Effective Design Feedback Styles For Different Projects

Not everyone is your audience. Not all feedback is useful. Just changing how I ask for feedback made all the difference. Here’s how. When I first started as a designer, I’d ask almost anyone for feedback on my work. I would turn to the person next to me and ask, “What do you think?” As tempting as that approach was, I was wrong. It felt easy to grab quick input from everyone, but that did more harm than good. Over the years, as a UX Designer, I’ve asked for tons of feedback on my work. It is the best way to grow but what matters is knowing 𝘸𝘩𝘰 to ask and 𝘩𝘰𝘸 to ask. The best feedback is: 1. 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲. It’s important to time your feedback well and maintain a feedback loop. If it’s too late, you might find it difficult to make changes. But if you ask too soon and without enough details you risk distracting the reviewer with unfinished or unnecessary elements that won’t answer your questions. 2. 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝. The best feedback comes from people who understand the problem you’re solving. It might seem easy to ask a bunch of friends or colleagues, but a random opinion won’t help if they don’t know your goals, audience or constraints. Too many voices can dilute your vision so the right feedback from the right people is what really matters. 3. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞. Not everyone knows how to give useful feedback. If you walk away from a discussion feeling demotivated, think whether you asked the right person. Good feedback should highlight areas for growth while also respecting your effort. The best feedback provides context behind the critique rather than just following trends or what 'looks good' to them. 4. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Feedback should give you a clear direction, not just a list of what’s wrong. What good is it if someone just says, “This doesn’t look good”? You’d be left wondering about a hundred different ways to fix it. The way you 𝐚𝐬𝐤 for feedback determines the quality of what you 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞. Here are some better ways to ask for feedback: 1. Focus on a specific area: Instead of "What do you think?" ask "Does this layout make it easy for users to navigate?" 2. Ask for pros and cons: "What’s working well and what could be improved?" 3. Request alternatives: "If *something* doesn’t work, do you have any suggestions to improve it?” 4. Clarify intent: "This work prioritizes *a certain need*. Do you think it meets that goal?" 5. Encourage detailed input: "Can you explain your thought process as you review this?” 6. Give context: "Since you understand *a particular user need* I'd love your perspective on this." 7. Ask for usability insights: "Would this be intuitive for someone as a first time user?” Asking for feedback is a critical skill that takes intentional effort to get right. The way we ask for feedback is just as important as the feedback itself. Let's Discuss- Is it easier for you to give feedback or receive it? #ProductDesign #UX #Feedback #EarlyCareer

Design stories drive decisions. The idea that design speaks for itself is wishful thinking, especially in a field where user needs differ greatly and team members bring varying priorities and perspectives to the table. From my experience, there’s no single perfect pitch or review session that magically aligns a team for great decisions. Making good choices for users often involves navigating a series of conflicting decisions before anything reaches their screens. When things work, it’s beautiful. When things are out of sync, it can be very painful. Selling the same pitch to every internal team is a recipe for failure. Each group has unique concerns when it comes to design decisions. Here’s an example: • Executives focus on impact and minimizing risk • Stakeholders want design that aligns with their business goals • Managers prioritize consistency and delivery • Project teams aim to want to innovate for users Each group has different priorities, so the way you present designs must adapt. The order, level of detail, key findings, outcomes, and discussions should be tailored to the audience. For a new designer, this process might feel insincere. For a busy executive, it’s a relief. But for the design leader in the middle, it’s a delicate balancing act filled with potential challenges. It takes years to master this balance, but addressing each audience's specific needs is what drives good decisions. Simplicity makes design reviews more effective, but the goal is to craft stories focusing on the design work's most relevant aspects. The best stories don’t try to say everything—they highlight what truly matters to the audience. #productdesign #productdiscovery #userresearch #uxresearch

5 Feedback Models That Actually Work (Because the Sandwich Method Never Did) Are you still using the old sandwich model for providing feedback? The sandwich model is criticism wrapped in between praise. It misses the mark.  Everyone knows it. They see it coming. Besides, criticism hurts. It makes people defensive. True feedback is clear and honest. It should help people grow, not just soften the blow. Here are 5 ways to give better feedback: - Be direct about what needs improvement. - Focus on actions, not personal traits. - Use specific examples to illustrate your point.  - Encourage questions to clarify understanding.  - Offer support for improvement. Try these 5 much effective models to give clear feedback: The SBI Model:  → Situation: Describe what happened.  → Behavior: Focus on actions, not thoughts.  → Impact: Share the effect on the team or project. The Start-Stop-Continue Model:  → Start: Suggest new actions to take.  → Stop: Identify what’s not working.  → Continue: Praise what is going well. The Radical Candor Framework:  → Care Personally: Show empathy.  → Challenge Directly: Be honest and clear. The Feedforward Model:  → Focus on the future.  → Ask how to improve next time. The CLEAR Model:  → Clarify: Define the issue.  → Listen: Hear their side.  → Explore: Find solutions together.  → Agree: Set next steps.  → Review: Follow up to check progress. Choose your feedback wisely. It shapes your team's success and growth. Be the leader who inspires action through clear feedback.