Removing "Like" From the Equation

When I was taking graphic design courses in college, I had a professor who banned the use of the word “like” while we critiqued each other’s work. We couldn’t say “I like your font choice” or “I don’t like how you handled the composition”. We instead had to talk about why the font choice or composition was successful or not. By removing personal taste from the equation, we could focus on how the work addressed the challenges and goals of the project. For those of us being critiqued, it allowed us to see our own work objectively, helping us make better decisions for improvement.

It makes complete sense in the context of professional work to continue this practice. After all, success isn’t measured by how much you or the client like the design, but how well the design accomplishes the goal (although ideally, we would both like the design as well).  

So, when I work with clients (or coworkers, or partners) I still try to speak about my work from this angle, omitting the word “like” whenever I talk about it. And if “like” does come into the conversation, I try to dig a little deeper by asking why someone likes or doesn’t like a particular design. The initial reaction can be telling of success or failure, but we would all be doing ourselves a disservice to stop there and not try to discover why and how it can be improved.

While my client or I may have initial reactions to designs, good or bad, it’s important to analyze those reactions to find out why the design caused them. Whenever possible, I try to step away from a project and not think about it for a period of time. This helps me to come back with fresh, more objective eyes to see potential improvements more clearly, without the bias of my initial preferences. I encourage my clients to review the work the same way, by taking some time after their initial review to then return and respond. Time away from the designs clears away the personal attachment to them and makes room for other perspectives, like that of the intended audience. That audience is ultimately going to determine the design’s success or failure.

So, it pays to have an objective eye during the creative process. There will be plenty of time to like it later, when it’s accomplishing its goals.