Industry Realities

06 / Customer Communication & Feedback

06 / CLIENT COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK

Key question

How do you work well with clients?

Design thrives on dialogue. Good communicators understand needs more quickly, explain decisions more convincingly, and handle criticism with greater ease.

Learning objective: You can prepare for client meetings, actively seek targeted feedback, and respond to it constructively.

Good collaboration is part of the design process.

6.1 / Holding conversations

Prepare, listen, capture.

Good conversations follow a simple pattern:

Prepare

Have the objective of the conversation, questions and materials ready.

Listen

Ask questions and repeat in your own words.

Hold on

Confirm decisions and next steps in writing.

After every conversation, a quick summary by email helps: What was decided, who is doing what, and by when?

If it is not recorded, it is not decided.

6.2 / Understanding feedback

Behind every desire lies a need.

Feedback often describes a solution: 'Make the logo bigger.' But what it really means is a problem: the brand isn't recognised. Those who ask questions find better solutions.

It is helpful to ask for feedback based on the goal and target audience rather than personal taste: does the change help to achieve the objective?

Understand first, then change.

Try it out

Feedback Translator

Choose a typical vague response to see what might be behind it and how you can follow up.

Unclear feedback

What might be behind it?

The design should stand out or radiate more energy.

Ask before changing

· Where exactly should it pop: the title, the colours, the image?

· What do you think of when you say «pop»? Do you have an example?

· Should it stand out more in its surroundings, say at the station or in the feed?

Feedback you received yourself

Feedback often describes a solution, but a problem is meant. Whoever asks first finds the real need.

6.3 / Dealing with criticism

Criticism is aimed at the work, not the person.

Criticism of a draft is not criticism of the individual. What is professional is to take it on board, ask questions, and then decide what gets implemented, and why.

Not every request needs to be implemented. Those who justify their objections and propose an alternative are taken more seriously than those who change everything.

Reasoned objections are permitted.

Exercise

Practise a customer conversation

Task: Practise a feedback discussion as a three-person role play: designer, client, and observer.

STEP 1

Prepare a draft and the objective of the conversation.

STEP 2

The customer provides three unclear pieces of feedback.

STEP 3

The designer asks questions and summarises.

STEP 4

The observer gives feedback; then you swap roles.

Evaluation: When did asking help?

← 05 / Contracts & Rights

07 / Presenting & Arguing →

OVERVIEW

GLOSSARY

Legal Notice