Decoding Design
“Can you drop the text down on this line and make it lengthwards but not too bold, but just enough so that is pops, and then add a gradient and a drop shadow so it looks like it’s floating? I know it’s a business card-sized ad—THAT should give us enough room to add this paragraph. Let’s make the logo bigger, too.”
I’ve never had that exact request, but boy howdy I know it well enough to pretend that I did.
As a designer, client revisions are all part of the process and the expectation. Designers work for and with clients to ensure their projects align with their brand while helping to convey a message. Usually, it’s straightforward. And yet every once in a while a designer needs to pull out the crystal ball and employ their clairvoyance. “I see it now: you want more pizazz because you’re uncertain of your brand’s message being heard?”
I joke. Designers aren’t mind readers… but every now and then, we have to be.
Sometimes, designers are handed feedback like “Make it pop” or “Just… better” and feel in need of hiring a translator (or a psychiatrist). The truth is, real design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about communication. And sometimes, the client doesn’t speak the same visual language.
The Secret Dictionary of Vague Client Feedback
Clients (and even stakeholders) may struggle at times to articulate what they want, or hand over the reins to their brand. So, as designers, part of our job is to decode and distill.
When someone says “Make it pop!”, what they might really mean is, “I’m unsure of what’s missing, but it doesn’t feel special yet.” If they ask to “Add more colour,” they might be saying, “I want this to grab attention immediately.” And that classic “Make my logo bigger” request usually translates to, “I’m afraid people won’t remember my brand.”
Why Vague Feedback Is a Gift in Disguise
Instead of getting frustrated, designers should get curious. Asking questions like: “What emotions should this design evoke?” or “Are there examples of designs you love (or hate) that we can reference?” When clients say “Pop,” a designer needs to dig deeper; do they mean contrast, energize, or something else entirely?
The more a designer explores client feedback, the more they can turn subjective opinions into actionable direction.
Handling the Un-Designable
I’m willing to bet that all designers have client stories that sound made up. Some of my personal favourite challenges have been:
- Making poster text unreadable for artistic effect (but still legible).
- Designing a logo that works for both a disc jockey and a car mechanic.
- Using all the colours so the ad stands out (aka visual assault).
When someone says “Can you just… you know…”, I take it as a compliment. Don’t assume that a client delights in sending revisions; I’ve encountered quite the opposite in that most apologize when sending even slight text changes. They’re not being difficult; they’re trusting a designer to make sense of their chaos. That’s what makes a designer also a visual problem-solver. When I get stumped or overwhelmed, I have our entire team to consult with—and someone always helps deliver a solution.
Final Thought: Designers Are Also Interpreters
Great designers don’t just make things pretty—they bridge the gap between vision and execution. So the next time you hear “Just make it better,” smile, take a deep breath, and start asking the right questions.
And if a client ever asks for “More sparkle but in a corporate way that’s fun for kids,” well, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
