback loops, which helped us retire underperforming ad sets within 48 hours instead of the typical 7–10 days."

Again, this example of a project-based performance review uses concrete metrics and shows how communication practices improved speed and results.

Balanced examples of project-based performance review examples (meets expectations)

Not everyone is a superstar on every project. You still need language that fairly describes solid performance without overselling.

Example of a business analyst on a process improvement project

"On the Claims Process Redesign project, you produced accurate and well-structured workflow documentation that met stakeholder expectations. Your requirements sessions were organized and you consistently followed up on open questions. While initial drafts of the process map required several iterations to align with Operations, you actively incorporated feedback and improved clarity with each version. For the next project, focus on engaging frontline users earlier in your analysis to surface edge cases before final review."

This is one of those examples include both strengths and specific next steps, which is exactly what most people need to grow.

Example of an HR generalist running a policy rollout project

"During the Hybrid Work Policy Rollout project, you coordinated training sessions for managers and employees, ensuring all materials were delivered on time and aligned with legal guidance. You handled employee questions professionally and escalated complex cases appropriately. Some stakeholders noted they would have appreciated earlier visibility into the communication plan; however, your openness to feedback and quick adjustments helped build trust throughout the rollout."

Notice the balance: clear recognition of reliable delivery, with one or two focused improvement points.

Constructive examples of project-based performance review examples (needs improvement)

You can be direct without being harsh. The best examples of project-based performance review examples for underperformance are specific, behavior-focused, and forward-looking.

Example of a project coordinator on a delayed implementation

"On the ERP Implementation project, several key milestones slipped by 1–2 weeks because task dependencies were not clearly tracked or escalated. Status reports often focused on completed tasks but did not highlight blockers, which limited the team’s ability to course-correct. When Finance raised concerns about data readiness, the issue was logged but not followed up within the agreed 48-hour window. For upcoming projects, you will need to adopt more structured tracking of dependencies, raise risks earlier, and confirm ownership for critical follow-ups in writing."

This example of project-based performance review examples avoids vague criticism like “you need to communicate better” and instead names specific gaps and behaviors.

Example of a developer on a feature delivery project

"During the Mobile App v4.0 project, your feature work met functional requirements, but frequent last-minute changes and limited unit test coverage led to higher-than-average bug counts in QA. Two regression issues reached production, impacting roughly 4% of active users, based on our monitoring reports. While you responded quickly to fix issues after release, earlier collaboration with QA and stronger automated testing would have reduced rework and user impact. For future projects, set aside time for test planning and pair with QA earlier in the sprint."

Here, the review connects behavior (limited tests, late changes) to observable impact (bugs, user experience) and provides a path forward.

Trend-aware examples of project-based performance review examples for 2024–2025

Project work in 2024–2025 looks different than it did even a few years ago. Hybrid teams, AI tools, and shorter delivery cycles all change what “good performance” looks like.

Example: Leading a hybrid, globally distributed project team

"On the Global Support Model Transition project, you led a fully distributed team across four time zones. You implemented a clear communication cadence using Slack and weekly video standups, which reduced misalignment and rework. By recording and summarizing key decisions, you ensured that team members who could not attend live meetings still had full context. The project met its go-live date, and our internal survey showed a 21% increase in perceived clarity of roles and responsibilities compared with the previous transition."

This is one of the best real examples of project-based performance review examples for hybrid work because it calls out asynchronous communication, documentation, and survey feedback.

For current thinking on hybrid and distributed work, see research from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and broader workforce reports from Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Example: Using AI tools responsibly in a project

"During the Knowledge Base Modernization project, you used AI-assisted drafting tools to accelerate content creation while maintaining a strong human review process. You flagged AI-generated content clearly for SME review and incorporated feedback quickly, which allowed the team to produce 40% more articles than forecast without increasing error rates. Your approach aligned with our internal guidelines on responsible AI use and helped the team understand where AI adds value versus where expert judgment is non-negotiable."

This kind of example of project-based performance review recognizes emerging skills—AI literacy, judgment, and ethical use—rather than treating them as side notes.

