Comments on: The Power of a Bruised Ego http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/ A Blog about Social Web Design Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:15:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Friday Link Round Up « ellie <3 libraries http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-153852 Friday Link Round Up « ellie <3 libraries Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:58:52 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-153852 [...] The power of a bruised ego    [...] [...] The power of a bruised ego    [...]

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]]> By: mayaren1 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152785 mayaren1 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:26:27 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152785 I agree with you!!!! http://www.buy-wow-gold.org.cn I agree with you!!!!

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]]> By: Alex Mather http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152539 Alex Mather Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:28:04 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152539 Great post Josh! When I ran my own software consulting company I always split projects up so that the person gathering feedback was not the actual author / designer / architect of the system. We played good cop / bad cop and the client usually gave us brutally honest feedback that wouldn't have been given if the actual designer was present in the meeting. It was also important that we tell the client that their feedback would be 100% confidential and we wouldn't share it with their bosses. This often opened the flood gates of business-level criticism that we would re-package in a constructive way to their higher-ups: making us better consultants. Great post Josh! When I ran my own software consulting company I always split projects up so that the person gathering feedback was not the actual author / designer / architect of the system.

We played good cop / bad cop and the client usually gave us brutally honest feedback that wouldn’t have been given if the actual designer was present in the meeting. It was also important that we tell the client that their feedback would be 100% confidential and we wouldn’t share it with their bosses. This often opened the flood gates of business-level criticism that we would re-package in a constructive way to their higher-ups: making us better consultants.

]]> By: Felipe Vaz http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152518 Felipe Vaz Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:13:37 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152518 BTW, the names of people who do not inform a website address when commenting are linking back to this page - is it meant to be this way? BTW, the names of people who do not inform a website address when commenting are linking back to this page - is it meant to be this way?

]]> By: Felipe Vaz http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152517 Felipe Vaz Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:07:25 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152517 Great post. It's funny how critiques are still being taken personally by designers and/or website owners. If I make a complaint about, say, a deli to his owner, he will be thankful about it if he's really smart. In other industries, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complaint-Gift-Janelle-Barlow/dp/1881052818" rel="nofollow">a complaint is a gift</a>, so why wouldn't it be thesame for us? Great post. It’s funny how critiques are still being taken personally by designers and/or website owners.
If I make a complaint about, say, a deli to his owner, he will be thankful about it if he’s really smart.
In other industries, a complaint is a gift, so why wouldn’t it be thesame for us?

]]> By: Josh http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152429 Josh Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:43:12 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152429 Tom...could you say more about web site critiques? What do they look like? What I was referencing was comments of use from the actual people using the site. Not my comments (not a critique in the way that I understand it) but from people actually on the ground. Their comments, I think, would have even more weight than an expert's. Tom…could you say more about web site critiques? What do they look like?

What I was referencing was comments of use from the actual people using the site. Not my comments (not a critique in the way that I understand it) but from people actually on the ground. Their comments, I think, would have even more weight than an expert’s.

]]> By: Josh http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152427 Josh Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:29:15 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152427 Interesting idea, Eric. I think there is something to that...at least it explains it as well as other theories I've heard. Sometimes my biggest insights come at these points, when someone points out an obvious flaw in something...then I can quickly shore it up with better work. Interesting idea, Eric. I think there is something to that…at least it explains it as well as other theories I’ve heard.

Sometimes my biggest insights come at these points, when someone points out an obvious flaw in something…then I can quickly shore it up with better work.

]]> By: Brad http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152409 Brad Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:29:50 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152409 Having written web content and industry reports, I have always considered the comments from others to be helpful for making a better piece of work. One can't be too precious! However, I have found that the way in which comments are given also affects how they are received - something we need to remember in our critique if bruised egos are not to become resentful barriers to change. Having written web content and industry reports, I have always considered the comments from others to be helpful for making a better piece of work. One can’t be too precious! However, I have found that the way in which comments are given also affects how they are received - something we need to remember in our critique if bruised egos are not to become resentful barriers to change.

