5 tips for better project feedback
Written by Ashley peterson-deluca
Have you ever received a draft of a written or designed document – and your heart sank because it isn’t quite right? We’ve all been there.
Here are a few tips to get your creative project back on track!
feedback begins with good inputs.
At Forthright, we always start projects with a kickoff call to understand what clients hope to accomplish with the project. (Branding & Materials Creation is one of our core services). You can borrow this approach for any graphic design or writing project. By sharing a clear picture of what you’re looking for, you’re more likely to get a first draft that’s on track.
A great kickoff covers:
The scope and specifications of the project
Think requirements and preferences, for example: we’re going to need to mail this printed Annual Report, so it needs to be a specific size to fit in our branded envelopes.
The emotions and actions you want to invoke
Identifying how you want your audience to feel, and what you want them to do, ensures that every word and design element supports your goals.
The messaging and design you want the creative team to use – any examples of what you want are a bonus!
At Forthright, we typically are both the content writers and the designers, but for in-house projects this may not be the case.
The timeline and reviews needed
Having a specific project plan and timeline must include what's reasonable for both the creative and the review teams, so be sure to include things like holiday closures and travel schedules.
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positive feedback is just as useful as negative feedback.
Although it is important to let your writer or designer know what you’d like them to update, letting them know what is working gives them a fuller picture and helps them incorporate more of what you love. Positive feedback provides a target and direction for how to address negative feedback.
Clarity is kindness. The more clear and direct your feedback is, the more likely the writer or designer is to hit the mark. So, if you don’t like something, figure out why, what you’d like to see instead and let the creative team know! This is a great place to pull in examples.
Identify who needs to review and when. It can be very frustrating to be far along in a project – believing you and the creative team are on the same page – and then another member of the team wants to take it in a different direction! At the beginning of the project, identify every team member who needs to be involved. Getting their review early in the process means that signoff at the end is easier! This can save you valuable time and dollars, too.
Review thoroughly and thoughtfully. As someone who has sat in both the creative and the client roles, I know how valuable a quality review is. A good review shows respect and consideration to your writer or designer. My preferred approach has three steps:
First, give it a high-level once-over to get a full picture of the structure and nature of it. That way you can see if any components are missing and if it overall fits your vision.
Then, take a deep dive. Go word-by-word and graphic-by-graphic. It is worth taking the time at this stage – maybe even closing your email tab and finding a quiet place – to give your full attention to a document. This is where you can add clarity and detail to your feedback.
Then, review your feedback. Make sure you didn’t miss anything, that it is consistent throughout this review and previous ones and that you’ve given enough detail that someone else can act on it.
put it into action!
Here’s a quick checklist to follow in your next review:
Did I review the document three times, including reviewing the overall document, copy, graphics and layout?
Is my feedback consistent with our previously agreed-upon goals, conversations and feedback?
Has everyone who needs to look at it at this stage done so?
Is my feedback direct and clear?
Did I include both what I liked and didn’t like?
By following this advice for great feedback, you’ll be on track to get the creative project you dreamed of – and save yourself time, effort and budget, too!
