UX - Week 5

1. Giving and Receiving
Feedback
Week 5

2. What is the Goal of Critique?
Self improvement
Effective Collaboration
Learning from Challenges
Better Project Outcomes
Inspiration, New Ideas
Growth = Higher Levels of
Achievement

5. Effective Critique – Useful
“I Love It!”
Nice, but useless
It is important that your feedback inform in a valuable way.
Specific areas to address may include :
Color
Usability/readability
Originality
Consistency
Style/voice
Applicability
“I Hate It!”
Not nice, but useless

6. Effective Critique
Critique has two main parts:
1. Measurement
2. Feedback/Information

7. Effective Critique - #1 Measurement
• What is the intent of the person – what are
they trying to do/achieve?
“If you show me a frying pan you made, and I
criticize it for not playing MP3 files, there is a
mismatch of intention in what we are trying to
measure and evaluate” -Scott Berkun

8. Effective Critique - #1 Measurement
If the intention of the work is clear
“I want to fry eggs.”
It becomes possible to offer good feedback

9. Effective Critique - #2 Feedback
There is more than one viewpoint of how
good/bad something is.
“Good criticism generally comes with some
degree of humility and respect for the possibility
of other equally valid points of view. The better
the critic, the more holistic their sense of how
their own perspectives and tastes fit into the
diverse pool of informed opinion of others” -Scott
Berkun

10. The Interview
Honesty.
I don’t think honesty is a weakness.
I don’t care what you think.
What would you say is your biggest weakness?

11. Effective Critique - #2 Feedback
There is NOT a relationship
between your personal
preferences and whether or
not something is good or
bad.
Being objective and analytic
will result in the best and
most useful feedback*
*Though a viewpoint from your
particular area of expertise may be
welcome – if relevant! THIS IS A TRAP!

12. Love it? Hate it?

13. Process of Giving Feedback
• Make sure venue is correct for type of
feedback (“safe space”)
• Ensure the right people are giving feedback
• Offer useful feedback in an appropriate way

14. Process of Giving Feedback
Appropriate Feedback is:
Relevant – Related to measurement
Timely – When changes can still be made
Specific – Offers suggestions and ideas
Positive – Focus on what it is vs. what it isn’t
Avoid statements that are ‘absolute’
Use an “PNP Sandwich”
Followed up – Clarify, and offer support

15. “PNP Sandwich”
(Make sure the feedback is sincere)

16. Giving Feedback - Review
(First, Be Asked, or Ask!)
• Establish intent/know how to measure
• Make sure people/venue are correct for type of feedback
– “Safe space”
• Gain objectivity
– Focus on observation/description rather than judgment
– Avoid emotion
• Offer useful feedback in an appropriate way
– What it is vs. what it isn’t
– PNP Sandwich
– Avoid statement that are ‘absolute’
• Clarify (if necessary)
• Offer support

18. Receiving Feedback
1.) Be Goal-oriented
Remember the objective
Ask the right people for
the feedback you need
2.)Be there to learn
Check your ego
Don’t be defensive
Ask clarifying questions

19. Receiving Feedback
• LISTEN
– Don’t use words to defend a design – it should stand on its
own!
– Don’t get defensive. Remain open to alternatives.
– Don’t make excuses
• Ask clarifying questions
– “When you say the user won’t be able to understand the
design, can you show me what you mean?”
• Ask for specific changes
– “Good point. What can I do to change that?”

20. Receiving Feedback - Review
• Ask the right partner
– Ask for feedback early! (*WARNING)
• LISTEN
– Do not try to defend
– Be open to alternative views and ideas
• Ask clarifying questions
• Remember the intent
– What was the goal of seeking feedback? The project goal?
(Is the feedback relevant to these?)
• Request specifics
• Thank the person for their feedback
• “Return to Calm”
(*NEXT SLIDE)

21. Client/Mgmt Feedback, vs.
Work-in-Progress Feedback
(*WARNING) There is a difference between a
critique of work-in-process and a design review!
The purpose of critique is to understand the
design of a product and to help the creator
improve it by giving them more information.
The purpose of a design review is sign-off and
often results in a list of specified changes.

22. Client/Mgmt Feedback, vs.
Work-in-Progress Feedback
Sometimes management may not understand
the concept of showing unfinished work
Clients may be overwhelmed by multiple
Concepts
Feedback during a design process is very helpful –
but choose your critique partners wisely!

23. Project Design Critique in a Group*
• Define 3-5 specific criteria to address
• Identify current goal stage:
• Specify “Next Steps”
• Identify goals/criteria for next level of critique
(*this is different from brainstorming!)

24. Project Design Critique in a Group
• Decide who needs to participate
• Identify areas of expertise
• Obtain specific kinds of feedback where relevant
• Use the critique as an opportunity to teach
others
• Include a manager who could benefit from learning about the
design process
• Use the critique as a challenge
• Invite a ‘devils advocate’ to test design/theory

26. This is The Last Slide !
Assignment:
Take 10 minutes after the break to list your
project goals and what criteria you would like
to have specific feedback on.
We will get into groups and you will get
feedback from classmates on your wireframes
based on this criteria/project goals.

27. Week 5 Assignment
Post to canvas your meeting notes about your
project. What feedback did you get? Will you do
anything about it?
Read these two articles:
A great critique of lingcars.com
https://econsultancy.com/blog/9067-lings-cars-and-the-art-of-persuading-visitors-to-buy/
How one weird trick is winning the internet.
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/07/how_one_weird_trick_conquered_the_internet_what_
happens_when_you_click_on.html

28. References
• Berkun, Scott (2009) How to give and receive
criticism retrieved at www.scottberkun.com
• http://20px.com/blog/2012/08/02/the-bother-
scale-for-design-feedback/