Design feedback is critical to helping your project reach its full potential. But how do you get the most helpful design feedback? In this post, we'll discuss the different ways you can get design feedback and the advantages and disadvantages of each. We'll also share tips on ensuring that the feedback you receive is valuable and helps you improve your project. So read on to learn everything you need to know about the different methods of gathering feedback.
1. Ask for help from friends or family
Another great way to get design feedback is by asking for help from friends or family. These people can provide honest feedback and help you improve your design. However, it's important to remember that they may need to be more familiar with the goals of your project, and they may not be able to give you detailed feedback.
Advantages
- Easiest and fastest method of collecting feedback
- Will most probably provide honest feedback (Depending on your relationship)
- Free
Disadvantages
- May not have the expertise to give detailed feedback
- Feedback may not align with project goals
2. Talk to your team
By talking to your team, you can get direct feedback from people who are familiar with your project and who understand its goals. This can help get detailed feedback that is specific to your project. However, it's important to remember that not everyone on your team may be a designer, and not all designers may have the same opinion.
Advantages
- Can get detailed feedback specific to your project
- Feedback is likely to be aligned with project goals
- Added discussion and collaboration of feedback within the team may lead to even better solutions
- Can be made a habit leading to a positive, constructive feedback environment within the organization
- Free
Disadvantages
- Not everyone on your team may be a designer
- Conflict may lead to damaged relationships among team members
- May receive biased feedback due to personal relationships
- May not receive honest feedback due to organizational hierarchy, etc.
3. Design critique sessions (Focus groups)
Design critique sessions are an essential part of any design process. They allow stakeholders to provide feedback on the design constructively and help improve the overall quality of the project.
The following is a summary of common tips for conducting a good design critique session:
- Assemble a diverse group of people from your target market from the research done in the preparation stage. Ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to offer their thoughts and suggestions.
- Set up ground rules ahead of time, such as how long each person can speak, how candid they should be, and whether dissenting opinions are allowed. Share the booklet you prepared before with your feedback providers. These guidelines will help keep things orderly and focused while encouraging open dialogue.
- Encourage participants to share their honest observations and critiques without judgment or hesitation.
- Listen and write down all participants' comments and ideas before making any decisions or taking action based on them. Doing so will maximize the chances that everyone involved with the project will feel comfortable contributing further input later down the line!
- Ask questions to clear any doubts about any feedback you have received.
- After the critique session, go through each feedback item, consider how it could be improved, and apply it to the new iteration of your design.
- Repeat the critique session with your revised version as often as you need.
Advantages
- They allow for open and honest feedback about the design project.
- Everyone has an equal say, leading to better trust and improved quality of feedback.
- They allow designers to learn from diverse perspectives and expertise.
- Brainstorming and discussions are much more effective due to the more extensive group of feedback providers
Disadvantages
- They can be time-consuming, especially if many stakeholders are involved.
- It may be costly because feedback providers have to be compensated somehow.
- There is a risk that participants may not take the process seriously and provide unhelpful or nonconstructive feedback.
- Some people may find critiquing someone else's work difficult or uncomfortable.
- There is a risk that the project's final outcome may not be what was initially intended if too much weight is given to feedback from the critique session.
4. Surveys and top survey tools
Surveys are one of the most popular methods for collecting design feedback. They allow you to collect qualitative and quantitative data from a large number of people quickly and easily. This information can then be used to improve your designs or make informed decisions about future projects.
Several types of surveys can be used for this purpose, including questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, and user studies. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Here are some simple steps to get started
- Choose a survey tool that is easy to use. Ensure the survey questionnaire interface is user-friendly so people feel comfortable completing it.
- Design your survey around the preparation notes discussed in the preparation stage. Make sure you cover all the essential questions for each design.
- Communicate any rewards/incentives or competitions in their participation as a feedback provider. This will improve the output quality and the volume of applicants. Make sure all participants know how their responses will be used
- Thank the participants for providing valuable feedback and what the next steps are.
- Filter, improve and apply selected feedback to your designs and repeat the survey with the newly revised version.
Collecting feedback through surveys is an effective way to get multidisciplinary input into your designs - something that may be difficult or impossible otherwise!
Advantages
- Data is saved and can be accessed at any time from anywhere
- Deep analytics on results can prove to be very useful in the long run
- Can be used to collect quantitative and qualitative data
- Allows you to reach a large number of people quickly and easily
- Can be used to improve designs or make informed decisions about future projects
Disadvantages
- May not be representative of the population as a whole (e.g., only those with strong opinions may respond)
- People may not answer truthfully or accurately -It may be time-consuming and expensive to develop and administer
- Usually, a lack of brainstorming and collaboration
5. Public forums & online communities for design critiques
Some popular forums and communities are perfect for getting started: Dribbble, Behance, Subreddits, FB groups & many others. Each platform has its own style and language, so research which is best suited for your project or design style before posting anything. Be bold and ask questions if any feedback needs to be clarified. Having others point out where your designs could use improvement or clarification can sometimes be helpful.
Here are some factors to consider when posting your work:
- Ensure all copyright information is included with each image or document. If you are working for a client, get their permission before posting the work online.
- The forum or community should be dedicated to "design critique." Having a healthy number of active users and past critiques is a plus.
- The forum or community should allow users to post their designs to get constructive criticism from other designers.
- Don't spam the community. You might end up getting banned for life!
