PRDPs work best when they:

• Take place in a planned and managed way, with both the reviewer and the reviewee prepared in advance. 
• Build on a foundation of good communication and regular feedback. Issues should not be 'saved up' for a PRDP conversation.
• Are used constructively with both the reviewer and reviewee committing to the process.
• Help people understand how their contribution fits in with the work of the wider team or department, and the reviewee's work is appreciated and recognised.
• Operate as a quality conversation emphasising the conversation rather than diligently completing a form.
• Result in agreed objectives and development plans, which are referred to throughout the year to check and celebrate progress. 

PRDPs are separate from formal pay conversations. However, during the PRDP meeting, you can discuss changes to the job description, and you may explore possible progression aspirations or opportunities.

Getting the best from your PRDP – e-Learning module:
By completing this module, you will be able to:

• State the benefits and purpose of the PRDP process and how it fits within the overall performance cycle
• Plan effectively for your PRDP
• Approach the PRDP conversation in a positive and constructive manner
• Identifying your development needs and next steps.

People and Organisational Development (POD) have created a range of support for delivering meaningful PRDP conversations aimed at both reviewers and reviewees. This is provided via these web pages and guidance documents, which incorporate PRDP-specific materials.

There are many additional training and development opportunities offered throughout The College, which include:

• The Management and Leadership Development Programme is a comprehensive development programme for leaders, managers, and supervisors.
• Core Skills Development supports all staff to develop the critical skills, knowledge and attitudes that deliver effective performance across the college. This includes:
  • Imperial insights - our welcome event for all new staff members at the college
  • Career Development - a suite of bespoke workshops to help you develop and enhance your career
  • Communication skills - from ‘Building a powerful presence online’ to ‘Influencing skills’
  • Health and Wellbeing - a range of offers from ‘Building personal resilience’ to ‘Dealing with imposter syndrome’
  • Additional opportunities such as shadowing, mentoring  and coaching

• Development Opportunities for Academicsbrings together all the programmes offered to academic staff, including:
  • Academic-only leadership programmes
  • Academic masterclasses
  • A range of recommended development resources, from collaborative working and decision-making to risk management seminars

Additionally, the consultancy team offers tailored support to departments and teams, focusing on the uptake and quality of PRDPs.

• The Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre provides tailored support for postdocs and fellows.
• The Educational Development Unit can support applications for the Imperial College Supporting Teaching Accreditation and Recognition (STAR) Framework, designed for those who teach and support student learning.
• The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Centre provides advice about adjustments for staff and how people can get involved in supporting equality, diversity and inclusion.

 The College produces PRDP forms as templates to support meaningful PRDPs. They are prompts to shape and support meaningful conversations. They suggest topics to be covered and provide a primary means of recording the most valuable areas of the PRDP conversation. The forms include an achievement scale to help quantify and describe progress supporting the conversation. These achievement scales are not compulsory; they offer a shared language to help the appraisee and appraiser define achievements.

• Academic Job Family PRDP Form (Word)‌
• Learning and Teaching Job Family PRDP Form (Word)‌
• Postdoc PRDP form (Word)
• Guidance notes for Postdoc-PRDP
• Professional Technical and Operational Job Family PRDP Form (Word)‌
• Faculty of Medicine Clinical Academics PDRP Form (Word)

Research Nurses and Research Technicians may prefer to use the Professional, Technical and Operational Job Family PRDP form.

These should suffice, but departments may create their documentation so long as they contain the core elements of review, job and career planning, and refer directly to Imperial Values and responsibilities for safety, security, equality and diversity, etc.

Departments wishing to vary the documentation must clear their version with a People and Organisational Development Consultant to ensure that guidelines are met. Both parties should have a copy of the completed PRDP form to be reviewed at appropriate times during the year and used as a benchmark for the following year’s PRDP. It is meant to be a ‘living’ document.