Thanks for the feedback!

It would be ideal if a website design concept or mock up were 100 percent correct at the first presentation. However, in reality, refinement and iteration are almost always required before sign off.

A successful website design concept can only be achieved when all stakeholders share a clear understanding of the website’s overall message, purpose and audience. Please avoid submitting consolidated feedback based solely on individual staff preferences.

To create an aesthetically strong, uncluttered and focused layout, it is essential that every design decision is understood within the context of the wider strategy. Each element has been considered deliberately and contributes to the overall effectiveness of the design.

Don't get personal!

Design change suggestions based purely on individual preference can lead to an unfocused, cluttered website that fails to meet the needs of your target audience. It’s far more effective to explain the reasoning behind each request when proposing changes.

In short: if you request a change, clearly outline the design considerations or objectives behind it.

Here are some additional points to keep in mind when preparing your feedback:

• Avoid sending feedback as a simple list of changes. Instead, explain why you believe a design or element may not work for your target audience. Your job is to spot issues; the designer’s job is to solve them.
• Always frame feedback from the perspective of your users. For example: “We think our target users would prefer X, Y, and Z…”
• Be explicit about the design reasoning behind any requested changes. Every element on a page has a defined relationship with others; moving or altering one element will affect the overall balance of the page. Keep this in mind when suggesting changes.
• If multiple staff members have alternative views, discuss and agree on them before submitting consolidated feedback. Avoid sending feedback that reflects individual preferences.
• Send all feedback through a single point of contact to ensure clarity and consistency.
• Whenever possible, review the design in a web browser. Avoid making decisions based on screen printouts, as your target users will experience the website digitally—on a computer, tablet, or mobile device.
• Remember your mobile audience: layouts should be designed with responsive behaviour in mind.
• Ensure your personal computer setup is correctly configured when reviewing designs. Check your monitor resolution and use an up-to-date browser for an accurate representation of the layout.

Finally, remember that the computer/device you view the layout on is set up for your personal preferences; every visitor to your site will see a slight variation based on their computer/device screen resolution, available colours, font smoothing, type of monitor, screen size etc.

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