{"id":108,"date":"2024-09-25T12:52:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T12:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wilrandolph.com\/?p=108"},"modified":"2024-09-25T12:52:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T12:52:00","slug":"when-non-designers-think-theyre-designers-a-humorous-guide-to-respectful-feedback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wilrandolph.net\/blog\/when-non-designers-think-theyre-designers-a-humorous-guide-to-respectful-feedback\/","title":{"rendered":"When Non-Designers Think They’re Designers: A Humorous Guide to Respectful Feedback"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019ve all been there\u2014working on a design that\u2019s a perfect blend of creativity, strategy, and coffee-fueled inspiration, when suddenly, your favorite non-designer swoops in with, \u201cHey, can you make it pop?\u201d Design feedback from those outside the field can be like getting driving tips from a backseat passenger\u2014it\u2019s coming from a good place, but, uh, maybe let us handle the wheel, yeah? Take it from someone that has been on both sides of the table; as a designer and a manager I know firsthand how each side feels. This isn\u2019t to roast non-designers; it\u2019s to remind everyone that while feedback is welcome, expertise should be respected. Here\u2019s a fun look at how we can all stay in our lanes…without running each other off the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. The Dunning-Kruger Effect: When a Little Knowledge Goes a Long Way until it Doesn\u2019t<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know that feeling when someone knows just enough to think they know everything? Welcome to the Dunning-Kruger effect (Dunning & Kruger, 1999). It\u2019s like watching a cooking show and suddenly deciding you\u2019re ready to challenge Gordon Ramsay. In design, it often looks like a non-designer confidently saying, \u201cLet\u2019s make it more\u2026 blue\u201d because they watched a ten minute video on YouTube about color in design. Or a personal past favorite I heard often when I was just a young sapling designer, \u201cit needs to feel warmer.\u201d Huh?!! Want to really annoy your designers? Just keep giving vague feedback without any framework or context anchored in at least fundamental marketing, design, UI or UX principles. Sound familiar designers? Frustrated yet? Been there and heard all that believe you me<\/em>. But the \u201cfeel warmer\u201d feedback took the cake. They mean well, but they\u2019re overlooking the years of experience that go into those color choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Feedback is Not a Free-for-All: Respect the Expertise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We get it\u2014everyone has opinions, especially when it comes to visuals. But it is like they say, \u201copinions are like\u2026\u201d well you get it. Let\u2019s just say everyone has one but there is no need to be more crass than that. This is a family friendly blog post after all. Let\u2019s say instead that it\u2019s like picking a restaurant; everyone\u2019s got a favorite spot but the designer is trying to get everyone in the car fed all while taking into account that Bob doesn\u2019t like spicy food, Jill has a gluten allergy and Sarah has IBS and no one in the car likes pasta except Wayne. There is a lot going on but then there are the hundreds or potentially millions of other people that may be consuming your content or your product and the designer has to think about them too. But here\u2019s the thing: design isn\u2019t just about looking good; it\u2019s about function, user experience, and strategy (Reynolds, 2014). Oh yeah folks. Let\u2019s read that again out loud. \u201cS-T-R-A-T-E-G-Y!\u201d See you\u2019re getting quite the education here without even having to read designer-language. Additionally, designers have the training, the education, the experience and for many an innate gift of knowing when to apply what, where, why and how. You can\u2019t just opinion yourself into understanding all that. Want to really annoy your designers even more? Just keep giving vague feedback without any basis in fact or experience. Non-designers, your input is valuable, but designers are the ones trained to turn ideas into effective solutions. Trust the pros to know the difference between a passing trend and a design decision that holds up under scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt needs to feel warmer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to really annoy your designers? Just keep giving vague feedback without any framework or context anchored in at least fundamental marketing, design, UI or UX principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Opinions are Gold\u2026 When They\u2019re Not Trying to Be More<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be real\u2014opinions matter (well some of them anyway), and sometimes fresh perspectives spark great ideas. But like any good relationship, there\u2019s give and take and not all opinions are equal in weight. Just like recipes do not take the same amount of each spice. \u201cJust add one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of vanilla, one tablespoon of nutmeg, one tablespoon of cayenne\u2026\u201d Uhhhh??? Hold on. This doesn\u2019t sound like a lemon meringue pie at all. It sounds like a culinary apocalypse waiting to happen. So no. Every spice (non designer) opinion will not be or should not be honored. Sorry Sally in accounting. The actual designer has been baking this dish for decades and formally trained to do it and unless there is something germane you\u2019re bringing to this dish, please forgive the designer for the face they make while you\u2019re speaking and offering up your non-solicited opinion. Okay that\u2019s just a little side joke. Or is it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-designers, think of your feedback as adding a little spice, not remaking the entire recipe. Designers are the head chefs in this kitchen, blending taste with technique, and sometimes, it\u2019s best to let them add that final pinch of salt. Sometimes it\u2019s a good idea to just say \u201cYes Chef,\u201d when the designer speaks. Designers appreciate the seasoning suggestions, just not a total takeover of the menu because non-designers\u2026 menu designing isn\u2019t your lane. Designers implore you to stay in your lane. The designer may ask you for directions on where you want them to go but it doesn’t mean they want nor need you to drive because frankly, you\u2019re not a great driver. Just like you don\u2019t get to fly the plane just because you chose every leg of your trip and paid for the flight. No one wants you landing or taking off. Buying that ticket didn\u2019t make you a pilot no matter how many times you fly per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Looks vs. Logic: Don\u2019t Forget the Bigger Picture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, aesthetics are important, but design isn\u2019t just about pretty colors and trendy fonts. It\u2019s like saying a car looks great without checking if it has an engine. Non designers believe that most creatives sit around with color crayons and paint brushes and have fun all day. It\u2019s so much more complicated than that. Designers consider usability, accessibility, and functionality\u2014the things that make a design work, not just good looks (Brown, 2009). So, when you find yourself focusing on that exact shade of mauve, remember, the designer is juggling a whole lot more than just the paint palette. Preach!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It kind of brings the attention to AI in an indirect way doesn\u2019t it? You have a whole bunch of non-designers who thought they stumbled upon the holy grail. But AI may end up being a crutch for all the skills, training, experience and education they lack and not in a good way. What they end up with is a mashup of disparate whack-a-mole concepts that never lives up. It\u2019s a faster way to create trash in non-designer hands.. Check out the \u201cAI Can\u2019t Fix Stupid\u201d<\/strong><\/em> https:\/\/ghostwhite-gnu-536514.hostingersite.com\/blog\/blog\/ai-cant-fix-stupid<\/a> blog post for all the skinny on that. If that sounds like we\u2019re shilling our own blog post then yeah; you\u2019d be right and we make no apologies for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The Art of Timing: Offer Feedback, But Not at the Eleventh Hour<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Late feedback is like trying to change the script on opening night. It\u2019s not just inconvenient; it can derail the whole production. Offer your thoughts early, but be mindful of the workflow. Designers don\u2019t mind revisiting a project, but let\u2019s avoid the last-minute costume changes, yeah?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrap-Up: We Love You, Non-Designers\u2014Just Don\u2019t Forget Who the Designer Is!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re all in this together, and some of the best ideas come from unlikely places. So, non-designers, keep sharing your thoughts! But also, give a little nod to the designer\u2019s expertise. They\u2019re not just coloring in the lines; they\u2019re making sure the picture works, connects, and speaks volumes. So let\u2019s collaborate, but remember whose crayons we\u2019re borrowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n