We often think design starts when we open a sketchbook or a design app. But actually, it begins way before that; sometimes when we’re just walking, daydreaming, or letting ideas quietly form in our minds. That early phase can feel incredibly free because anything seems possible.

But that freedom can also be tricky. It’s easy to fall in love with an idea before we’ve really asked if it’s something others might need or understand.

That’s when feedback becomes fundamental, not as a checklist or a judgment, but more like a conversation we begin, early on.

Before You Create

When something new starts taking shape in our heads, it can feel tempting to hold it close. But the sooner we start sharing, even just asking questions like “who is this for?” or “what problem might this help with?”, the more grounded that idea becomes.

Talking to people, especially the ones we imagine using our product, can bring us a lot of new insight. Sometimes, a casual comment shifts the whole direction of a project. 

How do people interact with similar objects? What seems to frustrate them? Where do their hands hesitate, or what do they seem to avoid? Sometimes actions speak louder than any interview.

It’s not always about taking everything in literally, people often describe what they think they want, but their behavior says something different. That contrast is where some of the most insightful feedback hides.

While You’re Creating

As soon as something begins to take form, whether a sketch, a basic model, or just a rough test, it’s worth putting it in front of others. Not to show off, but to see what happens.

Let people play with it naturally. Where do they pause? What do they ignore? What delights them without being explained?

Sometimes people will say “it’s nice,” and that can feel good, but it doesn’t tell you much. A better way in might be: “Would you use this?” or “What feels off?” These moments aren’t about fixing everything instantly, but more about gathering small clues that help shape what comes next.

After You Launch

Once something is out in the world, it begins a life of its own. And the feedback continues, just in different ways.

What are people gravitating toward? What gets returned, ignored, or celebrated? Which reviews feel honest? What do they keep asking in the comments or emails?

And sometimes, there’s silence. That can feel uncomfortable, but it’s still information. Maybe something didn’t land. Maybe the message wasn’t clear. That quiet space can be a moment to pause, not panic.

Feedback doesn’t need to be formal. It shows up in behavior, in patterns, in repetition. And when we’re open to noticing it, without defensiveness, it brings us back to the people we’re creating for.

In fact for me, design isn’t something we do in isolation. It’s a shared space between imagination and reality, between ideas and daily life. Feedback doesn’t take away from creativity, and our idea, but it brings it closer to where it can make a difference.