How to give design feedback that gets better results
Describe the problem, not the fix. Name one approver. Ask focused questions. A template and examples inside.
Bad design feedback sounds like "make it pop" or "I don't like it". It costs rounds, and the work gets worse. Here is how to give design feedback that gets better results, with a template you can copy.
How to give design feedback: describe the problem, not the fix
Andy Budd wrote in Smashing Magazine (8 February 2023) that vague questions get poor feedback. He advises framing the problem first, saying what kind of feedback you want, and sharing work in progress early, when changes are cheap. He notes that asking "what do you think?" at the end tends to draw personal opinions, which is the kind of feedback you were trying to avoid.
Michael Hawley made a similar point in UXmatters (4 July 2011). Early reviewers often comment on surface details, because nobody told them which decisions were still open. He suggests three to five focused questions, a separate place for minor details, and requests that describe problems rather than prescribe fixes.
Before and after
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| Make the logo bigger. | The brand is hard to spot in the first second. What could help? |
| I don't like the blue. | The color feels cold for an audience we want to feel welcome. |
| Can it pop more? | The offer is not the first thing I notice. It should be. |
| Something feels off. | The spacing between the headline and the image looks uneven. |
Source: our own examples, built on the advice above.
A feedback template to copy
DESIGN FEEDBACK
Piece: [name and version]
Goal it must meet: [one sentence]
What is working: [one or two things]
Problems, in order of importance:
1. Where: [part of the design]. Problem: [what is wrong]. Why it matters: [effect on the goal].
2. Where: [...]. Problem: [...]. Why it matters: [...].
Must fix before it goes live: [numbers]
Nice to have: [numbers]
Questions for the designer: [anything you are unsure about]
Final approver: [name]
Rules that keep rounds down
Send one consolidated list. Not five messages from five people.
Name one approver. Everyone else sends input to that person.
Separate must-fix items from preferences.
Say what the piece is for. The goal is the test for every comment.
Refer to your brief. Our post on how to brief a designer in five minutes shows how to write one.
The Nielsen Norman Group also has a video, How to Get Helpful Feedback, on setting the stage before you share work.
Put priority in the order of the queue
When you send many requests, put the most important first. We work requests one at a time in your priority order, and you can send as many as you want. Clear feedback means each one finishes sooner. See how it works in our guide to unlimited graphic design, or start a request with the creative brief generator.
Want a designer who works in your order? Book a call.
How to give design feedback, step by step
Read the brief again. Judge the work against its goal, not your taste.
Look at the whole piece first, then the details.
Write what works. Designers keep what you praise.
List problems in order of importance, one per line.
Mark each as must-fix or nice-to-have.
Send one message with one list, from the approver.
When you disagree with the designer
Ask why before you push. "What made you choose this?" often shows a reason you had not seen. If you still disagree, return to the goal and the audience. Say which one the choice might hurt, and why.
First drafts and final drafts need different feedback
On a first draft, comment on direction: does it fit the goal and the audience? Leave small details for later. On a final draft, check details: spacing, spelling, sizes and files. Hawley's point about open decisions applies here. Tell the designer what is still open so you get comments on the right things.
A note on tone
Be kind and be specific. Specific is kind, because it saves the designer from guessing. Say what you see and what it does to the goal. Avoid sarcasm, and avoid "again" and "obviously". The aim is a better piece of work, not a point scored.
If feedback is urgent, say so and say why. If it is not, say that too.
Feedback on a tight deadline
When time is short, cut the list to the top three problems and say they are the only ones. Ask the designer what can be done in the time left. A good fix now beats a perfect fix after the deadline. Add the rest to a list for the next round.
What we could not verify
We describe the two articles from their text. We did not measure how many rounds this approach saves. The before and after lines are our own examples.
