How to Give Design Feedback That Works
The quality of design feedback determines the quality of the final design. Vague, contradictory, or personal-preference-based feedback creates endless revision cycles and frustration on both sides. This guide helps you give feedback that moves the project forward.
The Four Qualities of Good Design Feedback
- Specific: Point to the exact element you are commenting on. "The heading on the product page is too large" rather than "the headings need work"
- Grounded in criteria: Reference the user, the business goal, or agreed design principles. "This doesn't match our brand guidelines" or "Our target user is unlikely to notice this button" — not "I personally don't like this"
- Problem-focused, not solution-focused: Describe what problem you see, not what the solution should be. Designers are better placed to solve design problems — your job is to identify them. "I'm not sure users will understand what happens when they click this button" — not "Change the button to say something else"
- Consolidated: Gather all stakeholder views before sending feedback. Multiple rounds of separate feedback from different people creates contradictions and wastes time.
What to Avoid
- "I don't like it" without explanation
- Personal colour/font preferences unrelated to brand or usability
- Feedback that contradicts previously agreed direction
- Scope changes disguised as feedback ("while we're at it, can we add...")