Discussing Design: Improving Communication and Collaboration through Critique

by Adam Connor

Here are the kinds of things I consider: Relevancy of the feedback to the product’s objectives. The more of the product’s scenarios, personas, goals, and principles that the feedback is applicable to, the higher its priority. Immediacy of the feedback. Based on the timeline and project plan, if there are certain aspects of the product that need to be addressed sooner than others, perhaps because they’re planned to be developed or released sooner, those receive higher priority. Amount of agreement. Thinking about the participants, I consider how many people shared the same perspective. Typically, the more people who agree on something, the higher priority that something receives. Source of the feedback. I also consider who the feedback came from and that individual’s knowledge and expertise. If it’s particularly relevant to the feedback, perhaps because they’re a subject matter expert, that can shift the priority.