In 2023, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) implemented several changes to the officer and enlisted performance evaluation systems, including a redesign of the performance reports and a change in the USAF’s approach to providing developmental feedback. The USAF asked RAND Project AIR FORCE researchers to first establish a method to evaluate and monitor whether the performance evaluation changes are having the intended effects and then to conduct the designed evaluation. The project team used a mixed-methods approach that included a survey with a stratified random sample of airmen; focus groups with raters, ratees, and higher-level reviewers (HLRs); interviews with board members (e.g., promotion boards); and an analysis of performance evaluation data. This report details their methods, findings, and recommendations.
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