Your design principles clash with senior executive feedback. How do you navigate this product review dilemma?

Active listening, critical thinking and asking compelling questions are the top talents of the ace negotiators. They don’t negotiate they reason and this will help you navigate smoothly when doing your projects as your skills will show that you are someone who makes his/her decisions by asking the right questions and does not make arbitrary suggestions without a truly rational context. You will also be perceived as a broad thinker, a visionary seeing all the possibilities in 360 degrees because someone who is well versed in their subject of expertise. Therefore, you establish a relationship based on trust where they can submit to your decisions.

- Listening actively to key points and mostly asking for insights would help us understand the product vision from the senior executive. - Always showcasing some competitive analysis and trends even if there's no data to back up our claims with will lower down the conflicts

Picture this: you’ve just finished a sleek app design you love. During a review, a senior executive suggests changes that don’t fit your vision—maybe adding extra buttons or changing colors. Instead of pushing back, pause and listen. They might be addressing user needs or business goals you hadn’t considered. By saying, “I see your point. Let’s find a way to blend these elements with our clean design,” you turn a potential conflict into a collaboration. For young designers: Embrace feedback as a tool to refine your work. A great design isn’t just about what you create—it's about what you create together.

When my design principles clash with senior executive feedback, I listen carefully to understand their perspective and then present my rationale, backed by data and user research. I aim to find a balance between their business objectives and design integrity, suggesting collaborative solutions or testing options to ensure the product's success.

When taking executives input into consideration and evaluating the impact of a (design) project, I find it most effective to focus on the bottom line. By aligning executive insights with the current strategy, we can remove emotional biases and maintain a clear focus on business objectives and consumer needs. Quantifying the best course of action ensures that the final product reaches the market efficiently and profitably. Executives typically respond positively to this approach, as it delivers both financial results and transparent communication throughout the process.”

When my design principles clash with senior executive feedback, I assess the impact on user experience, brand integrity, and project success. I present data-backed rationale to find a compromise, balancing their feedback with my design vision. If unresolved, I maintain constructive dialogue to refine the design, ensuring it meets business goals while staying true to effective design principles.

Be passionate about your design and intent, while also open to criticism. Multiple people, passionate about the product, arguing over a solution always leads to the best outcomes.

To assess the impact of executive feedback, I'll evaluate how their suggestions align with user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility. If the feedback enhances usability, addresses user pain points, or supports business objectives like increasing engagement or revenue, I’ll consider integrating it. However, if the suggestions conflict with core design principles or compromise the user experience, I’ll refine them to maintain a balance between user satisfaction and strategic alignment. Ultimately, I’ll ensure that any changes serve both the users and the business without complicating the design unnecessarily.

Consider the feedback from executives as a chance to enhance your design. Think about how their suggestions might fit in with your core ideas. Sometimes, different viewpoints can help you make your product even better. Evaluate how their input meets user needs, supports business goals, and works with your technical setup to make sure it adds real value.

When communicating with senior executives, I focus on being concise, direct, and aligning my message with organizational goals. I prioritize key points, use straightforward language, and support my feedback with data. I also anticipate and address potential questions proactively to ensure my message is relevant and impactful.

"When confusion or conflict in opinion arises, put pen to paper ( I mean write it down ✍️). The act of writing can magically clarify thoughts, not just for yourself but for everyone involved. It’s like hitting the reset button on understanding."

I believe one of two situations would cause for such an event to arise: - Either the designer has created the product designs based on their assumptions or - The product does not meet stakeholder visions or business goals. One way to navigate this is to reevaluate your designs based on BOTH the stakeholder's visions and business goals. Check if your design has fulfilled predetermined goals for the business. Another is to uncover where and why your designs don't meet the standards or visions the stakeholders have set. But if you're sure your designs serve their purpose for the users and meets business goals, then it's your new mission to convince them. After all, it was always in the job description 😉

After you understand the feedback and its impact, explain your viewpoint in a straightforward way. Describe why certain design principles are important and how they enhance the product and user experience. If you can, use data or user research to support your points. This isn’t about proving who’s right or wrong, but about demonstrating how your design choices contribute to the product’s success.

To communicate clearly, use simple language and be concise. Focus on one main idea at a time. Listen actively and ask questions to ensure understanding. Use visuals if needed to support your points. Confirm that your message is understood and provide a summary to reinforce key details.

After the initial points mentioned above of fully listening and understanding the exec with different views, I believe it would be important to provide a design that reflects his or her values. This design then becomes an opportunity to demonstrate that you have fully understood the exec. Go ahead and also present a version that holds to the extent possible both your values and his, providing the opportunity to converse and co-create.

