You’re reviewing a product design and want to provide feedback. What are some common mistakes to avoid?

Providing feedback on a product design requires careful consideration to ensure it is constructive and helpful. While it's important to address areas for improvement, don't overlook the positive aspects of the design. Acknowledge and commend the elements that are working well to maintain morale and motivation. Avoid providing feedback that is overly general or lacks specificity. Always provide context for your feedback. Avoid making personal attacks or assumptions about the designer's intentions or abilities. Focus on the work itself and provide feedback in a respectful and professional manner.

Providing constructive feedback on a product design is a crucial part of the design process. It helps refine the product, ensuring it's not just aesthetically pleasing but also functional, user-friendly, and achieves its intended purpose. However, delivering feedback effectively can be a bit tricky. A common mistake among designers is the aesthetics over usability Trap- Getting caught up in colors, fonts, or overall look and feel while neglecting core functionality. While it is great to acknowledge successful visual elements, it is important to prioritize usability issues. For example, "The color scheme is clean, but the button placement might be confusing for first-time users."

Avoid vague or general comments that don't offer clear direction. Instead, be specific about what elements of the design you're addressing and why they may or may not work. Base your feedback on objective criteria related to the design's goals, usability, and aesthetic coherence rather than personal preferences.

Feedback on a design should always be constructive and specific, balancing the positive with the negative. I utilize the sandwich technique - one positive comment, one helpful comment, and another positive comment. Here are some examples to help you: - I appreciate... - It's impressive how... - The design effectively... - One thing that stands out to me is... - The design effectively... It's unkind not to provide valuable insight to help your fellow designers improve their craft. Don't be afraid to help them. - One area that could be improved is... - Have you considered exploring alternatives for... - It could be beneficial to refine... - I'm not entirely convinced by... - It might be helpful to focus on... Hope this helps you.

It's crucial to strike a balance between being critical and constructive. Instead of solely pointing out flaws, focus on offering specific suggestions for improvement. Remember to keep user needs at the forefront of your feedback, considering factors such as usability and functionality alongside aesthetics. Be sure to offer actionable solutions rather than vague critiques, and remain mindful of practical constraints like time and budget. Additionally, don't overlook the importance of brand identity in design decisions, and foster collaboration among team members to ensure a well-rounded perspective. By avoiding these common pitfalls, your feedback can effectively contribute to the design process and ultimately lead to better outcomes.

When giving feedback on product design: 1. Be specific and objective, focusing on elements like layout, color, and usability. 2. Provide actionable suggestions for improvement instead of just pointing out problems. 3. Always consider the user experience and how the design meets their needs. 4. Avoid personal attacks on the designer; critique the work, not the person.

Another I have seen is vagueness and Lack of Specificity while giving feedback Saying generic things like "I don't like it" or "This feels off." Vague feedback is unhelpful for the designer who needs to understand the specific problem(s). A better approach is to pinpoint the exact issue. Talk about what is not working and WHY. "The text on the form is too small and difficult to read on a mobile screen."

Resist the urge to provide feedback without first understanding the designer's intentions and challenges. Ask questions to clarify their choices and listen actively to their explanations. This approach fosters a collaborative dialogue, helping you provide more informed and relevant feedback.

Design can be subjective, so practice empathy to listen to understand where the person is coming from before forming any judgements or critiquing the work - Make sure that you have a clear head to communicate the feedback professionally - Provide objective, actionable & timely feedback

Focusing solely on what you think needs improvement can be disheartening. Make sure to acknowledge what works well in the design alongside areas for improvement. Balanced feedback encourages designers by recognizing their strengths while guiding them on aspects to refine.

Focusing solely on what's wrong with the design without offering suggestions for improvement. While identifying problems is important, constructive criticism with solutions is more valuable. Don't just point out flaws; offer suggestions for improvement. Example: "The navigation menu seems cluttered. Could we explore a dropdown menu or tabbed interface for better organization?"

Adding on to being specific and objective - giving a blend of positive and negative is helpful to move the design forward and help less experienced designers build confidence. Here are more sentence stems to help you craft encouraging feedback for your next design critique. - The design effectively communicates... - I'm particularly fond of... - I admire the innovative approach to... - You've done an excellent job at... - It's evident that a lot of effort went into... - I noticed a potential issue with... - I think there's an opportunity to enhance... - It might be helpful to focus more on... - It could be useful to revisit the strategy for... - One thing to consider is the impact on... The sandwich method still applies.

Simply pointing out issues without offering solutions or alternatives can leave designers feeling stuck. Where possible, suggest specific changes or directions that could address the concerns you've raised. Your suggestions can serve as a starting point for further exploration and refinement.

Yes, this is something a lot of feedback lacks. When giving feedback, learn to separate the design from the designer, and even at that the design still shouldn't be attacked. After providing feedback, ensure to prefer suggestions on what could be done to make the design better, that's how an emphatic feedback is given.

Making assumptions about the designer's thought process behind certain design choices. Assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and missed opportunities for clarification. Always ask clarifying questions before giving feedback. Mind-reading the designer is not helpful