Remote & The Importance of Quality Feedback

In many projects as a Product Designer, my team and I have been working remotely since day one. We are a geographically dispersed group, with different time zones, but we still maintain effective work thanks to systematic communication and feedback.

Over time, we realized that proper feedback not only enhances product quality but also helps each member develop personal skills. However, if poorly managed, the design review can quickly become a nightmare, causing the team to lose motivation, even conflict - “the work isn’t tiring, but the psychological pressure of working together is what is tiring …”

According to research from Harvard Business Review:

• Negative feedback often backfires, leading employees to feel insecure and avoid the person giving the feedback.

• Employees tend to seek positive feedback from others to balance their emotions and to feel better about themselves.

"Negative feedback triggers a fight-or-flight response in the brain, reducing creativity and problem-solving ability by 27%."

I have always believed that a review and feedback session should be an inspiring place, not a place that instills fear. If your team doesn’t feel excited about receiving feedback, it’s time for a change!

5 Effective Feedback Strategies in UX/UI Design

1. Focus on One Point at a Time

Previously: "This button is wrong, the spacing isn't right, the color doesn't fit the brand, the user flow is broken, don’t you understand the business and requirements from the stakeholder?..."

More effective: "Let’s focus on the purpose of creating the product/feature first, then we can address the user flow. I see there are a few things at the step that can be optimized in the payment confirmation flow. Can we discuss this issue first?"

The brain can only effectively process one problem at a time. Focusing on one aspect helps designers avoid overwhelm and can thoroughly improve each point.

Imagine in weekly meetings, where the atmosphere is full of criticism and non-constructive comments from stakeholders and managers. Not only do you feel hurt, but you might also not remember much valuable feedback. For these reasons, instead of listing a long list of issues, just focus on one aspect and discuss it thoroughly. This allows you or the designer the opportunity to explain the design thoroughly and gives everyone a chance to listen, reflect, and receive more valuable feedback.

2. Target the Design, Not the Designer

When giving feedback to a designer, talk about their work, not their personality. Otherwise, they may feel like you are attacking them personally. For example:

❌ "You don't know how to arrange spacing or what?!"

✅ "I think this spacing can be improved to increase readability and information hierarchy. What do you think?" This not only avoids defensive reactions but can also cause irreparable damage to your social relationships. Feedback should be focused on the product, not the individual.

Separating the product from the person who created it helps make discussions more objective, avoiding defensiveness and focusing on solutions.

3. Provide Specific Examples

According to Lexi Croswell, she emphasizes the importance of providing specific feedback to your teammates. This feedback can be praise or direction, helping teammates to learn and improve. By combining feedback with specific solutions, you not only point out problems but also lay out a path towards improvement. To do this, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

• What behaviors do I appreciate?

  This helps you identify positive behaviors that teammates are displaying and need to be praised.

• What behaviors do I want to see more of?

  Identify behaviors that you want your teammates to perform more frequently to improve performance.

• Why?

  Understand why you want to see more of those behaviors. This helps you provide meaningful feedback that relates to the organization’s goals.

4. Choose the Right Moment

According to HR expert Susan M. Heathfield, feedback should be given immediately after the event so that employees can easily connect it to their actions. Whether it’s praise or constructive criticism, you should provide feedback as soon as possible after the incident. This way, employees can easily understand what they did well/what needs improvement and why.

5. Maintain Regular Feedback

Retaining and engaging team members should start with sincere feedback. Instead of only giving comments when there are issues, make giving feedback a regular habit (weekly or every sprint). According to Google's Project Aristotle, "psychological safety" is the most important factor for team performance. You can discuss ways of working in regular meetings while also providing specific comments on designs during the working process. Multi-directional feedback creates a culture of humility and continuous learning.

This approach helps the team continuously improve quality, while each member feels that their value is recognized. A clearly directed team will bond and develop with the company for the long term.

A Feedback Technique to Avoid

"Sandwich Feedback" – Praise-Critique-Praise

This method was once popular but is now outdated. Employees often ignore the praise and focus only on the negative part.

Claire Lew (CEO Know Your Team) shares:

"Many people use 'praise' as a sugary coating over criticism to feel more comfortable. But this makes the feedback lose its sincerity."

Instead, be honest but respectful.

Effective Communication When Working Remotely

1. Avoid Boring Text

Text conveys only 7% of information through spoken words, with the remaining 93% coming from non-verbal elements like gestures, body language (55%), and tone of voice (38%). When working remotely, emojis, GIFs, videos help convey emotions better.

2. Direct but Tactful

• Be straightforward about the issue but propose solutions.

• For example: "This color is hard to read on the display. How about we try #4D4D4D?"

3. Clear & Complete Context

Don’t assume everyone understands your point. Explain in detail to avoid misunderstandings.

4. Pay Attention to Cultural Differences

A statement can have different meanings depending on culture. Read "The Culture Map" (Erin Meyer) for a deeper understanding.

5. Create a "Style Guide for Feedback"

Build a short document on how your team gives feedback, including:

• Preferred language for use

• Tools for feedback

• Process from receiving feedback to implementation

Conclusion

Feedback in UX/UI and Product Design not only helps improve the product but also builds a positive team culture. Apply the 5 strategies above to turn every review into a learning opportunity, not an obsession.

"The most brutal feedback is sometimes the most valuable feedback."

— Shawn Lan, Design Lead at Zoom

Are you ready to change the way you give feedback?