How can you give and receive feedback when collaborating with other professionals in gaming?

1 Why feedback matters

Feedback is not only a way to evaluate your work, but also a way to learn from others, discover new perspectives, and solve problems. Feedback can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, refine your ideas, and avoid mistakes. Feedback can also help you build trust and rapport with your collaborators, as well as foster a culture of openness and improvement. By giving and receiving feedback regularly, you can improve your skills, enhance your creativity, and deliver better games.

2 How to give feedback

Giving feedback is not just about telling someone what you think of their work, but also about helping them improve it. To be effective, you need to be specific and constructive; provide examples, suggestions, and alternatives instead of criticism or praise. Additionally, be respectful and empathetic; remember that feedback is not a personal attack, but a way to help someone grow. It's also important to be timely and relevant; give feedback as soon as possible while the work is still fresh and relevant. Finally, make sure your feedback is clear and concise; use simple language without jargon or ambiguity, and prioritize the most important points. By considering these aspects when giving feedback, you can help the receiver grow and improve their work.

3 How to receive feedback

Receiving feedback is not just about hearing someone's opinion, but also utilizing it to enhance your work. To properly receive feedback, you should be open and receptive, curious and engaged, and selective and actionable. Don't take feedback personally or become defensive, but instead show gratitude for the input. Ask questions and understand the feedback giver's perspective, and evaluate the source, validity, and relevance of the feedback. Decide what to act on and what to ignore or discard, and make a plan to implement the feedback. Additionally, follow up with the feedback giver if necessary.

4 How to use tools and methods

Tools and methods can help you give and receive feedback more efficiently and effectively. Depending on the type, stage, and scope of your work, you can use different tools and methods to facilitate feedback. For example, prototypes and mockups created with Figma, Sketch, or Unreal Engine can be used to test ideas and assumptions and get feedback from collaborators or users. Surveys and questionnaires created with Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Typeform can be distributed via email, social media, or websites to collect feedback from a large group of people. Reviews and ratings from Steam, Metacritic, or App Store can be analyzed using Google Analytics, Chartbeat, or Mixpanel to measure the quality of your work. Feedback sessions and meetings hosted with Zoom, Slack, or Discord can be structured with brainstorming, testing, or debriefing to give and receive feedback directly and personally.

5 How to overcome challenges and barriers

Feedback can also pose some challenges and barriers that you need to overcome, such as feedback fatigue, feedback bias, and feedback conflict. To avoid feedback fatigue, you should balance the quantity and quality of feedback and focus on the most relevant and useful feedback. Taking breaks, resting, and seeking support from peers or mentors can also help. To avoid feedback bias, be aware of your own biases and challenge them with facts and data. Seeking feedback from diverse and credible sources can help to compare and contrast different feedback. To avoid feedback conflict, communicate clearly and respectfully while explaining the rationale and evidence behind your feedback. Listening actively and empathetically while acknowledging the validity of other feedback can also help. Negotiating and compromising to find common ground and solutions will be beneficial as well.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?