You're looking at a design your designer just sent over. Something's not quite right. You know you need to say something, but you're not sure how to say it without sounding difficult, vague, or like you're telling them how to do their job.
Here's the truth: designers want your feedback. Good feedback makes their work better. What they dread isn't feedback itself — it's feedback that leaves them more confused than when they started.
The difference between helpful feedback and unhelpful feedback isn't about being nice or being critical. It's about being specific.
The Feedback That Doesn't Help
Let's start with what to avoid. These phrases are well-intentioned, but they leave designers with nothing actionable to work with.
"I'll know it when I see it." This puts all the creative burden on the designer while giving them zero direction. It's also often untrue — you might not know it when you see it, because you haven't thought clearly about what "it" is.
"Make it pop." Pop how? Brighter colours? Bigger text? More contrast? Animation? This phrase means something different to everyone who says it. Your designer will guess, and they'll probably guess wrong.
"It's not quite right." Neither is this feedback. What specifically isn't right? The colour? The layout? The overall direction? The details? Without specifics, your designer can only make random changes and hope one lands.
"Can you try something else?" Something else is infinite. What aspect do you want to explore differently? Are you questioning the concept, the execution, or both?
"My partner/spouse/friend doesn't like it." Unless that person is the target customer, their opinion is noise. And even if their reaction is valid, you need to translate it into something useful. What specifically don't they like, and why might that matter?
What Makes Feedback Actually Useful
Good feedback does three things: it identifies what's not working, it explains why it's not working, and it gives the designer something concrete to respond to.
Be Specific About What
Instead of gesturing at the whole design, point to specific elements. "The headline feels lost" is better than "something's off." "The blue in the sidebar feels too corporate" is better than "I don't love the colours."
If you're reviewing a digital design, take a screenshot and draw on it. Circle the thing. Arrow to the thing. Anything that removes ambiguity about what you're referring to.
Explain the Why
This is where most feedback falls short. You've identified what's not working, but you haven't explained why — and the why is what helps designers solve the problem.
"The headline feels lost" becomes useful when you add "...because I want visitors to immediately understand what we do, and right now my eye goes to the image first."
"The blue feels too corporate" becomes useful when you add "...and our brand is supposed to feel approachable and friendly, not like a law firm."
The why gives designers context to make better decisions. Maybe the solution isn't changing the headline size — maybe it's changing the image. But they can only figure that out if they understand your underlying concern.
Separate Reactions from Requests
There's a difference between "I don't like this" and "Please change this." Both are valid, but they require different responses from your designer.
Reactions are emotional responses. They're data. "Something about this makes me uncomfortable" is useful information, even if you can't articulate why yet. A good designer will explore that discomfort with you.
Requests are specific changes you want made. "Please make the logo bigger" is a request. Requests are appropriate for objective problems (the phone number is wrong, the deadline has changed) but can be limiting for subjective ones.
When you have a reaction without a clear solution, say so: "I'm not sure what the fix is, but this section feels cluttered to me." This invites collaboration rather than dictating execution.
The Magic of Asking Questions
Sometimes the best feedback is a question.
"What was your thinking behind this layout?" might reveal reasoning that changes your perspective — or might surface a miscommunication you can now correct.
"How would this look with less text?" opens a conversation without demanding a specific change.
"Is there a reason the call-to-action is below the fold?" lets the designer explain their rationale or acknowledge something they'd like to revisit.
Questions keep the collaboration open. They treat the designer as a partner in problem-solving, not a pair of hands waiting for instructions.
A Framework for Structured Feedback
If you're reviewing a design and don't know where to start, try this structure:
1. What's working well? Start with what you like. This isn't about flattery — it's about telling the designer what to preserve. "I love the colour palette and the overall layout feels clean" tells them those elements are approved and shouldn't change in the next round.
2. What concerns you and why? Be specific about elements that aren't landing, and explain the underlying reason. Connect it to goals, audience, or brand where possible.
3. What questions do you have? Ask about anything you don't understand before requesting changes. The answer might resolve your concern.
4. What decisions need to be made? If there are options or directions to choose between, be clear about your preference — or ask the designer for their recommendation.
Consolidate Before You Send
If multiple people are reviewing the design, consolidate feedback before sending. Nothing derails a project faster than five stakeholders sending contradictory notes.
Designate one person to gather everyone's input, resolve conflicts internally, and send a single coherent set of feedback. Yes, this takes more effort on your side. But it saves enormous time and confusion in the long run.
And if stakeholders genuinely disagree? That's a decision to make before involving the designer, not a problem to dump in their lap.
Timing Matters
Give yourself enough time to actually look at the work. Rushed feedback is almost always worse feedback. If you need a day to sit with a design before responding, say so. Most designers would rather wait for thoughtful feedback than get an immediate reaction you'll contradict later.
Similarly, don't provide feedback in three separate emails as thoughts occur to you. Collect your thoughts, review them for consistency, then send once.
The Relationship Behind the Feedback
Good feedback isn't just about getting better design outcomes — it's about building a working relationship where both parties can do their best work.
When you give clear, specific, respectful feedback, you signal that you take the collaboration seriously. Designers reciprocate. They push harder, suggest more, invest more of their creative energy. The work gets better because the relationship is better.
The reverse is also true. Vague feedback, endless revisions, and contradictory direction drain designers of enthusiasm. You'll still get deliverables, but you won't get their best thinking.
Start With a Clear Brief
Here's the secret that makes all feedback easier: if you start with a clear brief, feedback almost gives itself.
When you've defined your goals, your audience, and your visual direction upfront, reviewing work becomes a matter of checking against agreed criteria. "This doesn't feel premium enough" becomes "we said we wanted this to feel like Aesop, and right now it feels more like Lush — can we explore what's causing that gap?"
A good brief is the foundation for good feedback. If you haven't created one yet, that's the place to start.
The Short Version
If you remember nothing else, remember this:
- Be specific about what you're reacting to
- Explain why it concerns you
- Ask questions before demanding changes
- Consolidate feedback from multiple stakeholders
- Start with what's working
Your designers will thank you. And you'll get better work, faster, with fewer revisions.
That's a win for everyone.