Getting Good Feedback

This is an open source document for web designers to modify and adapt as they see fit. The idea is that it provides a good grounding for clients to understand what makes good feedback.

• Originally published: 3rd November 2015
• Last updated: 3rd November 2015
• Written and maintained by Andrew Fairlie http://twitter.com/andiefairlie
• Original post at http://rye.agency/blog/getting-good-design-feedback-an-open-source-document

The Document

When giving design feedback it's important to be descriptive - not prescriptive.

If you're not a fan of how we've designed something, these steps - in order - will lead to quick and effective resolution:-

1. Contextualise it in the scope of the project

• Does it work towards the project goals? Does it work against them?
• Does it serve the people using the site? Question things from their point of view rather than yours.
• Does it work within the project constraints?

2. If you don't think we've succeeded in point 1, ask us for an explanation about why we did it this way
3. If you're not satisfied with our explanation provide an honest and specific explanation about why we're wrong in our explanation - and then leave it with us to think about the solution again

There are common "feedback gremlins" that seem as though they should be helpful but actually disrupt a project and derail the creative process. Things like:-

• Involving others in the feedback process. When we ask for your feedback it's important that it's your feedback. Democracy and good design are incompatible. Opportunity to present to others will come in time.
• Prescribing solutions. These introduce new constraints on the project; at which point the project changes. Warning-phrases include:-
  • "How about..."
  • "What if..."
  • "Could we just..."
  • "What would it look like if...?"
  • "I've seen this site..."
  • "Our competitors do it like..."
• In the same vein, providing drawings of yours or others ideas complicate matters - we're no longer designing solutions, we're just finishing yours - that's not our job.

Everything we design is made to fit the agreed goals within the constraints of the project. Our job as your agency is to balance the project brief, the requirements of the people who will use it and your opinion.

Making sure you're happy with what we produce is important - but no more important than meeting the agreed brief and the requirements of the people who will use it. So we won't always act on your feedback. If we don't, know that we're not rebelling - we're doing what you hired us to do.