You’ve done the research. You’ve put in the work.
You click submit. You wait.
Now, it’s time to listen.
“The most important thing you can do during the critique is listen. You want to be aware of all the different reactions people have to your work, both good and bad.
Most importantly, you want to understand why people respond the way they do. This information will enable you to adjust and revise your design with the goal of making it more successful.”
— Karen Cheng, How to Survive a Critique
While we may think all of hard work is the best it can be, it is in a sense— at least for a first draft. The creative process is never complete, and it is important to remember that two, three, four and more heads are better than one. What we see as a wall, a showstopper or a roadblock, to another teammate or stakeholder it may be seen as a window. The insight from outside sources can help us create beyond our personal boundaries and in the end create the best experience for our users.
It is important to collaborate and to not become offended by someone else’s critique of our work. Constructive criticism is just that — constructive. It is meant to help improve your work, not destroy your ego.
If you can look past your personal emotions and into the potential of your work, you can take it to places you never dreamed it could go.
The possibilities are endless.
The glass is half full.