Asking & giving design feedback

Over the years, I have learned that feedback is the fuel that accelerates design work into a different quality spectrum. Though feedback from users & customers would rank high for product teams to base decisions to drive design decisions, there is still great value in engaging peers and stakeholders in the feedback process.

Often I have observed teams delaying the feedback process or conducting them poorly. Here are some tips on acing this practice both on the asking and giving side of the feedback process.

Tips to improve how you ask for feedback

  • Clarify the business and user goals and objectives
  • Set the context and explain the problem and its impact on business and users
  • Explain how far ahead you are in the design process
  • Address any action items from previous discussions
  • Bounce questions when directed with solutions.
  • Try not to take feedback personally and direct them toward the goals.
  • Be mindful of specialty bias if other roles are present and try to avoid jargons.
  • Have someone assist in notetaking, timekeeping and refereeing participants about personal opinions.
  • Buy time in the future to discuss opinionated feedback so you can plan more research to back up your solution or find an alternate one.
  • Share early and build a cadence.
  • Identify items that may be valuable for other teams like design systems, content strategy, brand and marketing.

Tips to improve how you give feedback

  • Get clarity on the business and user goals and objectives
  • Validate the problem and acknowledge its impact on business and users
  • Check how far ahead the design is in the overall process
  • Check on any action items from previous discussions
  • Ask questions about the design solutions.
  • Try to keep feedback objective and direct them toward the goals.
  • Raise questions to get clarifications on domain or speciality terms and jargons.
  • Contribute to design work by adding feedback as discussion notes, comments and votes.
  • Check if research could help in freeing up designs from opinions and personal viewpoints
  • Reserve your spot early and form a cadence.
  • Connect the dots and help the designer broaden their reach.

I hope this helps you and your team have more valuable feedback sessions. I am always eager to learn how others tackle collaboration in product teams, so reach out to me to continue the conversation.