A designer cannot exist in emptiness, a designer cannot design in a vacuum, and a designer should take criticism positively.
This is what we’re exactly going to talk about today. This is a kind of a designer’s guide that teaches that a designer must take criticism positively and he shouldn’t take it personally.
A work done is never final until some revisions are done to it. A good designer must learn to take feedback from everyone; the peers, the clients, and the boss to be able to deliver what is required by the other party. And when we are talking about a feedback; a designer can receive both positive and negative feedback; which if taken personally can completely mess up things.
Designers Should Take Criticism Positively
The Scenario…
Now, imagine that you have just finished a design and you’re all smiles and happy that you just did it. The design is forwarded. And suddenly you get a phone call calling for an urgent meeting with the client. The mind starts imagining a situation wherein the client yells and shouts at the designer for not creating something which was useful for them. Oh No!! Read this: Clients Want Solution, Not Service From Designers!
This is a designer’s worst nightmare – The criticism.
Designers Should Reframe The Problem
A designer must take criticism positively and should basically reframe the problem into something more appealing to hear. The designer might also not like the way the analysis has been done or the feedback has been provided. But it is good for a designer to take criticism positively and work towards overcoming the differences in the actual and the desired result.
Reframing is basically a better way of telling yourself to do better. It is the difference between a heart-wrenching criticism and a constructive feedback which is also motivating. It completely depends on how you perceive it. Read this: Why Creative People Are Different From Others
Designers Should Calm Down and Analyze The Situation
Let us take an example where the client criticizes the designer and his work. There can be multiple ways to react to this situation. One is where you get angry and start yelling at the client. Second is where you start crying. In both the situations, your mind is completely blank and it stops working at all. But have you ever thought of reacting in a way completely unexpected? Yes, I am talking about being calm and listening to the client’s issues and then analyzing the situation. See: These Hilarious Client Stories Will Make You Cry With Laughter. This will also give a positive result and will improve the designer and the client’s relations.
Take a deep breath, count till 10 and let yourself just relax. This will help you to stabilize your mind and think in the right direction. This step is important as it is really not easy to take criticism positively.
So…
We humans naturally get negative feelings but in all spheres of life, we should learn to handle them well and to shoo them away. It is good, to be honest about the situation and try to be positive. It may need a little practice at the beginning but it surely isn’t impossible to achieve. Taking criticism positively will also make you more motivated, focused, and happier.
REMEMBER…
There is Always a Room For Improvement.
Everybody in this world, all the designers wants to hear that whatever they do is just perfect. We also expect that our clients say, “No changes are required. This is exactly what I was looking for”. But that rarely happens. 😉
There are all things that we can alter and improve to fit the requirements. Thus, we should try to create the best solution we can for the client, also except the fact that we may have to alter or change the designs before the green signal is given.