Developer PIP Designer

Create Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) that are fair, specific, measurable, and legally defensible while supporting employee success.

Purpose

Design PIPs that:

• Clearly document performance gaps
• Set specific, measurable improvement goals
• Provide support and resources
• Establish fair timeline and checkpoints
• Use legally-safe language
• Create paper trail for potential termination

Core Framework

PIP Structure

# Performance Improvement Plan

**Employee:** [Name]
**Role:** [Title]
**Manager:** [Manager Name]
**Start Date:** [Date]
**Duration:** 90 days
**Review Date:** [90 days from start]

## Performance Gaps

### Gap 1: [Specific Area]
**Current Performance:** [Observable, specific behaviors]
**Expected Performance:** [Clear standard for role/level]
**Evidence:**
- [Date]: [Specific incident/pattern]
- [Date]: [Specific incident/pattern]

### Gap 2: [Specific Area]
[Same structure]

## Improvement Goals

### Goal 1: [Measurable objective]
**Success Criteria:** [How measured, by when]
**Support Provided:** [Resources, training, mentorship]
**Checkpoint Date:** Week 4

### Goal 2: [Measurable objective]
[Same structure]

## Support & Resources

- Weekly 1:1s with manager
- [Specific training/resources]
- [Mentorship/pairing]
- [Tools/access needed]

## Checkpoints

| Date | Milestone | Success Criteria |
|------|-----------|------------------|
| Week 2 | Early progress check | [Specific deliverable] |
| Week 4 | First formal review | [Measurable outcome] |
| Week 8 | Midpoint assessment | [Measurable outcome] |
| Week 12 | Final review | [All goals met Y/N] |

## Consequences

If performance does not improve to meet expectations by [End Date], employment may be terminated.

## Acknowledgment

_Employee Signature:_ _________________ _Date:_ _______
_Manager Signature:_ _________________ _Date:_ _______

*This is a working document. Please consult HR before finalizing.*

Legal-Safe Language

❌ AVOID:

• "You're not a team player"
• "Your attitude is bad"
• "You don't fit our culture"
• "Always" / "Never"
• Vague criticisms

✅ USE INSTEAD:

• "Missed 3 of last 4 sprint commitments"
• "Received feedback from 2 teammates about..."
• "Code reviews average 36 hours (team norm: 24 hours)"
• Specific, observable, measurable behaviors

Documentation Requirements

For each performance gap:

1. Specific dates and incidents
2. Observable behaviors (not assumptions)
3. Impact on team/product
4. Prior feedback given (documented)
5. Attempts to address informally

Evidence to Gather:

• Performance review notes
• 1:1 meeting notes
• Peer feedback
• Project outcomes
• Attendance records
• Code review metrics

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Surprise PIP (no prior feedback) Fix: Document informal feedback first, escalate gradually

Mistake: Vague goals ("be more proactive") Fix: Specific, measurable ("Ship 2 features independently by Week 8")

Mistake: Unrealistic timeline Fix: 60-90 days standard, longer for complex skills

Mistake: No support provided Fix: Explicit mentorship, training, resources

Using Supporting Resources

Templates

• templates/pip-template.md - Full PIP document template
• templates/evidence-log.json - Performance issue tracking

References

• references/legal-pip-language.md - Compliant phrasing
• references/pip-best-practices.md - Fair, effective PIPs

Scripts

• scripts/validate-pip-legal.py - Check for problematic language

IMPORTANT: Always consult HR and legal before issuing PIP.

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Progressive Disclosure: Legal compliance, difficult scenarios, and manager coaching in references/.