Free Preview: Script 1

A brief, actionable guide to help

you put bad feedback and painful
revision cycles where they belong:
six feet under.

by Jarrod Drysdale
offthechoppingblock.com
This is a free preview of Off The Chopping Block,
a guide to ending painful design revision cycles,
available April 28th, 2016.

This preview is a first draft and hasn’t undergone

final editing. Anything could change until the first
edition is done, including the table of contents.

Get notified when the guide launches and get

exclusive, free articles by subscribing to my weekly
newsletter:

Subscribe to Critique, my newsletter →

(I share exclusive discounts on the newsletter,

sometimes, too! :)

Oh, and thanks so much for reading! Email me

anytime at jarrod@studiofellow.com.

—Jarrod Drysdale

2 off the chopping block

Guide: 4 Conversations
script 1: vague feedback

script 2: the big idea

script 3: free revisions

script 4: nothing to go on

method 2: redirect to the audience 3

 Script 1
Vague Feedback
Upon seeing a new design for the first time, a
client or project stakeholder might respond
with vague, negative feedback that’s difficult to
understand or discuss.
Upon seeing a new design for the first time, a client
or project stakeholder might respond with vague,
negative feedback that’s difficult to understand or
discuss.

Often times there are a bunch of issues buried

beneath the surface of these types of comments,
and you’ll need to use several of our methods to dig
them up. As you’ll see, you’ll start by asking why at
least once.

Here, the client, the CEO of a new tech startup in

the medical industry, and her freelance designer are
discussing a new design for the startup’s marketing
website.

Like all the scripts included with the guide, this script
is hypothetical, but I’ve pulled brief phrases and
comments from conversations with real clients (their
private details and identities removed, of course).

script 1: vague feedback 5

Client: “This design is not
what I wanted at all.”
Designer: “Okay, I understand
and don’t worry—I’m
committed to making a
design that delivers. From
the conversations we’ve had
about the project goals, I think
this design will be successful.
Why is this design not what
you wanted?”
Client: “It’s just different from
what I pictured when we were
talking about colors and fonts.
It just doesn’t represent me
the way I want it to.”
Designer: “How do the colors
and fonts, or other aspects,
not represent you correctly?”
Client: “Well, I don’t know.
It just feels wrong to me. I
wanted this design to make
our company seem unique
6 off the chopping block
The client offers vague
feedback, which is difficult
to respond to.
Reassure the client so she
knows you want her to be
confident in the design.
Bring up goals (method
1), and ask why the
design doesn’t meet goals
(method 6).
Again, the client responds
with a somewhat vague
comment. Mentions
colors and fonts without
explaining the issue.
You still have no specific
issue to discuss. Ask why
again (method 6).
Here we find the core of the
issue. The client is exerting
some personal preferences,
but is also concerned about
and different from our local
competitors. I have never
really liked blue, and some
of our competitors use blue.
It just seems like the wrong
choice.”
Designer: “Sure! It’s
absolutely important that
you are confident in how
we present your brand to
customers and that we
differentiate your business
from competitors. Here’s
how the design does that.”
“While, yes, there is some
blue in the design, it’s
not the dominant color.
When researching your
competitors, I noticed
that they tend to have
predominantly blue color
schemes. Blue is a safe color
because it communicates
professionalism. And, it
is a bit over-used in your
industry because of that.
script 1: vague feedback
the design looking similar to
competitors. Now you have
something to latch onto.
First, repeat the client’s
concerns to show you
understand.
Second, explain your
reasoning for the colors you
chose (method 3). Respond
specifically to the client’s
concerns about competitors
using a lot of blue, and
explain the theory behind
the colors you chose (method
4). This also helps remove
subjectivity (method 5) and
move away from personal
taste.
7
But, your brand is daring. Your
business is opinionated and
your approach is different from
competitors. So I chose to make
the dominant color for your
brand this red-ish orange color.
It evokes energy, passion, and
boldness, which will appeal
to your target audience. Yes,
there is a dark, muted blue
color in the design. But it’s used
sparingly and is only there to
keep the design from looking
overly bright and intense.
Blue helps to soften the other
more energetic colors, and it’s
used so sparingly that I am
confident your customers won’t
confuse your brand with your
competitors.”

“Also, I just want to remind Last, remind the client that

you—the colors and other the design should appeal
aspects of the design should to customers, not her. (See
appeal to your intended method 2.)
customers, not to me or you. If I
designed every site using colors
I liked, every site I made would

8 off the chopping block

be only gray and white,
like my living room! Haha.
And a gray and white
design wouldn’t do a very
good job of appealing
to your customers. So,
remember, let’s imagine
how your customers
would react to this rather
than trying to make
something you or I might
like.”

“So, given that context,

do you agree with me
that these colors and
fonts should do a good
job of differentiating your
business and appealing to
your customers?”

Client: “I see your point. The client is coming

You’re right that there is a
lot more orange than blue,
and I do like how colorful
the design is. I think our
customers will see this
as very different from the
around! She says it is
different from what she
expected, which shows
she is not accustomed to
working on design projects.
This is a chance to train

script 1: vague feedback 9

other shops in town. It’s just her about how the process
different from what I expected.” works.

Designer: “I’m glad you agree Explain that the design

about that point. I’m sorry process isn’t a way of
the design came across as interpreting dreams or
unexpected—I never want that reading minds, but making
to happen. It can be difficult a thoughtful, intentional
to align exactly what we’re product. Show that you
both imagining, and, to be are confident, and also
a little blunt, it’s probably that your client won’t be
not worthwhile anyway. My stuck with the design. You
design process is based around can help adapt and react
creating something for your to what happens next.
customers, and the result (Method 8.)
might not be exactly what
you pictured, but I’ve been
doing this a long time and I’m
confident it will work. What
matters is that this design
has a good chance of building
trust with new customers and
increasing conversions. If you
are confident in that too, I
recommend we use this design,
and implement analytics so we
can measure what happens.
We can always adapt after we

10 off the chopping block

see what customers do.”

script 1: vague feedback 11