Separating Ego from Iteration.
Let’s be honest—getting feedback on design work can be uncomfortable. You’ve invested time, thought, and care into a solution. You’ve considered color, flow, interaction, and accessibility. And then someone says, “I don’t get it,” or “This feels off.” It’s easy to feel defensive, even discouraged.
But here’s the truth: in UX design, feedback is never a verdict—it’s information. It’s a mirror that reflects what’s working and what isn’t. And most importantly, it’s a tool for building better experiences.
One of the hardest (and most essential) skills in UX is learning to separate ego from iteration. Your work is not your worth. Your wireframes are not your identity. Good UX design is never static—it’s built on a cycle of creating, testing, listening, and evolving. Every piece of critical feedback is a clue about how to improve, not proof that you failed.
Here are a few mindset shifts that help:
- Treat your design like a hypothesis, not a masterpiece. It’s meant to be tested.
- Listen for patterns, not perfection. One-off comments might not require a change. Recurring themes probably do.
- Ask clarifying questions. Instead of explaining why you did something, get curious about what the feedback is really pointing to.
- Pause before reacting. That sting you feel? It’s just your brain processing something new. Let it settle.
The best UX designers aren’t the ones with the “right” answers—they’re the ones who stay open, adaptable, and relentlessly focused on making things better. So next time feedback comes your way, thank the messenger. Then get back to work—smarter, stronger, and less attached.