A Common Scenario

A UX Designer presents a design proposal to you. You don't like it. What do you do?

Instead of saying “I don’t like this,” use this framework:

Observation – What do you notice that might cause issues?
Reason – Why could this be a problem for users or the business?
Suggestion – How could it be improved?

Identify if you give poor feedback

Before learning how to provide good feedback, it is important to understand the quality of the one you are currently giving.

Check each section below and think: "Have I ever said anything like this?"

Personal opinions

“I think this should be blue instead of green.”
“I don’t like the [font style/color].”
“This doesn’t look [modern/cool].”
“This should be more visually appealing.”
“I prefer when things are [...].”

Vague suggestions

“Make this stand out more.”
“This is hard to use.”
“The text should be clearer.”
“This section feels weird.”
“Users might struggle with this.”

Jumping to solutions too soon

“Move this button to the top.”
“Make all the icons bigger.”
“Change the navigation structure.”
“Use a different layout.”
“Remove this feature.”

If the answer to the question above is yes, I can help you.

Step 01: Start by understanding the mind of a UX Designer

Contrary to what people might believe, the work of a user experience designer is NOT to make interfaces look good.

A UX Designer tipically focuses on:

Clarity – Is the information easy to understand? Can users quickly grasp what they need to do?
Efficiency – Does the design allow users to complete tasks quickly and without confusion?
Consistency – Is it aligned with existing patterns and brand guidelines?

Step 02: Ask yourself these guiding questions

What problem do you think this design solves?
What part of this design feels unclear or confusing?
What would make this more useful for our users?
Are there business/technical constraints that aren’t reflected here?

Step 03: Provide good feedback

Feedback should be actionable, user-centered, and aligned with business goals.

Make it actionable

Good feedback describes a specific problem and offers a clear improvement. Point out what is not working and explain why that is an issue. You do not have to come up with the solution, but the item has to be actionable.

“It’s hard to tell which button to click first.”
“This section has a lot of text, and it’s difficult to skim.”
“Users have to take multiple steps to do something simple.”
“I wasn’t sure if my action was successful after clicking.”
“It’s not obvious what this page is about at first glance.”

Center it on the user

Feedback should focus on the user’s experience, not personal taste.

“Someone using this for the first time might not understand what to do.”
“A person with poor eyesight might have trouble reading this.”
“If I’m in a hurry, I might miss this important message.”
“It’s not clear what will happen when I press this button.”
“On mobile, this part feels cramped and hard to interact with.”

Align it with business goals

Design choices should support business objectives, such as conversion, retention, or efficiency, for example. The crème de la crème of the feedback connects it with some key metrics of success.

“It’s not easy to find the sign-up option.”
“The form looks long, which might make some users give up.”
“It’s hard to see why this product is better than others.”
“People might feel unsure about making a purchase here.”
“Important information is hidden lower on the page.”

Rememeber: Better feedback leads to better design
By providing structured, user-centered feedback, you help create designs that are more effective, intuitive, and aligned with business goals.

How to Give Effective UX Feedback

Good UX feedback helps improve usability, user satisfaction, and business outcomes.