Managing Feedback and Revisions
How to give and receive feedback constructively, and manage the revision process professionally.
Key points
- Set clear expectations about revisions before starting work
- Make it easy for clients to give useful, actionable feedback
- Distinguish between subjective preferences and objective problems
- Know when to push back and when to accommodate
What the Code says
The Code of Practice states that professionals should “respond constructively to feedback” and “work collaboratively with clients to achieve the best outcome.”
Revisions are a normal part of the creative process. Managing them well is essential to client satisfaction and your own well-being.
Revisions defined
A revision is a set of changes based on a single, consolidated round of feedback — not individual comments or ongoing edits.
Setting expectations upfront
Most revision problems stem from unclear expectations. Before starting any project, agree:
What’s included
- How many rounds of revisions are included in your fee
- What constitutes a “round” (minor tweaks vs substantial rewrites)
- Turnaround time for revisions
- What happens if more revisions are needed
- What happens if feedback is delayed or arrives after the agreed review period
- What happens if the agreed feedback process is changed (e.g. a new reviewer is added)
The feedback process
- Who will provide feedback (a single point of contact is ideal)
- How feedback should be submitted (consolidated comments, not drip-fed)
- How long the client has to review each draft
- What sign-off looks like
Put it in your proposal
Include revision terms in every proposal and contract. “This quote includes two rounds of revisions. Additional rounds will be charged at £X per round.”
Getting useful feedback
Good feedback is specific, actionable, and focused on outcomes rather than solutions. Help your clients give you better feedback:
Ask the right questions
- What’s working well? (Start positive)
- What concerns you about this draft?
- Is there anything missing?
- Does the tone feel right for your audience?
Provide context
When you deliver work, explain your thinking. Why did you make certain choices? What constraints did you work within? This helps clients understand the rationale and give more informed feedback.
Consolidate feedback
Ask clients to gather all stakeholder feedback before sending it to you. Multiple rounds of conflicting comments from different people create confusion and extra work.
Handling feedback professionally
Not all feedback is equal. Learn to distinguish between:
Objective problems
Factual errors, unclear messaging, missed requirements, accessibility issues. These need fixing.
Subjective preferences
“I don’t like the word ‘leverage'” or “Can we make it more punchy?” These are matters of taste. You can accommodate them, but they’re not objectively wrong.
Scope changes
“Actually, can we also include X?” This is new work, not a revision. Treat it as a change request with additional cost and timeline implications.
Don’t take it personally
Feedback on your work isn’t feedback on you. Separate your professional output from your personal identity. This makes it much easier to respond constructively.
When to push back
Sometimes the client’s requested changes would make the work worse. It’s your professional responsibility to say so — respectfully.
Push back when:
- Changes would harm the target audience’s understanding
- The request contradicts the agreed brief or objectives
- Changes would create legal, ethical, or accessibility problems
- The feedback contradicts established best practice
How to push back:
- Acknowledge their concern first
- Explain the potential impact of the change
- Offer an alternative solution if possible
- Make it clear you’ll implement their choice if they still want to proceed
Ultimately, it’s their decision. You’ve done your job by providing professional advice.
Breaking the endless revision cycle
Some projects seem to go on forever. Here’s how to break the cycle:
Identify the root cause
- Unclear objectives? Go back to the brief.
- Too many stakeholders? Request a single point of contact.
- Scope creep? Document what’s changed and renegotiate.
- Perfectionism? Help them understand “good enough” for this context.
Have the conversation
Don’t suffer in silence. Raise the issue professionally: “I’ve noticed we’re on revision round five, when we originally agreed two. Can we discuss what’s driving this and how to move forward?”
Know when to stop
At some point, you may need to enforce your boundaries. “I’m happy to continue revising, but this is now outside our original scope. Additional work will be charged at £X.”
Summary
- Prevent problems by setting clear expectations upfront
- Guide clients to give useful, actionable feedback
- Respond professionally by separating objective issues from subjective preferences
- Push back respectfully when changes would harm the work
- Break cycles by identifying root causes and having honest conversations