Performance Measurement - Software Firm

Hi
ours is a Software firm consisting of Product Engineers, Implementation Engineers, Testing Engineers, and a few administrative staff. we have 40 employees in Kochi & 20 in banglore & onsite. Kindly suggest me some effective performance measurement system. I have introduced an Appraisal Review every half year. It is just a review of work done. Is that enough for evaluating performance? or should i have some weekly/ monthly/ quarterly measurement system? Pls suggest
Warm Regards
JM

Typically all software companies though not in the same order have Project end appraisal, confirmation appraisal and the annual appraisal (which typically results in a salary revision) . As an organization you should try and apply all of the above at a periodicity agreed by your management.
Then again, as most of us know, no performance appraisal is perfect and most organizations spend good amount of time analysing the right fit. Nevertheless, it is good to have as many mechanisms as possible at regular intervals to get and share feedback with all concerned. This becomes even more critical with a knowledge intenisve industry like software.

I would suggest you to go for 360 appraisal.
Might be costly and time consuming but 200% effective than the traditional year end appraisal.

Hi
I'm the HR Consultant for a company. We are basically into sale of HP products. Can u please let me know the techniques for measuring staff performance (clerical). How rating is done. The scale used and the ideal incentive for the respective scales.

To quote Deming....
Evaluation of performance, merit rating, or annual review... The idea of a merit rating is alluring. the sound of the words captivates the imagination: pay for what you get; get what you pay for; motivate people to do their best, for their own good. The effect is exactly the opposite of what the words promise.

Hi,
The PfM cannnot take any standard way as mentioned in the textbooks. You can have a combination of methods which yoou feel may help you. 360 degree appraisal, as mentioned by one of the users above is easy to be suggested, but in reality consumes a lot of time.People will not have the patience to complete it.
Instead of a half yearly review, you can go in for an annual performance appraisal, with short review meetins in bewee, say once in two or three months. This will help the employees to keep track of their deadlines and the level of completion of their golas. Keep the reviw meetings short and semi formal.
Hope the info will be of some help to you.
Regards,
Nithya