A guide to facilitating effective feedback on website design

No two websites are alike, which is incredible given that there are literally over a billion of them by some estimates. Sure, there may be striking similarities (looking at you SaaS companies), but between design, copy, feel, and type, there’s a fingerprint quality to the sites you visit.

However, there’s something that is fundamentally the same for every website: the steps involved in creating it. Which is why it’s so important to establish a web design workflow that allows for streamlined feedback. It ensures that every stakeholder’s voice is heard and creative teams stay focused on their design work instead of administrative tasks or next steps (which are ultimately always the same). 

Below, we’ll explore how to facilitate effective feedback on website design, how to build a robust feedback process, as well as the best practices for good feedback. 

Let’s take a look!

What we'll cover

Why good web design feedback matters

Good feedback is a big deal for web design projects because it ensures that the design aligns with the client’s vision (or your company’s) and meets the needs of the end-users. When feedback is ineffective or poorly managed, it leads to a number of problems, including:

• Misaligned or odd design elements that don’t meet client expectations.
• Increased project timelines due to constant revisions and changes.
• Frustration among team members and stakeholders, including a zap to morale overall.
• Final products that fail to resonate with the target audience.

An effective feedback process helps close the gap between the creative team’s ideas and the client’s vision, ensuring that the end product is both functional and nice to look at.

Feedback on different types of websites

As we said before, there are many types of websites that serve distinct purposes, and understanding these nuances is important before facilitating effective feedback on web design. A conversion-based website for e-commerce is a world away from a brochure website that lists a company’s services. Here are some common types of websites and their unique requirements:

• E-commerce websites. Focus on driving sales, user experience, and conversion rates. Sites like Amazon, eBay, Wayfair, and Walmart.
• Brochure websites. Showcase a company’s services and expertise, emphasizing branding and informational content. A law firm or car appraisal service would fit into this category.
• Portfolio websites. Highlight an individual’s or company’s work, focusing on visual appeal and showcasing projects. 
• Blogs. Prioritize content management, readability, and engagement. 
• Corporate websites. Serve as the online presence for a company, focusing on professionalism and comprehensive information. Microsoft, Shell, and the like.

Understanding the type of website and its goals will help guide the feedback process.

Characteristics of effective feedback for web design

In order for a creative to get to the “let’s make it better” stage of the feedback process, you need to first provide effective feedback. Here are the top characteristics:

• Clear and specific. Provide detailed comments rather than vague statements. For example, instead of saying "I don't like this color," specify what you don't like about it and suggest alternatives like "The shade of blue on the call-to-action button feels too muted; perhaps a brighter shade could make it stand out more so people click it."
• Actionable. Feedback should be practical and provide a clear direction for improvement. Indicate specific changes that can be made, such as "Can we move the 'Contact Us' button to the top right corner for better visibility?"
• Objective and focused on goals. Feedback should be based on the project's objectives and target audience rather than personal tastes or preferences. Tie your comments to user experience, functionality, and alignment with the brand. For example, "The font size for body text seems small; increasing it could improve readability for our older audience."
• User-centered. Always keep the end-users in mind. Feedback should aim to enhance the user experience and meet the needs and wants of the target audience. An example might be, "Users might find it confusing to have the shopping cart icon hidden; it should be prominently displayed on all pages."
• Positive and constructive. Highlight what’s working as well as what needs improvement. Doing this keeps the feedback balanced and motivational. The last thing you want to do is demoralize creatives. For instance, "The layout of the homepage looks great, very clean and intuitive, but the navigation menu could use more descriptive labels."
• Prioritized. Differentiate between big issues and minor suggestions. This helps the design team to focus on what matters most and prevents them from getting into the weeds on things they shouldn’t. An example is, "Fixing the broken links is a priority, but tweaking the image alignment can wait until the final review."
• Evidence-based. Support your feedback with data or examples whenever you can. Refer to best practices, usability principles, or analytics data to justify your suggestions. That way you eliminate subjectivity in your assessment. For instance, "According to our analytics, the bounce rate on the landing page is high; simplifying the layout could help retain visitors."
• Timely. Provide feedback promptly to ensure it can be incorporated into the current design phase, avoiding delays in the project timeline. Few things are more frustrating than waiting on feedback. You might say, "Let's review the homepage layout by Friday so we can stay on track for next month’s launch."
• Collaborative. Encourage a two-way conversation. Be open to discussing feedback with the design team and be willing to hear their perspective and reasoning. For example, "I think we should change the header image, but let's discuss it to see if there's a better solution."

Clearly defining and communicating the stages of stakeholder review helps manage expectations and ensures timely feedback. This can include initial concept reviews, mid-project check-ins, and final approval stages. For instance, you might have an initial review phase for wireframes, a second for design mockups, and a final review for the completed site.

Educate stakeholders on how to provide constructive and actionable feedback. This includes explaining the importance of being clear, specific, and user-centered in their comments. Providing examples or inspiration can also help guide the feedback. You could share a successful case study or design mockup to give stakeholders a better idea of what kind of feedback is helpful.

Keeping the creative brief easily accessible ensures that all feedback remains aligned with the project’s goals and objectives. This constant reminder helps maintain focus and consistency throughout the project. One place to keep the brief is in the header field of your collaborative tool or project management software task so that everyone is on the same page.

Regular follow-ups and clear communication about changes made based on feedback are crucial for achieving final approval. This ensures that all stakeholders are informed about the project's progress and any adjustments made. For example, sending regular email updates or holding brief status meetings can keep everyone aligned.

Tips for facilitating feedback on a website design

Here are some best practices for facilitating effective feedback on a website design:

Ensure feedback is a conversation

Promote open dialogue and collaboration between reviewers and designers. Encouraging a conversational approach to feedback helps clarify comments and fosters a more collaborative environment. Besides, teams that feel they can speak their minds in general are more successful anyway. So, fire up the video calls or use collaborative platforms like Slack to facilitate real-time discussions and quick clarifications.

Create and use a defined brand toolkit

A brand toolkit establishes design guidelines for consistent feedback. Providing reviewers with a toolkit ensures that all feedback aligns with the brand’s visual and messaging standards. A toolkit might include color palettes, typography guidelines, and tone of voice documents.

Start broad, then get specific

Encourage reviewers to begin with their overall impression before diving into specific details. This helps ensure that the big-picture elements are addressed first before focusing on finer details. We suggest that you ask reviewers to first comment on the overall layout and user flow before critiquing individual design elements.

Include as much context as possible

Providing context for feedback ensures clear communication. Explain the reasoning behind your comments and how they relate to the project’s goals, user experience, and design principles. For example, if you suggest a change in navigation, explain how it will improve user flow based on user behavior data.

Build a streamlined review process for your website with Ziflow

Implementing a structured feedback process is essential for facilitating successful feedback on web design projects. Ziflow’s collaborative proofing tools can help streamline this process, ensuring clear communication, efficient collaboration, and high-quality results. If you adopt these best practices and leverage Ziflow’s powerful features, you can create a more effective feedback process that leads to better-designed websites. Happy designing!