Effective Methods For Peer Design Feedback

From Studio to Strategy: How I Use Art School Critique to Lead My Team Creativity is often seen as the domain of artists: abstract, emotional, maybe even a little chaotic. But as someone who lives in both worlds = fine art and the precision-driven diamond industry. I’ve come to see creativity as something much more powerful: a leadership tool. In my studio, creativity is expression. In my team, creativity is communication, empathy, and collaboration. And sometimes, it means reimagining something as fundamental as how we give feedback. The Feedback Problem:- When I first began managing my team at AMIPI INC. (in the diamond industry) I noticed a common issue: people were reluctant to give or receive feedback. Conversations around performance were often guarded, surface-level, or avoided altogether. This wasn’t just a communication problem, it was holding back growth and innovation. So I asked myself, how would an artist approach this? Enter: The Critique Circle:- In art school, critique isn’t just part of the proces, it is the process. We hang our work on the wall, step back, and invite others in. The goal isn’t to tear it apart. It’s to learn, evolve, and see something new. It’s about trust. I brought this approach to my team by introducing something I call Critique Circles: • We replaced performance reviews with creative review sessions. • Everyone shared their “work in progress” whether it was a sales pitch, product idea, or report on a whiteboard or presentation screen. • Feedback followed a three-step flow: what works, what could be explored further, and what inspired you. • We included visuals, metaphors, even sketching when words fell short What Changed:- Within weeks, the dynamic shifted. Team members no longer feared feedback , they welcomed it. They began offering ideas freely, asking for input before being told, and even initiating their own mini critique circles on or in meetings. The result? • Faster iteration and better results. • Deeper team trust. • A more emotionally intelligent culture. What started as an artist’s instinct turned into a cornerstone of how we collaborate. Creativity Is a Culture, Not a Department! I believe creativity isn’t a skill reserved for “creatives” it’s a mindset. When we infuse it into leadership, we unlock human potential in the most unexpected places. Even in an industry as exacting as diamonds, creative leadership has helped me build not just better products, but a stronger, more connected team. And if you’re someone who leads, builds, or manages, don’t underestimate what you already have inside you. Your creative instincts might just be your greatest asset. 12-ft commissioned artwork for a hedge fund’s main boardroom (client confidential). Grateful to create at this scale.

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.

Earlier today, a young product designer told me that in his company, design reviews were largely focused on blame — instead of progress. I wish this surprised me. Reagrdless, I'm gonna say a whole lot here for the room as a whole — from #UX and #ProductDesign folks to the #ProductManagers and #VPs of whatever who take them to task: Design feedback should never be failure — it should always be FUEL. What I mean by that: if teams or their bosses treat critique like a courtroom — cross-examination, defense, judgment — innovation suffers and progress toward measurable results stops dead. Here’s the truth: If a team member flinches at feedback, that's not a design problem. It’s a culture problem. And in most cases, it's a culture where managers mistakenly think that by being "tough" on their teams they'll get better results. I am here to tell you that they could not possibly be more wrong. When feedback feels like a personal attack, people stop taking risks. They stop exploring alternatives. Hell, they stop tryign altogether because they're optimizing for safety — not quality. The result? Weaker, safer, less effective work that helps no one. Not the team, not the company and certainly not its users or customers. Leaders: YOU set the tone. Your team will only take feedback well — or speak up and tell you the truth you need to hear — if they know they’re SAFE doing so. Make it clear that critique is about progress, not performance. Encourage your team to share early. Praise exploration. Normalize unfinished work. Great products aren’t built in silence — they’re shaped through conversation. Designers: You can shift the tone. Normalize iteration by sharing early and often. Don’t let reviews be the first time stakeholders see the work. Start reframing feedback sessions — and don’t allow it to become an opinion fest by asking “what do you think?” No matter what you heaar, stick to these kinds of responses: “What’s not clear to you here?” “What were you expecting to happen instead?” “What assumptions did we make that didn't hold up in real-world use?” Everyone involved needs to lead with curiosity, not defense. When feedback is treated as exploration — NOT evaluation — everyone gets better. [ Photo: Adam Rutkowski ]

