A quick thought on feedback and reviewing designs — perhaps of particular use to junior designers whose work goes in front of a more senior designer or manager before stakeholders see it.
Busy stakeholders and managers will often try to poke holes in a design or draft just to see if you’re confident in it. The particular items that they highlight or question aren’t necessarily a source of concern for them; they’re just working quickly and tend to mention whatever stands out.
There’s a difference between “people might notice this” and “this is going to cause a problem”. Welcome the comment, but don’t be afraid to ask if what’s been pointed out is actually problematic, or is just a statement of fact about what we’re all looking at. However empathetic your reviewers, they’ll never quite approach things the same way a customer will.
Sometimes, the best response I can offer to comments like “this seems unusual” or “won’t people notice [x]” is “Yes.” Followed by a brief silence. Followed by everyone getting on with the work.
Photo by Frank Busch on Unsplash