This document discusses the challenges of providing and receiving feedback. It notes that feedback makes people uncomfortable and outlines best practices for soliciting good feedback, taking feedback well, and giving good feedback. The key points are to ask for specific, actionable feedback; not take feedback personally while still advocating for your ideas; and ensure any feedback given considers the user, business goals, feasibility of implementation, and value added. The overall message is that feedback is an important skill that benefits from guidelines and an open mindset.

1. Monday, April 1, 13

2. “I just don’t really like this color.”
“I wish all of you were dead.”
“The page feels...weird.”
Monday, April 1, 13

3. Everyone Sucks at Feedback
Monday, April 1, 13

4. Including you.
Monday, April 1, 13

5. Including you.
(Sorry)
Monday, April 1, 13

6. Feedback makes us
uncomfortable.
Monday, April 1, 13
Let’s not kid ourselves, feedback is a bit of a boring topic that makes people a little (or a lot) uncomfortable.

7. We feel like ***holes
when we give it.
Monday, April 1, 13

8. “oh god I have to tell them this sucks.”
Monday, April 1, 13

9. Some people enjoy it
a little too much.
Monday, April 1, 13

10. “I told him it was terrible
and to do the whole
thing over again!”
Monday, April 1, 13

11. We all take it a little too...
personally.
Monday, April 1, 13

12. “Maybe we could move this over here?”
“Maybe you could jump
up your own ass and die?”
Monday, April 1, 13

13. Okay, so feedback is tricky.
Monday, April 1, 13

14. But we all know we need it.
We just don’t want it, or know how to ask for it, or know how to give it.
Monday, April 1, 13

15. Giving good feedback is the
most underrated professional
skill in the world right now.
Monday, April 1, 13
Especially in American schools, we’ve encouraged a ‘teacher-directed’ approach to feedback which discourages kids from giving
feedback to each other. This has created a deficit in our ability to give and receive feedback.

16. Instead we learned clichés.
Monday, April 1, 13
Say two positive things before something critical, and end on something positive.

17. “You have a very nice shirt on today.
Your teeth are astonishingly white.
This work is terrible and you should be ashamed.
But your pants are not on backwards.”
Monday, April 1, 13

18. These have nothing to do with
good feedback.
Monday, April 1, 13
They waste time and make us come off like insincere tools.

19. These are just tactics to appease
the individual.
Monday, April 1, 13
Not make a product better. But a good product...THAT is what builds morale. A good product will make up for a thousand critical
points of feedback. Maybe not about their mother or something.

20. Let’s talk about
three things.
Monday, April 1, 13

21. Three Things
Solicit Good Feedback
Take Feedback Well
Give Great Feedback
Monday, April 1, 13

22. Soliciting Good Feedback
Monday, April 1, 13

23. “So what do you think?”
“I think it’s dumb.”
Monday, April 1, 13
If you don’t know how to ask for good feedback, you won’t get good feedback. You’ll get crap, like
this.

24. Ask for exactly what you want.
Monday, April 1, 13
If you're meeting in person, give your teammate or client a written outline of the feedback you're looking for before showing a concept. Explain the benefit of each section every step of the
way, and how it fits into the larger design concept. If you're discussing the concept over email, make sure the questions are contextual.

25. N
notableapp.com
(shameless plug)
Monday, April 1, 13
Our app Notable is great for making sure you and your audience are on the same
page.

26. Choose specific people to give
you feedback.
Monday, April 1, 13
While the marketing team might have some useful feedback, you probably don't need to know what the client's dog thinks.
[con’t]

27. “Your visual hierarchy seems off, right here.”
Monday, April 1, 13
While the marketing team might have some useful feedback, you probably don't need to know what the client's dog thinks. Or what Dog thinks. Be directive -- and proactive -- by calling out
specific people for different types of feedback.

28. Make sure feedback moves the
project along.
Monday, April 1, 13
All the feedback in the world is for naught if whatever you’re working on never sees the light of day.
[con’t]

29. “I’m not sure why, but I’d love
if we could redo this a few dozen more times.”
0.1134 [flip]
Monday, April 1, 13
All the feedback in the world is for naught if whatever you’re working on never sees the light of day. Feedback should be in the service of moving things forward, not about getting stuck, and
don’t be afraid to call that out. Specify a time limit for when you get the feedback, too. Time waits for no man.

30. Use directives to guide
the feedback.
Monday, April 1, 13
Do you feel this desaturated, rounded form fits with our older demographic? – A specific question makes it easier to take away feedback that can be acted upon.

31. “Can I get some feedback
on the copy in the header?”
“Stop it I will cut you.”
“Sure! First let’s talk about –”
Monday, April 1, 13
All the feedback in the world is for naught if whatever you’re working on never sees the light of day. Feedback should be in the service of moving things forward, not about getting stuck, and
don’t be afraid to call that out. Specify a time limit for when you get the feedback, too. Time waits for no man.

32. Solicit Good Feedback
Ask for what you want.
Choose the right people.
Keep the project moving.
Use directives liberally.
Monday, April 1, 13

33. Taking Feedback Well
Monday, April 1, 13

34. Don’t take it personally.
Monday, April 1, 13
You've spent a lot of time on your design, put a lot of effort into it.
[con’t]

35. “He said it was a
hard to discover interaction.”
Monday, April 1, 13
You've spent a lot of time on your design, put a lot of effort into it. You've fully invested yourself in your work. So it's understandable that your first instinctual reaction is to take it personally.
After all, it's your baby. But feedback is about the work, not you.

