5-Ways to Provide Constructive Design Feedback
As a designer, I have a love/hate relationship with feedback. I mean really - don’t we all? Because communication is full of subtleties, communicating design feedback can be awkward. When I first started working as a designer I worked with a team of people where we collaborated and offered ideas before presenting to the client. Now, as a solopreneur, it’s usually just me and my client.
My goal is to create a partnership with open communication. One thing that has really helped is presenting designs on a Zoom call so that we are looking at the same images at the same time and can refer and event point to the area we are discussing.
Here are a few tips for providing your designer with feedback that will get you the results you are looking for.
Be clear and concise. Vague comments will lead to confusion and add time to the project. For example, if you tell me you want the logo to “pop”, I will need to intuit what you mean by that. A better way to say this may be “I’d like to see something bright and crisp that stands out from the background images”.
Ask questions. If there is something about the design that you don’t care for, ask the designer what the intention behind it. There is always a reason behind the design and we love to explain it. This doesn’t mean we aren’t open to changes - but it does help with the communication.
Describe the problem without offering a solution. Communicate what it is you don’t think is working well and allow the designer to find the most efficient solution.
Have realistic expectations. If you are looking for a logo, understand that it can’t be “everything”. If you are a dentist who specializes in pediatric dentistry, the ideal logo likely will not show teeth, tools, kids and the dentist all in one logo. Many people forget that the logo is not often standing alone and the other images or photos will tell the story as well. Keep in mind that the designer thinks about how it will look enlarged or even very small and simple is best.
Provide positive feedback. Try to share what you like about the design as well. It’s always great to end on an up note. Even if the design results in a complete re-do, positive communication is essential in the process.
I hope these tips help with your next design feedback experience. Remember, we want you to love your design!
