How to properly give constructive feedback to your fellow designers?

Why is feedback is important and why is learning what the best way to give someone feedback is even more important?

Design feedback is so so so important

Product Design, or UX/UI design is not just simply making something pretty. It’s not just Art. You don’t create something just to express yourself to the world but to create a Product for your target audience.With that being said, it’s extremely important to make sure your design appeal to the majority of people.

We’ve learnt the Feedback Sandwich method

This is a common method applied when it comes to giving Feedback during Design Critiques (or meetings in general). You start with things you like about the Design first, then suggest things that can be improved, then give other positive feedback.

But it still feels weird sometime giving feedback to your fellow designers…

Even though everyone agrees that feedback is important and receiving/giving feedback makes you a better designer, it still feels awkward sometimes speaking up tiny details like “The spacing between 2 icons might be too small?”

… With that being said,

Why don’t you and your team give “Silent Critique” a try?

What is Silent Critique?

• Silent Design Critiques are meetings where Designers present to everyone their latest designs. Afterwards, facilitator sets a 10-minute timer for everyone to jump on and write down their feedback on post-it notes. Then everyone takes turn going through their notes and say it out loud to the rest of the team (to further explain their feedback if any).
• This can be done either in-person or online (using Miro or FigJam).

Why is Silent Critique helpful and beneficial for designers and critics?

• Critics have time to go over all design, think on it, see if it makes sense, see what is great and what can be improved. This helps critics give their best feedback.
• Designers can also know what Critics are saying about their designs and know exactly where they are giving feedback about. Designers also have time to read and think about all feedback for later conversations.

How to set up a successful Silent Design Critique?

1. Number of participants:

Depends on the length of Design Critique, you can best scope out how many people you should invite to your meetings. Since our Design Critiques are 60 minutes, we can have 5 critics with 2 presenters (designers).

We often have 6–7 people for our Weekly Design Critiques

2. Meeting Format:

a. In-person Meetings: If you are doing Critique Meetings in-person, make sure your Designs/Mockups are printed out and hung on a spacious wall. Have different color of post-it notes and pens handy for everyone.

b. Online/Virtual Meetings: Make sure your team has an online colab tool platform like Miro or FigJam (our team uses FigJam). After everyone are on the meeting, our Presenter sends out FigJam link. If there is anyone who doens’t have yet have the permission, we want to make sure there is a moderator in the meeting will give that person the permission (in case Presenter is busy presenting)

Example of one of our Design Critiques

3. Design Critique Template:

• Diego created a beautiful Design Critique Template for us where the presenter/designer will fill out more details about his/her design prior to the meeting. Template includes Design Feature Name (eg: Auto Check-in feature for App), Stage of Design (eg: Discovery), Questions about the Feature (eg: How long into a workout do you expect to get a check-in?)
• For the Mockups, we are encouraged to show do 2 versions of the same feature (with a list of Pros and Cons for each version) so folks can also vote on which one they like the most.

• Since critics have 10 minutes to think before writing it down, their feedback is more constructive and feel less personal. When everyone takes turn going over their notes and further explain their thoughts out loud, Designers can also speak their minds and answer Critics’ questions.

How has Silent Design Critiques helped me?

As a designer and a critic, Design Critique is now my most favorite weekly meeting. I’m excited to share and see what other designers are working on and even more excited to give/receive feedback. When we were taking turns giving verbal feedback, I could see myself hesitate to speak up sometimes when it comes to giving other feedback. However, I no longer feel the same. I feel absolutely comfortable leaving a bunch of notes as well as super happy when I see many, many post-it notes scatter all over my designs. The more post-it notes means the more my co-workers care about my design.

I highly encourage you and your teams try this method out. It makes Critiques more like Workshops. We are passionate about our jobs and I know there are little improvements like these that will guarantee to keep your jobs fun, exciting as well as a way to really bond with your team members!

Are you still new to FigJam? Check out my article about our first Design Jam using FigJam and my thoughts about it.