36. Be willing to admit you’re wrong.
Monday, April 1, 13
It's hard to separate yourself from your work. You're too close, biased. And design is in large part about ego and that’s okay – but if you can admit you’re wrong you’ll end up working with
someone else to find the right answers, rather than just getting stuck in a bad place. [con’t]

37. “My god you were right –
I never should have made
the call to action invisible.”
Monday, April 1, 13
It's hard to separate yourself from your work. You're too close, biased. And design is in large part about ego and that’s okay – but if you can admit you’re wrong you’ll end up working with
someone else to find the right answers, rather than just getting stuck in a bad place. However, if you’re just not wrong...

38. Be willing to fight for your ideas.
Monday, April 1, 13
Admitting you're wrong doesn't mean you have to put away the boxing gloves. If it's something you firmly believe in, something you're passionate about, be prepared to back up your choices
with concrete numbers or competitive examples that have either worked or failed. However, you won't win your fight if you constantly highlight that the other person is wrong and argue for the
sake of arguing.

39. Be willing to fight for your ideas.
(and your right to party)
Monday, April 1, 13
Admitting you're wrong doesn't mean you have to put away the boxing gloves. If it's something you firmly believe in, something you're passionate about, be prepared to back up your choices
with concrete numbers or competitive examples that have either worked or failed. However, you won't win your fight if you constantly highlight that the other person is wrong and argue for the
sake of arguing. And finally, the last part of TAKING feedback well...

40. Follow through.
Monday, April 1, 13
It's not enough to receive feedback. We have to prioritize the feedback we receive. Think of it as design triage. We have to take action, implementing that feedback and iterating on our
designs.

41. “We made the product better!
Let’s celebrate by all shaking hands
at the same time.”
Monday, April 1, 13
It's not enough to receive feedback. We have to prioritize the feedback we receive. Think of it as design triage. We have to take action, implementing that feedback and iterating on our
designs.

42. Take Feedback Well
Don’t take it personally.
Admit when you’re wrong.
Fight for your ideas.
Follow through.
Monday, April 1, 13

43. The Art of
Giving Good Feedback
Monday, April 1, 13

44. “Wow! Look at all this helpful, constructive feedback!” *
* said almost no one ever
Monday, April 1, 13

45. Is this good for the user?
Monday, April 1, 13
Sometimes we get so caught up in fleshing out corporate goals that we momentarily forget about the user. While it's important to focus on your company's overall goals, don't get focused on
them to the point that it interferes with decision making. To avoid this collision of ideas, stay focused on improvements that will benefit users most.

46. “I have no idea what this is doing
but it is getting me all the chicks.”
Monday, April 1, 13
Sometimes we get so caught up in fleshing out corporate goals that we momentarily forget about the user. While it's important to focus on your company's overall goals, don't get focused on
them to the point that it interferes with decision making. To avoid this collision of ideas, stay focused on improvements that will benefit users most.

47. Is this good for the business?
Monday, April 1, 13
Okay, now that I said that – most products need to support business goals as well. Balance your feedback to cover both
angles.

48. “Where the hell
is all our money going?”
Monday, April 1, 13
Okay, now that I said that – most products need to support business goals as well. Balance your feedback to cover both
angles.

49. Does the work justify the win?
Monday, April 1, 13
Will your feedback create enough value to justify the investment in it? To put it in corporate shill speak, what’s the ROI on your feedback? Small wins are okay if they support a larger goal, but
the best feedback sets moderate goals that are achievable and have a high return. Trying measuring your feedback in money, time and excitement.

50. “So I think we can increase revenue by $380 annually
with just 3 months and $280,000 of work.”
lol wtf
Monday, April 1, 13
Will your feedback create enough value to justify the investment in it? To put it in corporate shill speak, what’s the ROI on your feedback? Small wins are okay if they support a larger goal, but
the best feedback sets moderate goals that are achievable and have a high return. Trying measuring your feedback in money, time and excitement.

51. Can the team execute on it?
Monday, April 1, 13
Make sure the team has adequate time and the right skill set to work on the feedback suggestions. If any part of the project needs special attention or the assistance of a specialist, make
those arrangements right away.

52. “Let’s rebuild the app from the ground up
haha no
wut
how do I I don’t even
on a carrier pigeon infrastructure.”
Monday, April 1, 13
Will your feedback create enough value to justify the investment in it? To put it in corporate shill speak, what’s the ROI on your feedback? Small wins are okay if they support a larger goal, but
the best feedback sets moderate goals that are achievable and have a high return. Trying measuring your feedback in money, time and excitement.

53. Give Good Feedback
Make sure it’s good for the users, and business.
Make sure there’s value to the work.
Make sure it can be done.
Monday, April 1, 13
Why is all this
important?

54. Why does this matter, again?
Monday, April 1, 13
Why is all this
important?

55. Everyone Sucks at Feedback
Monday, April 1, 13

56. Except you.
Monday, April 1, 13

57. Except you.
(Yay)
Monday, April 1, 13

58. Three Things
Solicit Good Feedback
Take Feedback Well
Give Great Feedback
Monday, April 1, 13

59. “Yeah, feedback!”
Monday, April 1, 13

60. Thanks!
Monday, April 1, 13

61. zurb.com
@zurb
Monday, April 1, 13

62. @smiley
(if you want to get personal)
Monday, April 1, 13

63. Are you awesome?
Work at ZURB.
zurb.com/jobs
Monday, April 1, 13