How to give effective creative feedback

Are you searching for an agency that gets your design perfect on the first attempt? Then you’ll be looking for a long time! The truth is that no one hits the target on their first try. Not even the best in the business. Great designs don’t just happen; they’re the result of ongoing collaboration and truly powerful feedback.

American designer Milton Glaser once said, “There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW!” But I respectfully disagree. In fact, I think such blunt feedback can hinder the creative process.

Collaboration and feedback are crucial to the creative process. Why? Because no two brains work in the same way. You may ask for a design that’s ‘bold’, for example. But what does that mean to you, and what does it mean to your designer? Does it mean bright colours? Does it mean something innovative or perhaps controversial? We’re all different. Feedback is how designers learn more about what clients want.

So how can you provide great feedback to your designer? Here are my top tips…

1. Be specific
While it might feel natural to use buzzwords and generic phrases like ‘jazz it up’ or ‘give it the wow factor’, that’s not always particularly helpful to designers. The more specific your feedback, the better the team can incorporate your ideas into the design. Don’t be afraid to say what you want – there are no wrong answers.

2. Be inquisitive
Sometimes, clients provide feedback without fully ‘getting’ the intent of the design. This makes the feedback ineffective as it’s often based on misunderstanding. If there’s anything you aren’t clear on, always ask. What’s the reason for doing it this way? Why do you recommend this? What impact does this have?

3. Be open
Feedback can sometimes be very closed. For example, ‘Let’s move this text 2cm to the left’. Although many clients do this to try and be helpful, these ready-made solutions kill creativity. Try explaining what’s not working. So instead of saying “make the headlines double the size” say “the key messaging needs to stand out more”. You might be surprised by other solutions that designer might propose.

4. Be visual
As the saying goes, ‘Show, don’t tell.’ If there’s a design that you’re very fond of – perhaps a competitor’s logo, or even the branding of a major global company – show your design team. As humans, we’re naturally visual learners. So the more examples and references you can provide as part of your feedback, the better.

5. Be audience-focused
Although you may have a good understanding of your audience, you’re not your audience! So it’s always best to try and provide feedback from the eyes of the end user, rather than from your own perspective. You may personally dislike an element of the design. But ask yourself this: does it speak to your audience?

6. Be consistent
If you’re providing creative feedback alongside others from your organisation, try to get together to align your thoughts and ideas before passing any comments on to the designer. Otherwise, the designer can end up seeing a whole host of conflicting concepts, leaving them feeling confused about how to move forward.

7. Be professional
I get it. When you’ve been so excited to see your design, it can be frustrating when it’s not quite what you had in mind. But remember that your designer is doing their best to create an accurate visual representation of your ideas… and that’s not easy! Keep it professional. Judge the work, not the person.

Worried about speaking up? Don’t be.
Remember that feedback is not criticism. It’s a way for us to achieve success. The thing with design is that there’s no right or wrong. This isn’t mathematics or science; there’s no precise formula that we can follow to get the same results every time. It’s very much a case of trial and error. And with every trial, we all learn more about what works for this particular project and what doesn’t – and we grow from it. So don’t be afraid to speak up, share your thoughts, and have your say. It’s how we deliver stronger work, stronger working relationships and stronger brands.