I love feedback because it’s the secret sauce to creating something amazing! Feedback brings clarity, direction, and helps refine a design into exactly what you need. But what makes feedback good? Let’s break it down.

WHAT GOOD FEEDBACK IS NOT

Here are some examples of unhelpful (and sometimes rude!) feedback:

• “I don’t like it.”
• “I think it looks really uncreative, and I’m disappointed.”
• “Can I see something more modern?”
• “Can you move this piece of text underneath, center it, and add a little line here?”

Ouch! These don’t give clear direction and, in some cases, can make your designer feel undervalued. Let’s turn these around into examples of helpful feedback that benefits you and your designer.

“I don’t like it.”

What to say instead:
Be specific! Share what you don’t like and why. Is it the colors, the typography, or the layout? It’s also helpful to let us know what you do like and why.

Example:
“I’m not a fan of the color palette. It feels too bright for the calming vibe I want. I love the font choice, though, it’s clean and easy to read!”

Why it helps: Even though designers choose every element with strategy in mind, we’re not mind readers. Specific feedback ensures we make changes that align with your goals.

“I think it looks really uncreative, and I’m disappointed.”

What to say instead:
Start with kindness. Designers pour hours into crafting your design, and a little positivity can set a better tone.

Example:
“I appreciate the effort you’ve put into this, but it’s not quite what I envisioned. I was hoping for something more playful. Maybe we could explore brighter colors or more dynamic layouts?”

Why it helps: Constructive feedback respects the designer’s effort while giving clear direction for improvement.

“Can I see something more modern?”

What to say instead:
What modern means to you might be something totally different to me. The same goes for any adjective that you use such as “bold” or “badass”. You need to tell me what you mean by this and send some visual examples so that I can understand what you mean and how to make the right changes.

Example:
“I’d like to see something more modern, like these examples [attach links or images]. I love how clean and sleek they feel—can we aim for something similar?”

Why it helps: Visual references make your vision crystal clear and help avoid misinterpretation.

“Can you move this piece of text underneath and center it, and maybe add a little line here?”

What to say instead:
Dictating your changes to your designer isn’t the most constructive way to get your vision across. Remember that your designer is the expert and they know what works and what doesn’t, so listen to them and trust their decisions.

Example:
“The text feels a bit out of balance. Can we explore a layout that makes it feel more cohesive?”

Why it helps: Designers are trained problem solvers. When you share what’s bothering you instead of dictating fixes, you give them room to do what they do best.

Bonus Tip: Resist the Canva Temptation

Please avoid trying to mock up your own design ideas in programs like Canva. Designers are hired to create strategic, polished work, not recreate a concept that might not align with your brand’s goals or design principles.

You and Your Designer: The Dream Team

Great design is a collaborative process, and feedback is one of the most important tools for success. When you provide clear, thoughtful, and constructive feedback, you empower your designer to create something that truly shines.

Remember: You’re on the same team, working toward the same goal—amazing results for your brand!