When design gets hard
Most of the time, ‘bad’ designs come from many things outside of the designer’s control, not necessarily because of the designer’s talents or skills.
(Designlabb) -- Design can be tough at times. Why? Because it’s subjective. Simple answer.
What makes it hard is often not the process, it’s often not mastering a particular tool, it’s often not coming up with ideas (we, in fact, have lots of ideas). It’s getting the buy-in from your clients, or if you’re working with a big organisation, the entire department or team…
When it comes to design, everyone has their views and their opinions. Fair enough. But often all you receive from your clients is “I don’t like that,” “this is not on-brand,” or “could be better.”
Sometimes, they’ll be a little more helpful and ask “have you tried doing this?” “have you tried doing that?”
For me, working with clients from all over the world and managing a heavy workload can make these kinds of feedback particularly frustrating and leave me feeling completely stuck.
If you’re a designer, I’m about to discuss some situations you can relate to. I’ll also go through some ways you can mitigate them. Let’s go.
Situation 1: Non-constructive feedback from client
I asked on Reddit “What’s the worst feedback you’ve gotten from a client?” In a matter of minutes, many started sharing theirs.
“Looks like this was designed in PowerPoint.”
“The client typed “I DONT LIKE IT” 5 times in the chat and was gone for a few days and suddenly came back and become normal??”
“Client called it “Mickey Mouse work”..about 15 years or so ago. Stuck with me to this day.”
Hold on. What is “Mickey Mouse work” supposed to be? Is it a compliment (in the way Mickey Mouse was created) or a criticism (in the way how the design looks)?
Well, let me ask ChatGPT.
You see, these are the feedback I was talking about from the start. Either your ego takes a hit or you end up feeling stuck and unsure of how to move forward.
Who’s at fault? You or your client? Both.
Why it’s hard: This kind of feedback lacks clarity and direction, which makes it difficult for you to understand what the client actually wants. It creates frustration and wastes time because you must guess or repeatedly seek clarification.
How to handle it: It’s a good practice to ask targeted questions from the start (ideally in the discovery call) to dig deeper into what the client is thinking. Encourage them to share specific examples of what they like or dislike and WHY. Ask for an inspirational design if they have one.
Always offer multiple design options to prompt more focused feedback.
Situation 2: Balancing creativity with practical constraints
You often have to balance your creative vision with practical limitations, such as tight deadlines, limited budgets, specific client requirements, or strict brand guidelines.
Even though my primary focus is on B2B SaaS startups or consultants — allowing me to deliver landing pages in under a week — I’ve also had clients approach me for e-commerce site designs. These clients typically expect their sites to be up and running quickly.
At the beginning of running my agency, I agreed to these projects without hesitation. However, I soon realised that designing e-commerce sites involves much more than creating a landing page. E-commerce projects require multiple CMS collections, professionally taken photos, and a more complex structure to support various product categories, inventory management, and user experience considerations.
It took me almost a month to build these out. Looking back, I realise I won’t put myself in that situation again (even though the incentive was great). I’m a designer, not someone who builds automation, handles complex e-commerce logistics, or manages extensive product databases.
That’s just one case.
Why it’s hard: You’re expected to deliver something that looks polished and professional without the resources that larger budgets afford, such as custom photography, high-end software, or additional item support.
And of course, everything must be “on-brand.”
Situations like this can feel stifling because you have to still meet the client’s expectations while working within significant limitations.
Limitations often kill creativity and ideas.
How to handle it: I think communication is really key here. Always let your clients know the constraints you’re working with and show them what’s possible and what’s not so you can manage expectations and find mutually agreeable compromises.
And last but not least.
Situation 3: Subjectivity and personal preferences
You’re designing a new brand identity for a new company. Take a logo for this example. You present several options that align with the brand’s values and target audience preferences.
However, the leadership team has differing opinions on which direction to take. The CEO prefers a bold, modern look, while the Marketing Director leans towards a more classic, timeless design. Another stakeholder wants something completely different — a minimalistic style with a neutral color palette. Sound familiar?
Why it’s hard: You’re there to design, but all of a sudden, you’re caught in a tug-of-war of personal taste, where no single direction seems to satisfy everyone. Also, the subjective nature of the feedback — like “make it more professional” or “it should look fresher” can be ambiguous and open to interpretation, making it challenging to know how to move forward.
Trying to please everyone can lead to a diluted design that lacks a clear, cohesive vision.
How to handle it: Create multiple mockups or wireframes that showcase different design elements aligned with each department’s feedback. You can also present examples from successful competitors, provide some data points, and research studies to facilitate the decision-making process (toward a solution that meets the most critical objectives/goals). Like CRO.
You can also (highly recommended) facilitate a meeting where all stakeholders can discuss their perspectives openly to build consensus on the direction.
Being a designer is challenging because it goes far beyond just creating visually appealing work. It involves navigating practical constraints, managing subjective preferences, and sometimes even stepping into roles outside your core expertise.
Despite these hurdles, I empathise with my clients because, often, they may not fully understand what they want until they see it in front of them. As a designer, it’s your role to present them with thoughtful options and guide them through the decision-making process (that’s why at Designlabb, our philosophy is not to design for our clients but co-design with them).
Ultimately, the goal is to blend creativity with practicality to deliver solutions that meet both their needs and expectations, making the design journey both rewarding and impactful.
P.S. If you’re a potential client reading this, please, “help me, help you.” (check out Wes Kao’s Super Specific Feedback to help your designer out)
I’ve just discussed why design can be challenging, but despite the difficulties, it’s also incredibly dynamic and enjoyable. I don’t have any major complaints about working with clients and their brands, as this is where my expertise truly shines. I love collaborating, brainstorming, and exchanging ideas. That’s the real essence of design.
Did I miss anything out? Leave us a comment below or shoot me an email at alvis@designlabb.cc.
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