Symptoms (if you recognise two, you’re already in it)

  • feedback is “I like it / I don’t like it” with no rationale
  • requests change every round (“more modern… no, too much…”)
  • you discuss details a lot but never close a decision
  • revisions multiply because there’s no shared compass
  • nobody can say what makes the output “right”

Why it happens (it’s not a taste issue)

Taste is a signal, not a criterion. A criterion is a verifiable rule that helps you decide.

When criteria are missing, the brain does the easiest thing: it evaluates by feeling (mood, familiarity, personal preference). And feelings change easily.

If criteria are missing, mood wins — and the project stretches.

Three practical moves to turn “I like it” into useful decisions

1) Ask “based on what?” (not “why?”)

“Why?” invites justification. “Based on what?” forces a criterion: target, objective, constraint, tone, readability, coherence.

2) Lock one objective + one constraint before feedback

Example: objective = “make it clearer what we do”; constraint = “don’t sound retail”. Without these, any comment can be right and wrong at the same time.

3) Turn feedback into choices (A/B + consequence)

Not “I like this more.” But: we choose A or B because we want X, accepting Y. That closes the trade-off and shortens revision loops.

A/B

Which option are we choosing?

Criterion

Based on which rule/objective?

Consequence

What are we accepting to lose?

Mini guide + ready-to-copy feedback template

Rule: every piece of feedback must contain 3 parts.

1) What (what are you commenting on?)

2) