Three Essential Rules for Effective Feedback
Feedback plays an important role in our ability to create better experiences and grow as designers. Without some guidance, we can easily find ourselves trying to solve too many problems or even the wrong ones. In order to ensure we are properly applying new concepts to our work, seek feedback early and often.
However, useful feedback can be hard to obtain and can take many forms. We aren’t always able to get feedback at the time we need it most, or in a way that helps us apply what we’ve learned. This can be especially true during a condensed course, like a bootcamp.
The pace of a bootcamp can be difficult to manage. You are constantly introduced to new material that you need to put into practice quickly, sometimes before you have a full understanding of the concept. Long lectures are given to introduce the concept, and sometimes examples of how it has been applied in the real world are provided. After your energy is drained and your head is spinning from information overload, you are then tasked with putting the concept into practice.
Because the student to instructor ratio is too high, instructors have limited time with students individually. Feedback sessions are hard to schedule, and may not allow enough time for the problem to be fully understood. You may also be asked to come prepared to discuss specific issues, which can feel intimidating if you don’t feel you have enough understanding to ask the right questions. Most of the feedback only occurs after presenting the project, and by this point, peers and instructors are looking to give guidance on the discussion of the project, rather than the work itself.
Although my bootcamp experience gave me a foundational understanding of the UX process and the skills to continue growing, I can’t help but wonder where I might be if there had been more emphasis on providing feedback.
There are three core qualities that define effective feedback that will help me improve during my time at theCOOP, and throughout my career as a UX designer:
- Timely
- Tactful
- Targeted
Timely
The first step toward giving good feedback involves timing. Feedback should occur as soon as possible after a concept has been put into practice. By providing guidance quickly, it helps learners associate the practical implementation of their learning with desired outcomes. Learners are able to make early adjustments to their behavior, correcting errors before they become habits that are harder to break. Research has also shown that immediate feedback significantly increases performance.
Frequency is also important to the learning process. By providing feedback on an ongoing basis, the learner has a chance to analyze and implement new information. Having a chance to make corrections and reassess the changes made will help learners form better habits and deepen their understanding of new concepts. This can be more effective than a summative review of their work, as they are given multiple opportunities to make improvements before final submission.
Tactful
Providing proper feedback requires understanding the audience. Everyone has a unique approach to the learning process. Begin by listening to the learner’s pain points and gauging their emotional well-being to gain insight into how to structure feedback. A session in which the learner feels confident and may need a push to take their work to the next level could cause another who is feeling frustrated and overwhelmed to become disengaged.
By taking the time to fully assess the situation, feedback can be more effective. It helps the learner feel more confident in seeking out feedback and making adjustments when they feel a sense of trust and transparency with their mentor. As the relationship develops, feedback becomes more consistent and useful as both parties gain an understanding of how to solve problems together.
Targeted
Effective feedback also needs to be specific and actionable. Knowing only what was done right or wrong doesn’t allow for adjustments to be made. Learners need to know how to make the changes that will help them improve their work. Taking concrete actions that will lead to tangible results will help deepen understanding and form positive habits through practice.
Feedback should also take a goal-oriented approach. While actionable guidance tells the learner what to do, it is also important for them to understand why it should be done and how it helps them progress toward a goal.
Moving forward, I hope to see feedback better utilized in education and career development. Learning a new skill can be intimidating, but you don’t have to go it alone. Seeking out feedback that is timely, tactful, and targeted can give you the confidence and knowledge you need to realize your full potential.
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