When executive feedback doesn't fully align with my design principles, I propose alternative solutions that address their concerns while remaining true to the core design vision. I acknowledge their input and present multiple design options, each offering a different way to incorporate their feedback. For each alternative, I provide a clear rationale, explaining how it balances user experience, business objectives, and technical feasibility. By discussing the pros and cons of each approach, I demonstrate a collaborative spirit and a willingness to adapt, ensuring that the final design not only meets executive expectations but also stays aligned with the overall project goals.

When a senior executive's feedback conflicts with my design, I start by genuinely listening and empathizing with their perspective to build trust and find common ground. I then explain my design rationale, focusing on how it aligns with project goals, supported by user research and data. I treat their feedback as a valuable suggestion rather than a challenge, and I create an alternative design that incorporates their input. If we’re unable to finalize a decision together, we involve the team for collective input and a data-driven decision. If my design is chosen, I ensure to acknowledge the executive’s contribution, maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship.

Acknowledge their concerns and offer solutions that balance their feedback with your design vision. Present multiple design options that incorporate their input. Explain the pros and cons of each approach, focusing on user experience and project goals.

Speaking based on my personal experience working with a design team. If both parties are not aligning with each other it’s best to meet at the middle(seeking an alternative). Whereas both parties perspective and principles are taken into consideration. The end product is usually better than their initial perspective.

Corporate design principles are something that comes from the company, and are defined by the corporate design strategy. If your principles are clashing with executive feedback, you'd best look in the mirror first. When trying to create objectivity out of subjective content– words matter. They can easily be misunderstood if there is no common ground on what they mean. Create verbal frameworks that show how you interpret the corporate design principles, and seek alignment with leadership stakeholders. With a common vocabulary you can build a foundation of trust and understanding.

A collaborative iteration helps in better learning and understanding for both the parties over their thoughts, requirements and future prospects from that project or any given situation. This also drives through a better and healthier working environment for the individuals and group where they can easily discuss through their perspective without any fear of judgement but simultaneously under the guidance of their seniors.

We need to be cognisant of the fact that most often the top execs come in with years of business knowledge and foresight from their broad spectrum of engagements within the firm. Its imperative to understand their perspective so that we don't miss out on the larger picture.

To seek understanding, ask open-ended questions to clarify their concerns. Paraphrase their feedback to confirm you’ve grasped it correctly. Use visual aids to show your perspective. Invite their input on potential solutions and check if they have any additional ideas. Summarize the discussion to ensure alignment.

Be ready to defend your design solution as it relates to the business you serve. That’s it. That’s all I got……………………………………..

Don't do this every time, but you could fold over totally. I've done this on a couple of occasions, for an American Corporation, and a Japanese car studio. You have to gauge what qualities the senior people value in their design employee or contractor - and it's not always new-age iterative loopery. In both cases I made a play of trashing my proposal ('killing yourself' as one of my Japanese colleagues defined it) and working up the executive's wishes. I ended up liking the new directions, and my folio now has some mid-century modern aircraft cabins and rectilinear Kei Car interiors to its credit.

This iterative process-testing and refining ideas—ensures a more well-rounded and effective outcome. Product design is rarely linear, and collaboration across different levels and perspectives leads to a solution that not only meets design standards but also aligns with business goals and user needs. Embracing this evolving approach ensures the product’s success in both form and function.

I'm a big advocate for having leadership involved in the design process from the beginning of a project. Where designers will brainstorm about the look and feel of a product, leadership will bring in the business perspective to tie it all together. All reiterations should include designers, leadership and relevant stakeholders as key players—resulting to the delivery of a product that meets business and user objectives.

Every designer must be able to justify their design choices, especially when senior executives are focused on business impact. It’s common for the designer’s goals and the executives’ goals to clash when viewed in isolation, but it’s crucial to remember that both sides are on the same team. Iterating together, or at least showing a willingness to do so, is key. In my experience, staying emotionally detached from your design allows for a more collaborative process, ultimately leading to a product that meets both design standards and business objectives.

Senior executive’s feedback is crucial given their experience in the domain and more importantly information asymmetry (they have more info due to their presence in board / ExCo.) It merits deep-diving into the feedback from a strategic and tactical standpoint. If the overall product design checks all the boxes from a vision pov, then the discussion with the seniors should revolve around the business value achievable and alignment to product strategy. However, if the exercise demonstrates gaps, then the discussion will revolve around how to pivot from the current so that the product is aligning to the strategic objectives.