Benjamim Alves - Senior Software Engineer

After writing my last piece on code reviews, I realized something was missing, that a strong feedback culture doesn't just improve code, it strengthens team dynamics, fosters growth, and builds trust.

Here's how to make feedback a core part of your engineering culture.

Feedback illustration

This is wrong.

You've probably seen a comment like that in a pull request. Maybe you've written one yourself. It's short, blunt and completely unhelpful.

Technical feedback is a huge part of how we collaborate as engineers. Code reviews, pair programming, architecture discussions… all of them are built on one thing: feedback. But here's the problem, we often treat feedback as a checklist or a gatekeeping step, not as a culture to intentionally shape.

A healthy feedback culture isn't just about catching bugs or choosing the "right" design pattern. It's about helping each other grow, share knowledge, and build trust, all while building better software.

🧠 Why Feedback Culture Matters in Engineering

In most dev teams, code reviews are the default place for feedback. And that's great, they're a powerful tool. But if feedback only happens in pull requests, we're missing a big part of the picture.

Good feedback culture helps teams:

Catch issues earlier, not just in code, but in design and communication.
Share knowledge continuously, not just when someone makes a mistake.
Build psychological safety, so people feel confident to ask questions or take initiative.

On the flip side, a poor feedback culture leads to avoidable bugs, team friction, and developers who are afraid to speak up.

A strong feedback culture turns teams into learning machines. And it starts with understanding what healthy feedback actually looks like.

🌱 What Makes Feedback "Healthy"?

Not all feedback is created equal. Some builds people up. Some shuts them down. The difference often comes down to how it's given.

Healthy feedback is:

Specific: "This is unclear because of X" is more helpful than "This is confusing."
Timely: Feedback lands better when the context is fresh.
About the work, not the person: "This might not scale well" > "You didn't think this through."
Balanced: Point out the good, not just the bad.
Open: Good feedback invites discussion, not defensiveness.

It's not about being overly nice. It's about making improvement easier - and safer.

🎯 Giving Better Technical Feedback

Giving feedback is a skill and like any skill, it can be learned and improved.

Tips to level up:

Be curious, not judgmental, ask instead of assuming:

Can you explain why you chose this approach?
Be specific and actionable, avoid vagueness like "this needs refactoring."

Try: "Maybe we could extract the validation into a helper?"
Watch your tone, written tone is tricky. Use "I" statements and inclusive language:

I found this part a bit hard to follow, maybe we could clarify it?
Don't skip the positives, celebrate good choices:

Nice use of memoization here - super efficient.

Thoughtful feedback builds trust - and better outcomes.

🤲 Receiving Feedback Like a Pro

It's not always easy to hear critique, especially on something we've spent time and care building.

Some ways to make it easier:

Detach ego from output: Feedback is about the code, not your worth.
Ask clarifying questions: Don't guess what someone meant, ask.
Assume good intent: Most teammates want to help.
Track recurring themes: Use patterns in feedback to guide your growth.
Say thank you: A simple "thanks!" makes feedback feel worthwhile.

Receiving feedback well is a superpower. It shows maturity, humility, and a growth mindset.

🛰️ Beyond PRs: Other Feedback Channels That Matter

Pull requests are great, but feedback shouldn't stop there.

Other key moments:

Pair programming & mob sessions: Feedback in real time, in context.
Design & architecture discussions: Better to catch issues early.
Retros & post-mortems: Learn from what went wrong together.
1:1s & mentoring: Personalized feedback = deeper growth.
Async comments & Slack: Keep the feedback flowing, casually and continuously.

Feedback culture grows when it's part of everyday team communication, not just formal reviews.

🧭 Role of Tech Leads and Seniors

If you're in a senior or lead role, you help set the tone, whether you mean to or not.

Lead by example:

Model great feedback: Be kind, clear, and constructive.
Ask for feedback yourself: Show that growth isn't just for juniors.
Use 1:1s for deeper feedback: Help others grow intentionally.
Protect space for learning: Create space for reflection, not just delivery.

Great leaders don't just manage, they coach, guide, and uplift.

✨ Closing Thoughts

Strong feedback culture isn't built with tooling or process. It's built in the everyday moments, comments, questions, and conversations.

It's about remembering that feedback isn't about who's right. It's about helping each other think better, grow faster, and build smarter.

Start small:

Reword a PR comment with more kindness.
Ask someone for feedback this week.
Call out great work when you see it.

Little shifts add up. And soon, you've built a team where feedback flows and people feel safe to do their best work.

What's one piece of feedback that helped you grow as a developer? Or something you plan to try differently this week? Let me know in the comments. I'd love to learn from you too.