How to Give Actionable Feedback

The Importance of Feedback

Effective feedback is a crucial element in creating the best work for our clients. To streamline the process and minimize any potential conflicts in input, we request our clients harmonize their internal discussions and consolidate their thoughts before sharing them with our team. This approach allows our team to dedicate their efforts to resolving the pertinent issues at hand, rather than engaging in mediation among stakeholders. Below, we have delineated our recommended guidelines for clients to provide feedback, categorized into general feedback best practices and website-specific feedback.

General Best Practices for Feedback

This applies to all feedback at Teal, including but not limited to: branding, website design, content strategy, development, etc.

Unified Voice: Consolidate feedback into a single, cohesive message by resolving internal disagreements in advance. Present final decisions to the team with a unified front for more effective communication.
Goal-Centric Feedback: Ensure your feedback aligns with the project’s goals and prioritizes the user’s needs. It’s not necessary to propose solutions, but it is essential to articulate the underlying problem that requires solving. We’ll use our expertise to deliver the best possible solution.
Clarity: Provide clear, concise feedback. Avoid ambiguity for efficient and timely action by our team.
Early Stakeholder Involvement: Ensure all project stakeholders are engaged from the outset to prevent last-minute changes that could disrupt the process. Encourage early collaboration and consensus-building to maintain project focus and efficiency.
Adhere to Agreed Deadlines: Respect the project’s turnaround times for feedback. Timely responses help us maintain project schedules and deliver exceptional results. Communicate any potential delays in advance to avoid disrupting the workflow.

Website-Specific Feedback

Design System Awareness: Keep in mind that websites are constructed using components in a design system. Changes to one page can have ripple effects across the site. Consider how your feedback may impact the overall consistency and cohesiveness of the design.
Specify Page and Element: When giving feedback, reference the specific page or design element you’re discussing. This clarity ensures the team knows exactly where to focus.
Technical Considerations: If you have technical requirements or preferences, communicate them clearly and early in the process. This could include specific integrations, performance goals, or security considerations.
Review Content Fields: Carefully review the content fields and components chosen for the website. Ensure they adequately meet your content requirements. For example: are there any missing elements such as descriptions, date fields, or author images that should be included?