Stop Using this Phrase
2 min read | Aug 11, 2023
Photo by charlesdeluvio at Unsplash
It’s surprising to me how I still hear other designers use the phrase “It doesn’t work” or any iteration of this phrase, in relation to what they think about a piece of visual design.
Using the phrase “It doesn’t work” doesn’t communicate any valuable information other than, “I don’t like it. Change it” to a designer. There is no rationale provided; no thought process given as to why design choices are in their estimation, “incorrect”.
If I were to guess why this phrase is used, three possibilities come to mind:
1. The designer providing this type of feedback doesn’t feel the need to explain their thoughts or opinions to others, maybe from a sense of superiority. 2. The communication skills of the designer providing this feedback are lacking, and they are unable to put into words why they hold the opinions that have. 3. The designer’s comments are arbitrary.
The first reason comes off as disrespectful and can be seen as giving orders rather than having a conversation about design decisions. I’m not sure if this primarily happens in visual design and graphic design fields rather than in product design or UX.
As far as the second potential reason, well, if the designer who’s struggling to put their feedback into words is the one giving direction, that’s a big cause for concern. How are they articulating decisions to stakeholders who aren’t designers.
Using this term causes issues when attempting to validate a decision. The “why” goes unanswered. The phrase seems to come from a subjective gut feeling with no basis in fact. Without explanation, any designer receiving this kind of feedback is left without the knowledge of what WOULD make a design “work”. This especially comes into play when designing brand work, and when brand rules and guidelines are not rooted in concrete facts or data.
If you as a designer have put in the leg work, done the research, thought through the problem you’re trying to solve, and explored a range of design possibilities, you deserve more than “It doesn’t work”. Explain your point of view and how you arrived at the design solution. Don’t be afraid to share the research you did and the knowledge you have that informed your choices. The designer who gave you the feedback, “It doesn’t work” may not be open to having a dialog, and the project may suffer because of it, but at least you put in the effort to make a great product. With the feedback “It doesn’t work.” design becomes a guessing game and that’s not productive for anyone.
If you are in a position to give direction or feedback to other designers, please try to make your feedback meaningful. I think the designers you work with will appreciate it.