“Make it pop, it needs a wow factor!”
“Have you tried comic sans?”
“Can you make it more colourful and fun?”
“Can we revert to the original design?”
“Can we marry route one and route two?”
“Look, I made this on Canva. Can you recreate it?”
“I need you to make this change immediately, it shouldn’t take long right?”
Years ago, when I began my career as a graphic designer, I was freelancing and often found myself navigating the murky waters of client feedback by myself. I would struggle to balance creative freedom with client expectations. I yearned to trust my design instincts but the seeds of doubt were sowed and I would be too worried to make a mistake. On the other hand, when confidence surged, I sometimes became too rigid, refusing to consider alternative perspectives and approaches suggested by the “non-designers”. We would reach an impasse that made the process more challenging than it needed to be. In those moments, it was difficult to see who was right? What should be the next steps? Where will this project ultimately end up?
So it made me wonder, is client feedback a blessing or a curse? Over the past three years at Studio Paperheads, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients, each with their unique perspectives and feedback. I’ve learned to identify potential roadblocks early on, anticipate client concerns, adapt during the process and proactively address them. This approach has significantly reduced the number of hiccups along the way and shaped my approach to client relationships.
While delving into the nuances of client feedback, we’ll be exploring the techniques we use in our daily practice to build an effective design collaboration. By understanding the difference between constructive criticism and subjective opinions, we can harness the power of feedback to enhance our designs, while avoiding the pitfalls of ego-driven decision making.
Decoding Non-Designer Feedback
Now, there’s constructive feedback and then there’s not so helpful feedback. Sometimes the latter can feel more like a puzzle than actionable input. But how can you tell?
| Feature | Good Feedback | Bad Feedback |
| Clarity | Specific and practical examples of what needs to be improved. Example: Could we consider adding more earthy tones to the colour palette to reinforce the eco-friendly messaging? | Vague and subjective. Example: It feels off. |
| Constructiveness | Offer solutions and suggestions but not try to enforce them. Example: I’m finding the text on the homepage dense. Perhaps we can break up the text into smaller paragraphs or we can cut down the text if needed. | Simply blames the designer and expresses dissatisfaction without providing alternatives. Example: You’ve completely missed the mark. I’m very disappointed. |
| Relevance | Directly addresses design goals and target audience. Example: The current design feels a bit too formal for our target audience. I think incorporating more playful elements like brighter colours and dynamic imagery might help. | Focuses on personal preferences or irrelevant details. Example: I don’t like this colour. I find it boring. |
| Tone | Delivered with respect and in a polite, professional manner. Example: I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into the design. I’m particularly drawn to the icons. However, I think the readability of the body text could be improved. | Critical and dismissive which undermines the designer’s effort. Example: Is this the best you can do? Feels a bit basic. |
| Timing | Provided early on in the process to allow for adjustments. | Provided early on in the process to allow for adjustments. Example: Can we revert to the original design? |
It’s important to objectively and critically analyse the feedback that you are receiving in order to make the best possible design decisions for the project.
A Fresh Perspective?
As designers, we possess a unique skillset and technical expertise. However it’s easy to become frustrated with clients who offer feedback that may, at first, seem misguided or irrelevant. We often forget that the majority of people who will interact with our designs are, in fact, non-designers. Sometimes, a client can serve as a valuable proxy for the target audience, highlighting where the potential gaps or areas for improvement are. By aligning feedback with design goals, we can create designs that are not only visually appealing but also resonate with the intended audience.
Here’s why non-designer feedback is essential to the design process:
- Anchoring designs in business objectives
With guidance, non-designers can focus on how a design aligns with broader goals that support the brand’s purpose. - Practical Insights
Non-designers are able to view designs through the lens of usability or audience understanding. - Challenging Assumptions
Clients can ask questions that push designers to reconsider their choices for the better. It helps in the refinement and strengthening of the final output.
Renowned UX designer, Jared Spool wisely observed, “Good design, when done well, becomes invisible. It’s only when it’s done poorly that we notice it.” Clients with their unique perspectives inadvertently help us achieve this ideal by pointing out the very obviousness of the design. It is a key reminder to simplify.
Studio Paperheads Had A Showdown (Not Really, Though)
Recently, while creating the new brand identity for Dr. Nagesh’s cardiology clinic, Phoenix, we encountered one of the aforementioned hiccups. We initially had created and paired the logo with a thoughtfully crafted tagline. However, based on feedback, Dr. Nagesh suggested replacing the tagline with the explicit text “Phoenix Cardiology.” At first, we were hesitant, as we believed the design was clear enough and felt that the change might be overly direct. But after thorough testing, it became evident that non-designers preferred the revised version as it was more recognisable. This shift ultimately improved clarity and strengthened the rebranding. This experience underlines the importance of listening and testing design decisions.
“Opening up to external perspectives will unlock new levels of creativity and proficiency in your design journey,”
– Mark Des Cotes in “The power of outside perspectives: Why designers need honest feedback to improve.”
This implies that by embracing constructive feedback and actively seeking diverse viewpoints, designers can demonstrate a commitment to excellence, a willingness to learn and a desire to build trust.
Communication Is A Two Way Street
Effective design requires open, honest and clear communication. Here are some strategies we’ve found helpful for navigating this process with our clients.
- Setting the stage: Before embarking on any design project, it’s crucial to establish clear expectations with the client. By outlining the design process, objectives and communication channels, we create a solid foundation for collaboration. A well-defined project brief can serve as a reference point throughout the process.
- Ask better questions: This is applicable to both non-designers and designers.
By encouraging clients to articulate their thoughts, we are nudging them to probe a little deeper. If they are still vague, then it’s because they are clouded with uncertainty. - Provide context: We use visual presentations to showcase design concepts and decisions. By visually illustrating the design process every step of the way, we can help clients better understand our choices. We walk them through our designs on call and then give them a chance to step away with the presentation to think about it. The feedback is almost always more focused and relevant.
- Leveraging feedback tools: To streamline the feedback process, we utilise structured tools like feedback forms or visual comparison tools to reduce misunderstandings. These tools ensure feedback is organised and can track progress.
- Creative Vision vs. Client Input: While it’s important to consider client feedback, it’s equally important to maintain creative integrity. We clearly explain why these design decisions support the project’s objectives which helps the clients understand the implication of their feedback.
Conflicts to Opportunities
On good days, navigating non-designer feedback can feel challenging. On bad days, they might feel like the end of the world. However, it’s important to recognise that it’s an opportunity to refine our work, enhance collaboration, experiment and create impactful designs.
Ultimately, a designer’s role is to bring a client’s vision to life that is effective and visually appealing, it can be tricky but sometimes you have to just trust the (design) process.
Have you ever faced vague or conflicting design feedback? How did you handle the situation?
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