In a creative, client-focused profession like graphic design, the ability to openly receive and efficiently act on feedback from clients is essential to our process of developing and finalizing a project, whether it’s for a single logo or an entire association meeting magazine. As a design team, we love presenting concepts, hearing reactions, asking questions, and turning client feedback into a design that meets its mission.
There is an art to giving feedback, however, that will help us get to that final round much more quickly.
Imagine, for example, that you’ve redecorated your living room and ask your partner for their feedback. Which of the following two options would you find more useful?
A) Something seems off, but I can’t put my finger on it. I’ll know it when I see it.
B) I really like the design, but the color palette feels cold.
Or, how about this combination?
A) I don’t know, but it doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t really feel like us.
B) I like the overall color scheme, but the red accent is too intense. Could we try a softer shade or accent color that’s more calming?
In both cases, option B is much more actionable, right? The design looks great, and adding warmer color tones will lead us much closer to “nailed it!” (All of these examples are, in fact, real ones we’ve received from clients when talking about a first-draft design.)
Since providing great feedback is a skill that applies to so much in life – not just to design projects! – let’s dig in a little more deeply to find what we have found really works.
Be Specific and Direct
- Your first reaction to something may very well be “love it” or “don’t like it.” But don’t stop there – dig deeper! Ask yourself what elements you like, and why. What elements don’t you like? Why? Maybe you’re concerned an image may not resonate with your association’s target audience, for example. Talking about that works much better than just saying, “I don’t like the imagery.”
- Pinpoint what aspect of a design isn’t working for you: Sometimes, shapes, graphic elements, and photos can be the culprits of what feels “too busy.” Rather than just saying it looks too busy, clarify what aspect is the problem.
- Think ahead about how your team will make and share feedback. Using online tools where shared annotations and comments can be viewed, for example, is usually more efficient than individual comments – and others’ observations may help you better communicate a thought you were having trouble capturing.
Be Objective
- Maybe you really don’t like that color, but it’s an integral part of your association’s color palette. Focus on design elements and on what can be improved rather than letting your personal preferences and biases take over.
- Refer back – early and often! – to your original creative brief or RFP. Reminding yourself of your original goals and requests can focus your feedback on elements of a design that could be (objectively) off the mark.
Be Respectful
- Think in terms of a “compliment sandwich.” Start with the positive by pointing out what aspects of a design are working. Then, focus on the constructive creative feedback portion of the conversation. End on another positive, even if it’s to simply acknowledge effort! (Our own team uses this method internally during our critique stage, as it establishes a positive professionalism and keeps up a good spirit for the project at hand.)
- Focus on the design rather than the designer: “I’d prefer more white space” is better than “you made everything look crowded.”
- Be honest and candid – our ability to quickly understand what works and what doesn’t will enable us to get to the best design solution with the fewest rounds – while still being respectful. We’re all on the same team, and we share the same goal!
Be Timely
- We always create a calendar for every project, which includes feedback deadlines at multiple stages in the process. Heed these timelines to avoid a last-minute crunch.
- Consolidate feedback into one place, from all stakeholders, so that no one has to waste time looking for feedback. The longer it takes to gather feedback, the more momentum and focus we lose.
Be Thorough
- Maybe you have three things you’d really like to talk about, but you worry that addressing all three during round one may feel unkind … so you piece meal out the constructive feedback. While we appreciate the intent, we ask you to include everything you’ve got each round! This helps enormously in minimizing the number of review rounds needed.
- Decide up front who the stakeholders and decision makers will be, and make sure those people are available for every step of the process. There’s nothing worse than working through the entire process, thinking we’re at the final stage, and then a Board member shows up on the last call and says, “I don’t like it.” Or, everyone’s comments are on one platform, but then one of us gets an “offline” text or email. Building consensus depends on getting everyone in the room starting on day one – while remembering that a relatively small team will help ensure focus.
In turn, we at GRAPHEK are committed to listening actively, without interruption or going on defense. We’ll ask questions to understand feedback and clarify and confirm what we’re hearing. And we’ll work with you, together, to thoughtfully and creatively address needed changes in order to get to a final product that carries out its purpose beautifully and efficiently.
