Give Feedback That Doesn’t Suck in 5 Steps

If you’re new to design or stepping into a senior role, giving feedback can feel awkward. You don’t want to sound like a jerk, but you also don’t want to be useless.

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Feedback is a skill and one that takes practice. It's essential in your career to learn how to give feedback that makes your team productive.

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I feel like I've gotten pretty good at giving feedback. It's mainly come from years of experiencing critique sessions where the folks senior to me just didn't know how to articulate what wasn't working or didn't have the design vocabulary.

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Those sessions made me feel embarrassed and defeated and almost always didn't help me solve anything. So, here is my framework I developed for giving feedback on fellow designers work that actually help them achieve their goals.

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Lets Define Bad Feedback

We’ve all heard it. “Can you make it pop?” “This feels off.” “It’s missing something.”

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Cool. Thanks for nothing.

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Vague feedback is frustrating, unhelpful, and usually says more about the person giving it than the work itself. If your feedback leaves someone confused or annoyed, it’s not feedback - it’s noise.

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So What Does Good Feedback Look Like?

Good feedback is specific. It points to something real and ties back to a goal.

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Instead of “I don’t like this button,” try: “This button gets lost in the layout. Since it’s the main action, how can you make it stand out more?”

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See the difference? One shuts down the conversation. The other moves the work forward. Good feedback also respects the designer. You’re not here to tear them down. You’re here to make the work stronger together.

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Give Feedback That Doesn’t Suck in 5 Steps

1. Ask Questions First

Don't come in too hot. Start by asking what the designer was trying to solve. What’s the user need? What’s the constraint? What has the designer tried already? Understand the whole picture before you critique.

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2. Be Specific

Vague feedback is useless. Don't just tell someone their layout "looks weird.” Say "Your CTA is competing with the other elements on the page for my attention." Ambiguous feedback can cause a designer to fix problems that aren't there and slow the whole process down.

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3. Stay Tied to Goals

Design isn’t decoration. It solves problems. Ground your feedback in the users or business goal. If a screen isn’t converting, don’t nitpick the color palette. Ask how the layout supports the user journey. Critique should serve the mission, not personal taste.‍

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4. Balance it Out

Too much negative feedback kills morale. Too much praise breeds complacency. Good feedback hits both. If a designer nailed the interaction flow but missed on microcopy, say so. Recognize what’s strong. Build trust. People are more open to tough feedback when they know you see the good too.‍

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5. Keep it Collaborative

Feedback is not about proving you’re smarter. It’s a team effort to make the work better. Ask questions. Invite dialogue. A strong design culture isn’t built on lectures. It’s built on curiosity, respect, and shared ownership.