This document provides guidance on how to give good design feedback. It explains that feedback should include establishing common goals up front, asking why certain design choices were made, looking for specific pain points or issues, and considering the bigger picture and overall goals of the project. Bad feedback includes vague comments, dictating specific design changes without input, or taking a vote without discussion. The document encourages feedback that finds opportunities to improve rather than just faults, while being honest and using exercises to facilitate constructive discussions.

1. Design Feedback
for Everyone

2. @browningeric

3. The Scenario

4. “What do you think
of this?”

5. “How does this
look?”

6. “Can I get some
feedback?”

7. Deer in headlights

8. Why does this happen?

9. Most of you don’t
spend your days

10. Most of you don’t
spend your days

11. color palettes

12. berets

13. You probably spend
your days

17. …although really

19. So what is feedback ?
What’s a design critique ?

20. Khoi Vinh
“a thoughtful
consideration of design”

21. “Evaluating design and
aesthetic choices to try
and improve the outcome.”
me

22. How is feedback
useful?

23. Helps to gut check my
assumptions and approach
GOOD

24. Uncover unforeseen biases
or sacred cows I’ve missed
GOOD

25. Eliminates surprises late in
the process ($$$) and
makes team feel involved
GOOD

26. What is bad
feedback?

27. “I don’t care, I’m just a developer.”
BAD

28. “It looks a bit off but I
can’t put my finger on it.”
BAD

29. “Let’s make the header purple, 10px wider, and
change the color of rollovers to #ededed”
BAD

30. “Let’s take a vote!”
BAD

31. How to Give Good
Feedback

32. I’m not teaching you to be a designers,
so we’re not going to talk about:
• contrast
• hierarchy
• color
• typography
• moleskine journals

33. 1. Establish common goals
2. Ask why?
3. Look for pain points
4. Think bigger picture

34. EALT

35. 1. Establish common goals
2. Ask why?
3. Look for pain points
4. Think bigger picture

36. 1. Establish common goals

37. consider
personas and
references
1. Establish
common goals

38. consider the goals of
the feedback itself
1. Establish common goals

39. Who is the target for this?
Use phrases like:
What are your next steps?

40. Any good designer should be able to tell
you why they made a certain choice.
2. Ask why?
hate mail: eric@coffeeandcode.com
If not, they’re probably a bad designer.

41. Parlay criticisms into useful
talking points
2. Ask why?

42. If you’re asking ‘why?’,
sometimes you don’t even
have to follow up.
2. Ask why?

43. What made you choose X?
Use phrases like:
I’m struggling with Y, can you
walk me through your process?

44. 3. Look for pain points

45. break down into
specific pieces

46. Patterns and themes

47. I’m diving deep into the
menu, something with the
nav feels off.
Use phrases like:

48. Let’s talk about text sizes
overall, and take some notes.
Use phrases like:

49. 4. Think big picture

50. 4. Think big picture

51. Images via Dan Mall

52. X feels very Y and so does
this, do we see our product
similar to x?
Use phrases like:

53. Let’s think about this as
part of our broader plan.
Use phrases like:

54. Be honest

55. Find opportunity rather
than just finding fault

56. But if you take your time, are honest
and use some simple exercises you
can help create a better product.
Giving design feedback is a challenge.

57. pop quiz time (!)

63. Say hi!
coffeeandcode.com

64. Credits & Attribution
Women of Color in Tech
http://www.wocintechchat.com/
Daniel Mall
http://danielmall.com/articles/visual-inventory/
Visual Hunt
http://www.visualhunt.com
New York Times web redesign
https://www.behance.net/gallery/28074389/The-New-York-Times-web-design
Wikipedia redesign concept
https://www.behance.net/gallery/16219877/Wikipedia-Redesign-Concept