Every feature backed by research made practical
We don't just claim to be different—we can cite why. We built each module on decades of peer-reviewed research in organizational psychology and learning science.
The Research on Goals & OKRs
Research shows that pre-defining success at multiple levels—before work begins—transforms goal-setting from vague wishful thinking into measurable progress.
Goal Attainment Scaling
Kiresuk & Sherman (1968)
Research shows that when people define what success looks like at multiple levels before they start, they're much more likely to achieve meaningful outcomes than with vague or binary goals.
Why it matters
Goals shift from subjective judgment to verifiable achievement. Both manager and employee agree upfront what 'meets expectations' actually means.
Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales
Smith & Kendall (1963)
Defining concrete behavioral examples of what different performance levels look like—before evaluation—reduces rating bias and increases reliability.
Goal and Process Clarity
Sawyer (1992)
Goal clarity (certainty about expected outcomes) and process clarity (certainty about methods) independently predict performance. Ambiguity in either dimension hurts results.
Goal Setting Theory
Locke & Latham (2002)
Specific, challenging goals consistently lead to higher performance than vague goals or no goals—but only when people are committed and have the ability to achieve them.
Why it matters
Valutare helps people set goals that are specific enough to be measurable, challenging enough to drive growth, and realistic enough to maintain commitment.
The Research on Feedback
When feedback isn't done well, it can undermine performance instead of enhancing it. The research is clear: effective feedback is task-focused, future-oriented, and answers 'what's next?'—not 'what do I think of you?'
Feedback Intervention Theory
Kluger & DeNisi (1996)
One-third of feedback interventions actually make performance worse. Feedback that threatens self-esteem or focuses on the person (rather than the task) backfires.
Why it matters
Valutare's feedback system is designed around what research shows works: task-focused, future-oriented, and specific—not personal judgments.
Feed-Forward Methodology
Goldsmith (2002)
Instead of dwelling on past mistakes, feed-forward focuses on future possibilities. People are more receptive to suggestions for future behavior than criticism of past behavior.
Continuous Feedback Effects
Jawahar (2010)
Feedback frequency matters. When feedback is ongoing rather than annual, employees can adjust in real-time and managers can reinforce progress consistently.
The Power of Feedback
Hattie & Timperley (2007)
Effective feedback answers three questions: Where am I going? How am I doing? Where to next? The 'where to next' (feed-forward) is where real growth happens.
Why it matters
Every piece of feedback in Valutare includes feed-forward—actionable guidance on what to do next, not just evaluation of what happened.
The Research on Adult Learning
Adults don't learn like students. They need psychological safety to take risks, a complete learning cycle, and connection to real work problems.
Psychological Safety and Learning
Edmondson (1999)
People won't take the interpersonal risks required for learning—admitting mistakes, asking questions, trying new things—unless they feel psychologically safe.
Why it matters
My Growth creates a truly private space where employees can reflect honestly, process feedback, and develop without fear of judgment.
Adult Learning Theory
Knowles (1984)
Adults learn differently than children. They need to know why something matters, prefer self-direction, learn best from real problems, and are motivated by internal factors.
Separating Development from Evaluation
Boswell & Boudreau (2002)
When development and evaluation are combined, development suffers. People can't be honest about growth areas when those same areas affect their rating.
Experiential Learning Cycle
Kolb (1984)
Real learning requires a complete cycle: having an experience, reflecting on it, forming new understanding, and trying something different. Most workplaces only do the first step.
Why it matters
My Growth supports the full learning cycle—not just capturing feedback, but prompting reflection and experimentation.
The Research on Performance Reviews
Traditional ratings reveal more about the rater than the person being rated. Research shows behavioral intention questions and structured conversations produce reviews that are more reliable, fair and actionable.
Reinventing Performance Management
Deloitte (2015)
Asking managers what they think of employees reveals more about the manager than the employee. Asking what managers would do (hire again, promote, bonus) produces more honest answers.
Why it matters
Valutare's behavioral intention questions ask what managers would do, not what they think—reducing bias and producing more actionable insights.
Idiosyncratic Rater Effect
Scullen, Mount & Goff (2000)
53-72% of performance rating variance comes from the rater, not the person being rated. Traditional ratings reveal more about who's rating than who's being rated.
Engagement-Performance Meta-Analysis
Harter et al. (2002)
Employee engagement is positively related to business outcomes including productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction, and reduced turnover.
One-on-One Meeting Science
Rogelberg et al. (2023)
Quality of 1:1 meetings between managers and direct reports strongly predicts employee engagement and manager effectiveness. Structure and consistency matter.
Why it matters
Valutare's 1-on-1 tools provide the structure research shows works—shared agendas, action tracking, and consistent cadence.
The Research on Organizational Culture
Great cultures are built on open dialogue. When employees speak up and leaders respond, trust grows. Recognition and psychological safety create the conditions where people thrive.
Recognition as Intrinsic Motivator
Brun & Dugas (2008)
Recognition functions as an intrinsic motivator that positively affects job satisfaction. Values-based recognition reinforces culture and drives engagement.
Why it matters
Valutare's Sparks connect recognition to your organization's values—making culture visible and reinforced daily.
Leadership and Employee Voice
Detert & Burris (2007)
When employees see leadership respond to feedback—not just collect it—trust increases and voice behavior improves. The door must actually be open.
The Employee-Centric Organization
BCG (2024)
Companies that prioritized employee experience saw 1.8x higher revenue growth and 2x higher employee retention. Putting employees at the center is linked to strong business results.
Organizational Silence
Morrison & Milliken (2000)
Employees systematically withhold concerns, ideas, and honest feedback when they believe speaking up is futile or risky. This creates blind spots that hurt organizations.
Why it matters
Voice creates accountability for leadership response, so employees see their input actually matters. Speaking up becomes worth the risk.
Why research grounding matters
- Traditional PM vendors sell intuition disguised as innovation
- Most 'best practices' haven't been validated
- One-third of feedback interventions worsen performance
- Over half of rating variance comes from the rater, not the ratee
- You deserve to know why your tools work
The AI Amplification Effect
Our CEO's book on how AI can enhance human performance is core to Val's human-centered interaction design.
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