Process
·
5 min read
What Client Feedback Actually Means
"Make it pop" is not a bad note — it is an unresolved feeling in search of a direction. How to hear what clients are really saying.
Feedback is a feeling in search of words
“Make it pop.” “It feels a bit flat.” “Something is just off but I can’t say what.” These notes frustrate designers, but they should not. They are actually the most honest form of feedback you can receive. The client is telling you exactly what they experience — an unresolved feeling — and the translation work is yours. What visual problem is producing this emotional response?
The diagnostic question
When I receive vague feedback, the most useful question I’ve found is: “compared to what?” Sometimes the client has a reference in mind they haven’t shared. Sometimes “make it pop” means the type weight is too light and they want more contrast. Sometimes it means the colour doesn’t feel like their brand. The answer is almost always specific — it just needs one follow-up to get there.