How to handle website design feedback

As Project Manager, I understand all too well the website design stage can be challenging to navigate, and this may often be where a job gets held up.

The key to creating a terrific design, and maintaining a job moving along, is clear communication and collaboration with the customer. The client is the expert on their service or product, and likely has a great idea of how they would like it to be portrayed. You, the creative, will be the expert in designing amazing web experiences. In a perfect world you'd both talk the same language, work off exceptionally effective feedback and it would just be plain sailing to the finish line. In a perfect world.

The truth is that getting concrete feedback is not a simple effort, whether from a customer or even a member of your team. Often there are lots of stakeholders involved in a project with unique objectives. Feedback can be obscure, indecisiveness can predominate and subjectivity can weigh down the whole procedure. Whilst design is obviously subjective by definition, using a few basic guidelines in place will help to make certain you get effective feedback from the customers and make the process as easy as possible.

1.) MANAGE STAKEHOLDERS

If there are many stakeholders involved in a project, as is quite often the case, it can be tricky to become decisive feedback. It might be that Person A and Person B will always rely on Individual C's opinion before committing theirs. Or maybe Person D and Individual E have contradictory objectives. Maybe Person A has had a bad experience with a design bureau in the past, and consequently has come to the table with a cautious approach.

No matter the problem, the first step is to set early on who the ‘working group’ will be and that among them will have ultimate control over the sign-off procedure. It's important to make an honest and open environment during the project as this will promote effective communication. Remind stakeholders that you're a team with a common aim. This can help to get everybody behind the vision and dispel any feelings of wariness or negativity.

2. AVOID AMBIGUITY

Vague descriptors such as “jazzy”, “edgy” or “slick” are not exactly concrete, and can be easily open to misinterpretation. “I like it” or “I don’t like it” does not quite cut it. Whilst your customer is best placed to advise on how they want their company to be perceived, they are not design professionals and do not always have the terminology to explain what they want. So, simply asking them to be more specific may not be the very best approach. Rather, ask them “why?” and continue asking “why?” until you are able to understand what it is they're really trying to reach.

Another helpful strategy is to ask them to reveal similar cases to what they imply. This is a excellent way to help them visualise their ideas and be sure you're both on the same page.

3. KEEP IT BALANCED

As humans we have a tendency to concentrate on the negatives, but knowing what your customer does like about a design is just as important as knowing what they do not. Ensure that you take some time to ask what they like and why, as this can help inform the website design development just as much as the dislikes. Additionally, positive comments help reduce the negative effect of any criticism. Bonus.

4. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY

You have asked all the questions, you believe you've got the perfect idea about what your customer is after, you have spent a week putting together a layout and...they do not like it.

It may be hard to not take offence once your designs are criticised, and all too easy to blame the customer for not communicating their needs effectively, but do not. Criticism goes hand in hand with the design process and, if handled properly, the resulting feedback will be instrumental in achieving a solution that both you and your customer are contented with.

Receiving feedback is valuable, but may be tough to manage. Hopefully the above four tips won't just assist the design phase of your projects run smoothly, but will lead to happy customers and fulfilling projects!