Tag: design critique

Designers Critiquing Other Designers

In the design community you have many people who want to help each other out. Some of those people are more honest then others and some are helpful and others are not. One thing that I always check for if the person actually has work equivalent or better then yours.

A lot of it has to do with a person ego that they have built for them self. When you are critiquing a designers work you should always make sure to give them helpful advice on not just what they did wrong but also what they did right.

How to give a proper design critique

  1. If you are critiquing work get off your pedestal
  2. You are not that good because someone else is better
  3. Be positive about it
  4. Give helpful advice
  5. Let the person know what you actually like
  6. Remember your work was not good as good at some point in your career
  7. Leave your Emotions at home
  8. Taking things personal does not help
  9. You can explain why you designed the way you did but if they don’t get it explaining will not help

Image rights belong to USC

Sensitive Designers

https://i0.wp.com/www.boagworld.com/blogImages/critiquing-20100303-145926.jpg

As a designer we can become so attached to a project that we are working we do not seek any criticism in fear of being hurt. While I will admit I’m guilty of doing. When we become attached to a project our vision becomes clouded. The project may be the funnest one you’ve ever done but don’t limit your creative ability to just one thing.

So back to dealing with sensitive designers If you’ve ever experienced one you’d know they have never been critiqued honestly before. During the Critique they’ll have many excuses for everything and answers about why they did such and such. ( I used to be one of these people).

I learned that you can explain your whole process about why you did this and that but people will only see it from their point of view and not yours.

Remember this

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. – Albert Einstein

Getting critiqued is the only way your work will get better if you want to become a better designer.

Image Rights belong to Boagworld