💥 Feedback is a gift they say. But only if you trust the messenger. Too many leaders confuse sharing their opinions of your actions as feedback, and when it’s critical, they might remain silent. But silence doesn’t build trust. Accountability does. If you want a practical way to give feedback that builds clarity and connection (not conflict), try the SBI+A Method: Situation, Behavior, Impact — plus Action. It’s my favorite feedback framework and it can be used for affirmative AND constructive feedback for peers, your teams and your leaders. Here’s how it works, with real-life prompts you can use today - 💬 S.B.I.+A : 🟪 SITUATION Anchor the conversation in time and place. Be specific so the context is clear. -“In yesterday’s 1:1 with the client…” -“During our team meeting this morning…” 🟧 BEHAVIOR Describe exactly what was said or done — only what you observed. Keep it neutral, which can help to de-personalize the message. - “…you rolled your eyes when Marcus offered his idea…” - “…you proactively prepared a visual to explain …” 🟨 IMPACT Here’s the heart of the conversation. Focus on the effect, not your assumption about their intent. - “…it shut down the conversation and made it harder to hear different viewpoints.” - “...it strengthened the presentation and built client confidence in our work.” 🟦 ACTION (this optional, but powerful IMO) Suggest what to change — or what to continue if it was positive. This is also an opportunity to invite the recipient of constructive feedback to share what actions they will take in light of this feedback. Sometimes, this is best delivered in a follow-up conversation after the recipient has had time to process the feedback. - “In the future, try pausing before responding so we hold space for full ideas.” - “Keep doing that — your clarity helped move the project forward.” ---------- 💡 I think this model is helpful for people-centered, equity-driven leadership because: *It builds a shared language to talk about harm, even when it’s unintentional. *It helps us shift from blame to growth — perfect for leaders trying to close the gap between intent and impact. *It makes feedback feel actionable instead of personal. And most importantly, when done well: it gets everyone back on the same page!

Back in 2017, my team had a simple but powerful ritual. We held "I have a design challenge" meetings, where someone would bring a project they were working on, and we’d workshop it together. These sessions weren’t just about fixing problems. They helped us grow our skills as a team and learn from each other’s perspectives. In 2024, I wanted to bring that same energy to learning designers looking to level up their skills in a fun and engaging way. This time, I turned to Tim Slade’s eLearning Challenges but took a different approach. Instead of just participating, we started doing live reviews of the challenge winners. How It Works One person drives the meeting, screensharing the challenge winner’s eLearning project while recording the session. We pause at each screen and ask two simple but high-impact questions: ✅ What worked well and why? ✅ What would you do differently and why? This sparks rich discussions on everything from instructional design and accessibility to visual design and interactivity. Everyone brings their unique expertise, turning the meeting into a collaborative learning experience. Want to Try It? Here’s What You Need ✔️ A web conferencing tool with recording capabilities ✔️ Adobe Premiere Pro or a transcript tool (optional, but helpful) ✔️ A generative AI tool like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude (optional for extracting themes from discussions) After the session, we take the recording and import it into Adobe Premiere, which generates a transcript in seconds. Then, using GenAI, we pull key themes, quotes, and takeaways, turning raw discussions into actionable insights. Why This Works This approach takes learning from passive to interactive. You’re not just seeing best practices. You’re critically analyzing them with peers, learning through feedback, and refining your own instructional design instincts. Would you try this with your team? Have you tried something similar? What worked well? #InstructionalDesign #GenAI #LearningDesign #eLearning #AIinLearning #CourseDevelopment #DigitalLearning #IDStrategy #EdTech #eLearningDesign #LearningTechnology #InnovationInLearning #CustomerEducation