May 19, 2010

Rip it Apart

For many years, I worked with small organizations, where I was a one-man web design team. I would whip up a design, present the comp to one or two others on staff, and they’d inevitably tell me it was the best thing they’d ever seen. Rarely did they push-back or offer criticism. Why should they? They thought I was the “expert.” And consequently, I started to believe them.

Then I joined a team, and I was no longer the “expert.” Others on the team knew more than me. Now I wasn’t the only one with great ideas. I now had creative peers with high standards, and though they did it with kindness, they never shied away from ripping apart my designs. I wasn’t used to criticism. At first, negative feedback would ruin my day. I wondered if I had what it took. Perhaps I was in the wrong place.

But gradually, I noticed something happening. When I worked their suggestions into the project, it almost always produced an overall better experience for the website users. Now I’ve shifted my thinking. Now I welcome critical feedback. I know that if they rip it apart, the result will be a better site. The focus is less about me and more about the users of the website.

It’s hard to get ego out of the way, but it’s an essential step in reaching your potential.