It can be challenging to share work, especially when you don’t feel like it is anywhere near completion, but in spatial design it is often necessary to share work in the in-between stages. This is because you can still make big changes. If you share your work after you have already determined the finishes, furnishings, and polished every detail of your renderings, then you will miss out on the opportunity to receive critical feedback that might have changed your design for the better. At the point of completion, any feedback you receive will only touch the surface of your design. The best time to share your work is after you have figured out the overall space plan, the feeling of the space, and the overall visual direction, but have not yet determined every little detail.
The type of feedback you receive will depend on the type of question you ask. If your question is vague, the response you receive will be vague. If you ask does this look good, the response will likely be yes or no and very superficial. If you ask, do you like it, the response will likely be personal. Instead, ask a direct question about your design such as does the circulation appear clear when entering the space, is the focal point clear enough, or does the material palette evoke the right mood. When you ask a direct question, you make it easier for the reviewer to give you constructive feedback that you can use to improve your design. You also avoid any issues of personal taste.
When sharing your work for feedback, it is also important to avoid sharing too much. Students will often share their space plan, moodboard, lighting scheme, color board, furniture plan, and details and expect the reviewer to give them feedback on all of these aspects of their design. It is better to share your space plan before you delve into all the details of the design. You can share your material board at a later time once you have nailed down the plan of the space. If the feedback is too much to handle, it is best to go back and address the biggest issue first. Once that issue is resolved, you can move on to the next biggest issue. That is how you improve your design.
I would like to give you an exercise that you can try for the next 15 minutes. Please pull out one small study of a room you have designed and choose one thing you would like to receive feedback on before you share it with someone. In the first few minutes, please review your design and write one sentence about what you want the space to achieve. Then please spend a few minutes identifying the part of the space where you are struggling the most. This might be something simple like the spacing in between chairs, the integration of different materials, or the balance between filled and empty spaces. Once you know what you are struggling with, the feedback you receive will be more meaningful because it is addressing an area where you are struggling.
It is also important to avoid being defensive about your work. When someone makes a comment about your design, your natural response might be to explain why you designed it that way. Avoid doing this. Listen for similar patterns of response. If more than one person makes a comment about the same issue, then you know you still have work to do. If more than one person points out the same strength, then you know you are onto something good. It is also important to revise your design after receiving feedback. It is important that you leave feedback with an action item. Avoid receiving feedback that only makes you feel good about your work. Take some time to revise your design immediately after receiving feedback. Move a chair, edit a busy area, increase contrast, or remove an item that competes with your focal point. This is the way to improve your spatial designs. When you practice sharing your work for feedback, you will begin to view feedback not as criticism, but as a way to improve your work.