For organizations building policies around AI use, resources from NIST provide useful frameworks.

Functional, role-specific examples of project-based performance review examples

Different roles show impact differently. Here are more real examples of project-based performance review examples tailored to common project roles.

Example: Product manager on a discovery and MVP project

"On the Customer Onboarding Discovery project, you led 18 customer interviews and synthesized findings into clear opportunity areas that directly informed the MVP scope. Your prioritization framework balanced customer value, technical feasibility, and regulatory constraints, which helped the team avoid overcommitting. The resulting MVP shipped within 10 weeks and achieved a 19% increase in onboarding completion rate in the first 60 days. For the next project, continue to refine how you document trade-off decisions so downstream teams can reference the context more easily."

Example: Data analyst on a reporting automation project

"In the Sales Reporting Automation project, you replaced four manual spreadsheets with a single automated dashboard, reducing weekly reporting time from roughly 6 hours to under 45 minutes for the Sales Ops team. Your validation against historical data increased confidence in the new reports, as reflected in feedback from regional leaders. While your SQL work was strong, some of the initial dashboard filters were confusing to non-technical users; your willingness to run quick usability sessions and iterate on design significantly improved adoption."

Example: Customer success manager on a high-touch onboarding project

"During the Enterprise Onboarding for Client Z, you coordinated with Product, Support, and Implementation to create a tailored onboarding plan. You set realistic expectations with the client and proactively scheduled check-ins around key milestones. As a result, time-to-first-value dropped from the typical 45 days to 28 days, and the client’s NPS at 90 days was 72, well above our enterprise average. Your detailed post-project review identified three process changes we’ve now rolled out across all enterprise onboardings."

Each of these examples of project-based performance review examples shows how to connect role-specific actions to measurable business outcomes.

How to write your own project-based performance comments

After reading multiple examples of project-based performance review examples, patterns start to emerge. Strong comments usually:

• Reference a specific project by name and timeframe.
• Describe 2–3 concrete behaviors, not personality traits.
• Include data where possible (time saved, error reduction, revenue impact, satisfaction scores).
• Acknowledge constraints (scope changes, dependencies, hybrid work realities).
• End with a forward-looking note: repeat this behavior, scale it, or adjust it.

If you want to align with broader performance management guidance, resources from OPM.gov and research from universities like Harvard provide deeper context on goal-setting and feedback.

When you adapt these real examples of project-based performance review examples, keep your language plain, specific, and honest. Employees can tell when feedback is copy-pasted. Use these as starting points, then layer in the details that only you, as the project leader or peer, truly know.

FAQs about project-based performance review examples

What are good examples of project-based performance review examples for hybrid teams?

Good examples highlight how someone managed time zones, asynchronous communication, and clarity of ownership. For instance, noting that a project lead documented decisions after each virtual meeting and used shared workspaces so no one was blocked by location or schedule.

Can you give an example of project-based performance review feedback for a missed deadline?

Yes. Instead of saying, “You missed the deadline,” a stronger example of feedback would be: “The data integration phase finished 10 days late because risks around data quality were not raised early. For future projects, you’ll need to escalate when assumptions change and confirm revised timelines with stakeholders in writing.”

How often should managers use project-based reviews versus annual reviews?

Most organizations benefit from project-based reviews after major initiatives or milestones, with an annual review that synthesizes patterns across multiple projects. This approach gives employees timely feedback tied to real work, which research on performance management shows is more effective than relying only on once-a-year conversations.

Do project-based performance review examples work for individual contributors and managers?

Yes. The same structure works for both: name the project, describe the person’s role, list specific behaviors, and connect them to outcomes. For managers, add how they influenced team performance; for individual contributors, focus more on their direct deliverables and collaboration.

Where can I find more examples of project-based performance review examples?

You can adapt language from internal project retrospectives, promotion packets, and peer feedback forms. External resources on performance management from organizations like OPM, NIST, and major universities also include sample behaviors and competency descriptions you can translate into project-based language.