How to give design feedback people can act on

Someone sent you a design and asked what you think. You think something. Turning that something into a comment the designer can fix, without them quietly hating you, is a skill. Here it is.

The four parts of a useful comment

1. Where. Point at the thing. "The header" is better than "the top." A comment placed on the element itself is better than both.

2. What you noticed. Describe what happens, not your diagnosis. "I didn't see the sign-up button until I scrolled" beats "the CTA is weak."

3. Why it matters. "...and that's the one thing we want people to click."

4. A suggestion, optional. "Maybe move it above the photo?" Label it as a suggestion. The designer might have a better fix, and that's literally their job.

Bad vs. good, examples

Instead of	Try
"Make it pop."	"The page feels quiet next to our competitor's. Could the headline be bolder?"
"I don't like the color."	"The green reads a bit medical to me. We sell snacks."
"This is confusing."	"I wasn't sure if 'Plans' was pricing or a schedule."
"Looks broken on mobile."	"On my iPhone, the menu covers the logo."
"Fine."	(Say what's working. It stops them from changing it.)

Rules that save everyone time

• One point per comment. A comment with five points gets three fixed and two forgotten.
• Separate taste from problems. "I personally prefer serif fonts" is valid, just say it's taste.
• Say what works. Positive feedback isn't flattery, it's information. Otherwise good things get "improved" away.
• Review on the device people use. If 70% of visitors are on phones, review on a phone. Or at least a responsive checker.
• Don't redesign in the comments. You can sketch an idea. Don't send back an edited copy of the file. Now there are two versions, and someone has to merge them, and that someone resents you.

Design critique, the slightly fancier version

In a team critique, the same rules apply, plus:

• The designer says what they want feedback on first. If they're asking about layout, don't spend 20 minutes on button copy.
• Ask questions before giving opinions. "What were you going for here?" often answers the comment you were about to make.
• Write it down where the design lives, during the meeting. Otherwise next week someone says "didn't we decide…?" and nobody can prove anything.

Where to put the feedback

On the design itself. Not in an email that describes the design, not in a chat that describes the email. Kenso lets you click anywhere on a page and comment, and reviewers don't need an account. Also works for PDFs.

Quick recap: where, what you noticed, why it matters, a suggestion if you have one. One point per comment. Say what works.