7 Tips on How to Give Your Designer Useful Feedback

Embarking on a creative journey with a designer is an exhilarating experience. However, crafting the perfect design requires seamless collaboration built upon a foundation of effective communication.  At Johnny Flash Productions, we believe harmony between clients and designers is the key to creating magnificent masterpieces. This comprehensive guide will explore various tips to provide invaluable feedback for your web, graphic, or logo designer, ensuring your creative vision comes to life.

1. Specificity – The Golden Rule

Being specific is crucial when providing feedback. General comments can leave your designer puzzled and lead to misinterpretations. To avoid this, focus on the specific elements you find appealing or unappealing. By honing in on particular aspects needing improvement, your designer will have a clearer understanding of your expectations and can make the necessary adjustments.

2. Use Visual Examples

More than words alone might be required to convey your ideas accurately. Sharing visual inspirations encapsulating the essence of your desired outcome can be immensely helpful. These can include examples of layouts, typography, color schemes, or entire websites that resonate with your brand’s personality.

Visual examples, such as reference images, mood boards, or sketches, can also breathe life into your vision and ensure that you and your designer are on the same wavelength, fostering a better understanding of your preferences and design goals, saving time, and promoting more effective communication.

3. Constructive Criticism

While it’s essential to point out areas that need improvement, merely dwelling on problems isn’t productive.  Instead, provide constructive criticism by offering solutions and alternative ideas. Encourage your designer to explore new possibilities and explain the reasoning behind your suggestions. This approach helps your designer understand your concerns and empowers them to find creative solutions that align with your vision.

For instance, instead of saying, “The logo looks too busy.” try, “The logo is very detailed, and I’m not sure how it will look when used in small formats. Perhaps simplifying the logo by removing some elements or incorporating more white space would make it more visually appealing.” Directives like this allow your designer to understand and tackle the issue while staying true to your vision.

By presenting the problem to your designer, they can understand the why. When they know the “why,” they can suggest solutions you may not have thought of previously.

Another example might be, “The website navigation feels cluttered. I’m worried that visitors will miss items or feel overwhelmed. Maybe rearranging the menu items or utilizing a different navigation style could improve user experience.” By offering concern and actionable suggestions, you give your designer a clear direction to follow, making the design process more efficient and effective.

4. Prioritize Your Feedback & Make it Timely

When providing feedback, it’s crucial to prioritize your concerns. Start by addressing the most pressing issues that have the most significant impact on the overall design. Doing so streamlines the design process, ensuring that your top priorities are addressed promptly.

Swift feedback is the lifeblood of any design project. Regular check-ins and open communication channels are essential for maintaining momentum and fostering a positive working relationship. In addition, prompt feedback can minimize delays, allowing your designer to make adjustments and move forward with the project more efficiently.

5. Trust the Process

Every designer has a unique approach to the creative process. However, trusting their workflow is crucial for fostering a successful collaboration.

For instance, if your logo designer wants to present initial logo concepts in the same color and go through the color selection process after choosing a symbol and font, embrace this methodology. Most designers have honed their processes to achieve the best possible results.

By trusting their expertise and understanding the rationale behind their workflow, you enable them to focus on delivering a design that truly captures the essence of your brand.

6. Open-Mindedness – Let Your Designer Shine

Designers are professionals with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and creative insight. Therefore, remaining open-minded and receptive to their suggestions and ideas is essential. Trust their expertise and consider their perspective, as they may offer insights that can enhance the final product.

A collaborative approach can lead to better results, so encourage your designer to contribute their ideas and expertise. Open dialogue and brainstorming sessions can help you discover new possibilities and inspire innovative solutions.

7. Positivity

Begin with praise, then delve into improvements. Constructive ambiance and mutual respect are essential for a successful project. When providing feedback, strike a balance between highlighting the aspects you appreciate and discussing areas that need refinement. This approach fosters a positive atmosphere and motivates your designer to continue pushing the boundaries of their creativity.

Things to avoid:

  1. Avoid personal opinions: Keep your feedback focused on the project goals, target audience, and general design principles rather than personal preferences.
  2. Don’t micromanage: Trust the designer’s expertise and give them room to experiment and explore. Offer guidance rather than dictating every detail.
  3. Avoid ambiguous language: Steer clear of terms like “make it pop” or “jazz it up,” as these can be confusing. Instead, use clear and descriptive language to communicate your ideas.
  4. Don’t compare them to other designers: Comparing the designer’s work to others can be demotivating and unproductive. Instead, focus on the unique aspects of the project at hand.

Have a Design Project?

Johnny Flash Productions cherishes the symphony of effective client-designer communication. Embrace these tips, and watch your project evolve into a work of art, surpassing your wildest dreams. Trust the maestros, and let’s concoct awe-inspiring designs together!

For a glimpse into our design realm, contact us to embark on a journey together.

We focus on beautiful web design that delivers results for your organization. Our specialty is creating customized WordPress websites.

We build brands stronger, fueled by creativity, and inspired by people.
We focus on transforming consumers into believers.

About Us

Johnny Flash Productions

Johnny Flash Productions is a creative agency based outside of Washington D.C. that focuses on digital strategy, web design and development, graphic design and event production that helps businesses get better results from their marketing.