Why Hearing Feedback Sucks

Getting real, direct feedback can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Sometimes we try to blunt direct input with platitudes or comments about effort.? But in the same way that covering slimy asparagus in cheese does not help, neither does avoiding the direct input we need.

Here are three things to keep in mind when receiving feedback about your work.

One: It isn’t personal

…but it will feel that way.? You and your team have put many hours into research, concept development, and testing.? And now someone is going to tell you they just don't get it.? Critique, when done well, is about how your work performs against the brief.? It is not about if someone “likes it”.? Is the brief focused on the right questions? Does your work meet the needs of the user as described by the project requirements?? These are objective matters that have some foundation in the binary. Asking these questions allows you as the designer to step back and see your solution through the eyes of another. Sometimes it is better to stand next to your critic rather than in front of them.

Two: It won’t be Fun

Direct is better, trust me.? Topping your critique in cheese won’t help the point get across any better. And, no one remembers the cheese when they get to the asparagus.? A good reviewer will get to the point, be specific, and ask follow-up questions.? This is going to feel like a challenge because it is.? You can defend your work without being defensive and also realize when you are off track. This is a gift when done right, check your ego.

Three: It’s not Passive

Feedback is a two-way conversation, what do you need to get out of it? ? Your job is to come away with affirmation, course correction or a combination of the two.? In this way, what was said is secondary to why it was said.? Did I convey the point poorly, is there a central flaw in my logic, maybe the visuals could have more accurately depicted the work.? In many cases your audience may not understand the right feedback to provide.? But their trigger was real, your job is to ask questions until you understand.

As a project progresses, we create stories, biases, and increasingly rigid versions of what is right and true.? Without regular pressure testing and feedback, these become railroad tracks in a single direction. Momentum and pressure create a powerful pull towards the “right” solution.? Left unchecked we get flawed logic that evolves into a shiny new product that ultimately will fail under its own weight.? Getting critique along the way, early and often, is a simple and low-risk way to re-align yourself to your North Star.

The genesis of this was a conversation with jason gaikowski who is an OG in the User Centered Design space and genuinely one of the smartest people I know. I shamelessly borrowed and added my own experience.