6 Common Mistakes in Design Feedback - Avoid These Errors!

Web design goes through many processes, including the feedback stage. To shape a good design into a great one, you’d need to collect and analyze customer feedback.

That being said, like every interaction, we can enhance design feedback. This article will note the common mistakes to avoid when collecting and giving feedback.

6 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Collecting and Giving Feedback

All design requires good feedback. Thus, you cannot make a mistake in gathering and giving feedback. Here are six of the most common ones:

Mistake 1: Neglecting Feedback

The first mistake is not asking for feedback at all, wanting to complete a design without it. The solution is simple: Ask for feedback, and be precise.

Begin with the internal ones, seeking the input of your team, who are more acquainted with the project and offer extensive reviews. Then, extend the feedback to other departments. Marketing and customer service departments are also invaluable to the process. Check out our guide on customer feedback management for SaaS.

Under precision, target specific aspects of your design. These include the color scheme, visual hierarchy, layouts, and the call-to-action (CTA). For example, under the CTA, you could ask, “Does the call-to-action encourage users to engage?”

Mistake 2: Asking Generic Questions

Vague, generic questions will not produce the answers you desire. Asking “Do you like the design?” would give superficial answers. Once again, precision matters. Ask your reviewers specific segmented questions after explaining all that is necessary. Specific questions encourage your reviewers to give objective answers, as opposed to simply stating their preference.

Make your questions about the product’s goals, the target audience, the limitations encountered during the design, and more. These questions and explanations guarantee the best input, as well as other appropriate methods to gather targeted feedback.

Mistake 3: Mixing Individual Opinions With Objective Principles

Even with the right questions, you will get many personal opinions. Individual taste differs, and your reviewers will include their subjective bias. This understanding would enable you to focus on the objective principles and needs of the project and not take opinions personally.

Let’s assume a reviewer dislikes your choice of color. Rather than be offended, seek the underlying reasons behind their dislike. Through further explanation, you can move from taste to more objective factors. If their suggestion fits, then act accordingly. If not, politely state why, still maintaining a focus on objectivity. For more insights on handling feedback, refer to SaaS feedback management techniques.

Mistake 4: Unstructured Feedback

Despite any familiarity among the team, do not opt for an informal and unstructured approach, which may end in confusion. Without a structure, reviewers may offer unrelated, lengthy, or vague feedback. You can avoid this by setting a definite structure before starting the project. For example, have categories like aesthetics, function, and brand alignment. These categories provide structure.

With the structure in place, communicate your needs to reviewers to maintain focus. For example, feedback on the aesthetics shouldn’t contain any suggestions on brand alignment. For better results, product feedback form templates can provide a structured approach.

Mistake 5: Having No Deadlines for Feedback

Some feedback types require time, but not forever. Don’t leave indefinite hours for your feedback, which would hinder the project. Similar to structuring, establish a feedback loop at the onset and communicate it in simple terms. A simple “we’ll need feedback by the end of this week” sets the timing.

Deadlines enable reviewers to take the feedback phase seriously and leave room for revisions. In addition, deadlines and structure keep the focus on important items. Learn how to structure feedback loops by reading the product management process guide.

Mistake 6: Not Giving Everyone Room to Speak

Reviewers have distinct personalities, and during feedback sessions, one person can dominate the room. Usually, the more extroverted fellow may have the loudest voice. Resist the temptation to flow with the loudest voice by offering everyone a chance to speak. Multiple voices make objective decisions easier. Also, even the quiet ones have insights to offer.

To get everyone’s opinion in record time, consider using surveys. Its anonymous nature would encourage quieter reviewers to give their thoughts alongside the gregarious ones. Voting systems are also helpful. See our guide on using prioritization matrices for balanced feedback collection.

Tools for Collecting Feedback on Design Drafts

While no tool will solve all feedback issues, here's a list of design collaboration tools that can aid in the feedback process:

• Frill: Frill has impressive features and design and is easy to use. It also offers a conducive for interaction between teams and with customers. This interactive feature is an asset in the feedback process.

• InVision App: It is popular amongst designers, possibly because other designers built it. As a collaboration platform, it collects feedback and even creates prototypes of projects.

• Marvel App: Marvel App (not the movie producers) is a simple prototyping tool that also collects feedback efficiently. It features design mockups for the team to engage.

• SAVAHAPP: It enables design feedback management. Like InVision, Savahapp can make design prototypes to assist reviewers in giving feedback.

• Fluid UI: Fluid UI is also good for prototyping and enhances collaboration.

The right tool can make your feedback process faster and more interactive, assisting with in-depth feedback on designs. For more tools, take a look at our list of top customer feedback tools.

Conclusion

Good design benefits from feedback, so take the phase seriously. Do not hinder your project by falling into the trap of these six mistakes. Instead, define your structure and strategy at the project's beginning. Also, choose the best tools to boost the gathering and use of feedback.

Remember to gather internal feedback from the team first, then incorporate external feedback from other departments and even customers. For further assistance, our guide to feature discovery can offer additional strategies.