- Filter, improve and apply selected feedback to your designs and repost in the community with the newly revised version if needed.
- Give back to the community and critique others' work.
Advantages
- You can get critical feedback from other designers to help improve your work.
- It's a great way to network with other designers and find potential collaborators.
- Most sites and forums are free to post your work
- Additional marketing tactic to showcase your work online
Disadvantages :
- It may take some time to get constructive feedback since it depends on when people check the forums or community sites.
- The quality of feedback may vary depending on who you are critiquing and vice versa.
6. Hire experts for a design critique
There are several reasons why hiring an expert to get a design critique can be beneficial. First, experts know precisely what they're talking about regarding design. They have spent years honing their craft and could quickly point out flaws or problems with your project. This is invaluable information you'll want to consider as you move forward with the design process. An expert review and critique of your work can jump-start the creative process. It can give you feedback on ideas you may not have even considered yet, and help push your project in a new direction.
Here are some of the advantages of hiring an expert
- Quick feedback. You control when you want the feedback and how often.
- High-quality constructive criticism. They have spent years honing their craft and could quickly point out any flaws or problems with your design
- The specialist will likely be familiar with the latest trends and standards in the industry
- You'll receive unbiased feedback since an expert will most probably not personally know you
- When it comes to decision-making, a professional review allows for thoughtful consideration and better judgment calls overall.
- Exposure to a design expert will make you a much better designer at a much faster rate.
Advantages
- Receive high-quality and professional feedback
- Get help from experts who know the industry standards
- Help make better judgment calls when it comes to designing -Get exposure to a design expert
- Exponentially improve your knowledge by conversing and brainstorming with experts
Disadvantages
- Can be expensive
- You might not agree with everything the expert says
- The expert might not be familiar with your design style
- Getting feedback from one or a few experts may take your design down the wrong path
- Lack of collaboration with multiple members.
7. Using a personal following (Email list, blogging, social media)
The simplest way to get design feedback is to use a personal following (email list, blogging, or social media) and let your followers know about the project. You'll also want to ensure that you give them specific instructions on providing feedback (via email or blog post). This way, recipients will have the accurate information necessary to critique your design. Make sure your design is simple and/or doesn't require a detailed explanation for feedback to be provided. Use this method as a last resort if you want input from a larger pool of people because if you continuously keep doing this, your followers might feel annoyed.
Advantages
- Real-world user feedback might prove advantageous
- If your followers are familiar with your work and aesthetic, their feedback might be useful
- You can reach a large number of people quickly and easily
- It's free
Disadvantages
- The feedback you receive might not be as helpful because it's coming from multiple parties from different professions and skills
- People might unfollow or unsubscribe you because they might feel annoyed
- People might spam or be rude if this is anonymous
- People might not take the time to provide thoughtful feedback
8. 1-on-1 interviews
One of the best ways to get design feedback is through 1-on-1 interviews. This type of interview allows you to ask your designer questions privately and privately and receive direct input on your designs. 1-on-1 interviews are a great way to get the feedback you need without feeling pressured.
Advantages
- Allows you to get feedback from someone knowledgeable about design
- Can be more relaxed and conversation-like, making it easier to ask follow-up questions
- Allows you to build a rapport with the person, which can be beneficial if you need future feedback from them
Disadvantages
- Can be expensive
- May not be able to get as much feedback as you would like since the interviewee might have limited time
- You will likely only be able to interview one person at a time, so this method might take longer than others
- Lack of collaboration and brainstorming with other members
9. Small group critique
A small group critique is another excellent option for getting feedback on your design work. This process involves bringing together a small group of people (3-5 is ideal) who all have experience working with design projects. Each group member will take turns critiquing the design project and offering positive and constructive feedback. This type of feedback can be beneficial because you get multiple perspectives on your work, which can help you see things you might not have noticed.
Advantages
- Allows you to get feedback from multiple people at the same time
- Allows you to collaborate with other members and brainstorm feedback
- Can be more relaxed and conversation-like in the long run leading to an excellent constructive dynamic for future projects
Disadvantages
- May not be able to get as much feedback as you would like since each person in the group will likely have limited time
- You might not be able to find a group of people who are all available at
- If it's your first time, finding multiple groups of the right people might take some time and can be challenging
- Can be expensive and time-consuming
10. Using Spokk
Spokk is a community that lets you give and receive feedback on design work. It's great for getting quick feedback from multiple people simultaneously. Spokk is invite-only and is currently in closed beta. If you are interested in joining our platform, click here.
Advantages
- Allows you to get feedback from multiple people at the same time
- Allows you to collaborate with other members and brainstorm feedback
- Explicitly built for collecting feedback, so all features work towards improving your work
- Authentic feedback: People cannot piggyback off other people's feedback because they can read them only after they leave a comment themselves
- Sort, organize, and add versions to your work properly
- Text feedback with multiple sections (pros, cons, ideas, etc.)
- Video and audio feedback coming soon
- Advanced analytics so that you can make better decisions
- Reward people for giving high-quality feedback (through badges and even sending real money)
- Core features are entirely free
Disadvantages
- You might have to build a community of followers by posting your work regularly to start getting a lot of feedback
- Lack of face-to-face interviews, conversing, and interaction
Conclusion
There are many different ways to get feedback on your design work, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, whatever works best for you and your project is the best way to get feedback. If you're working on a large project with many stakeholders, use multiple methods to gather as much feedback as possible.
