Honestly, it depends
Outlining the impact of every single design change.
– Can you add a second button on the homepage hero?
– It depends… Do we want to dilute our traffic between the first and the primary buttons? Most people are only going to click on one.
– Can you update the copy you have below the product image with this newer (2x longer) version?
– It depends… Are we fine with the idea that, because it is longer, less users will actually read it?
– Can you add an extra item on the menu?
– It depends… Which other items will be pushed down and de-prioritized once this new item is added?
– Can we add a badge on the product image that more visibly highlights the 20% off? And one for free shipping? And then just a final one that shows there are only 5 units left?
– It depends… Do we care that some of our users will look at this page and perceive our brand as being too sales-y, or too cheap?
A quick reminder that design is an exercise of prioritization.
No design change is impossible to be done. But every design change means a trickle-down impact in other sections of the product, on brand perception, and on the experience KPIs.
As a junior designer, sometimes you don’t feel empowered enough to push back on design changes. You just accept them as they come.
Over time, you start to push back. Usually too far. You start saying “no” to every change request, without being able to clearly articulate why you think that is not a good idea. At that point in your career, you likely believe you are a “strong designer because you have a strong point of view”. In reality you are just sounding childish and resistant, not smart.
At some point, you get trained to control your impulse of saying “no” right away. You realize that your role as a designer is to understand and communicate the impact of every change to your team, so you can collectively make more informed decisions.
Instead of simply complaining, you can:
- Think about all the implications of what is being asked
- Clearly outline the broader impact of making that change
- Present your personal recommendation and sell that idea
What you can’t do is to accept requests without letting stakeholders and clients know about the real impact of making that change. You will still see some people come up with the most absurd arguments to try to convince themselves the change is still necessary, but in the majority of cases it will work.
In the end of the day, every design change is a contract you, as a team, are making with the overall experience your users will have. If you make too many concessions, your product experience risks a death by a thousand paper cuts.
This article is part of Journey: lessons from the amazing path of being a designer.