]]> By: Eric Meyer http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152384 Eric Meyer Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:37:36 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152384 Yep. So far as I can tell, the best designers are those who cultivate ego by letting it grow, so they can be more confident and assertive, while being open to taking ego hits that can prune back the growth. Than again, I'm not a designer,so I might be way, way off on that one. Yep. So far as I can tell, the best designers are those who cultivate ego by letting it grow, so they can be more confident and assertive, while being open to taking ego hits that can prune back the growth.

Than again, I’m not a designer,so I might be way, way off on that one.

]]> By: Tom Grant http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152377 Tom Grant Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:44:40 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152377 Many companies are certainly willing to endure the pain. At Forrester Research, where I just started working this month, we've done hundreds of web site critiques. The results are often pretty brutal, but effective. By the way, I used to think the least enjoyable part of product management was pricing. Everyone gets involved, and everyone's blood pressure rises. Lately, new web site roll-outs rank just as highly. Because so many people are involved, and there's so much over-thinking going on, it's hard to produce a good site. Tom Grant Senior analyst, Forrester Research Many companies are certainly willing to endure the pain. At Forrester Research, where I just started working this month, we’ve done hundreds of web site critiques. The results are often pretty brutal, but effective.

By the way, I used to think the least enjoyable part of product management was pricing. Everyone gets involved, and everyone’s blood pressure rises. Lately, new web site roll-outs rank just as highly. Because so many people are involved, and there’s so much over-thinking going on, it’s hard to produce a good site.

Tom Grant
Senior analyst, Forrester Research

]]> By: Grace P http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152376 Grace P Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:28:39 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152376 The art of being able to say the truth lies in the ability to balance tact and being outright blunt. Our education and training has always taught us to use the former. Can we possibly risk being blunt without leaving a bad after taste on the receiving party? Would it turn the other party off from future opinions that we hold? Having said all that, I do believe that it is a valid technique but I need to know how to apply it appropriately. Afterall, we can never predict the reaction of the receiving party until the act has been accomplished and then it will be too late to repair any damanges if it was not taken well. The art of being able to say the truth lies in the ability to balance tact and being outright blunt. Our education and training has always taught us to use the former. Can we possibly risk being blunt without leaving a bad after taste on the receiving party? Would it turn the other party off from future opinions that we hold?

Having said all that, I do believe that it is a valid technique but I need to know how to apply it appropriately. Afterall, we can never predict the reaction of the receiving party until the act has been accomplished and then it will be too late to repair any damanges if it was not taken well.

]]> By: Cyndy Aleo-Carreira http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152369 Cyndy Aleo-Carreira Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:05:15 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152369 I've gotta believe that most designers would WANT to know that customers aren't liking something rather than just having them leave the site, never to return. I’ve gotta believe that most designers would WANT to know that customers aren’t liking something rather than just having them leave the site, never to return.

]]> By: William Will http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152362 William Will Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:25:27 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152362 I think as designers we often get 'attached' to a specific idea or concept and then have a hard time seeing that an originally well meant element didn't solve a design problem. On the other hand there are those moments when we try to swim against the current mode de jour and get asked why we're not using a blue and green color scheme or rounding our corners or making things 'simpler'. Unfortunately people don't state things like that clearly, they're more likely to say 'it just doesn't have that fresh feel I'm looking for'. So while some of those judgement things might be functional, some are also purely emotional. It's those that I can be bruised by and feel bad about for a very long time... if they truly matter to me aesthetically. I think as designers we often get ‘attached’ to a specific idea or concept and then have a hard time seeing that an originally well meant element didn’t solve a design problem.

On the other hand there are those moments when we try to swim against the current mode de jour and get asked why we’re not using a blue and green color scheme or rounding our corners or making things ’simpler’. Unfortunately people don’t state things like that clearly, they’re more likely to say ‘it just doesn’t have that fresh feel I’m looking for’.

So while some of those judgement things might be functional, some are also purely emotional. It’s those that I can be bruised by and feel bad about for a very long time… if they truly matter to me aesthetically.

]]> By: Odra http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152360 Odra Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:41:07 +0000 http://bokardo.com/archives/the-power-of-a-bruised-ego/#comment-152360 Perhaps if honesty became more common, people would be better able to deal with it. Perhaps if honesty became more common, people would be better able to deal with it.

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