When someone critiques your work, don’t take it personally because they are not criticizing you.
Instead, they’re just sharing their opinion about a piece of craft that you happen to design.
To make the feedback session stay productive, you need to know how to receive feedback.
Here’s something from my experience:
1. Detachment: I know you love your design and if someone points out improvement areas, it feels bad. But you need to contain your emotions and detach yourself from your artwork. Your artwork is not you.
2. Don’t defend: Resist the urge to defend and listen to the other person patiently, with an open mind.
3. Take notes: Whether you agree with the feedback or not, just jot them down and review the list after a while
4. Objectivity: Look at your artwork objectively, if it is really solving the problem. During the critique session, if you observe an area that can be improved, mention it and note that too. Be a part of the conversation.
Enjoy the critique and ask for feedback frequently.
You’ll notice that with time your designs will start solving real problems.
You will become an advocate of “function drives form”.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.