How to give your design team feedback they can use

Start with the moment that bothers you

Imagine a proposed kitchen where the dining table sits between the back door and the pantry. You might ask to move a wall. But the useful starting point is that carrying shopping through the room looks awkward. That is a hypothetical example, but the distinction matters: a wall is one possible answer, while the awkward journey is the problem you want solved.

I would explain the situation first and let the team explore ways to improve it. You can absolutely bring an idea of your own. Just leave enough space for another answer that might work better.

• What are you trying to do in this part of the house?
• Who else is likely to be there at the same time?
• What would make the experience easier or more comfortable?

Give each review a clear focus

Before studying a set of drawings, ask what the team needs you to consider now. It is difficult to give useful feedback if you think you are approving every detail when the discussion is really about how the rooms connect.

I would keep a separate list for things that can wait. An idea about a cupboard handle need not disappear, but it does not have to take over a conversation about whether the kitchen belongs in that part of the house.

• Ask which decisions are needed at this stage.
• Check which parts are still being explored.
• Write down later questions so they are not forgotten.

Try a ten-minute feedback sheet

Use three headings: keep, concern and question. Under keep, note what you like and why. Under concern, explain anything that seems at odds with your daily life. Under question, put the things you cannot yet judge.

For example, a concern might be that you cannot see where wet shoes will go. A question might be whether the entrance sketch includes storage that is not obvious on the plan. Those need different responses. One asks the team to reconsider something; the other asks for a clearer explanation.

If more than one person is giving feedback, bring the notes together before the meeting. You do not need to settle every disagreement yourselves. Flag where you see things differently so the designer can help you explore the choice.

• Keep: what works, and the reason it matters.
• Concern: what could make everyday life harder.
• Question: what you need explained before deciding.

Check what everyone understood

At the end of the conversation, I would briefly run through what has been agreed, what remains open and who is taking the next step. A short written note helps you return to the reasoning later, especially when several options have been discussed.

Clear communication is also something you can ask other people about when considering a practice. On our published feedback page, Tim's comments discuss understandable communication for someone outside the construction industry. That is a useful aspect of the working relationship to ask about yourself.

• Which option are we taking forward?
• What still needs investigation or explanation?
• Who will respond, and when will we check in again?

Bring the question you cannot quite put into words

You do not need to tidy up every thought before speaking to me. A rough sketch, an example from your current home or a sentence beginning with 'I am not sure about this' can be enough to get a useful conversation going.

If you are thinking about a project, bring the everyday things you want to improve to an initial consultation. We can talk through what matters to you and how we might work together.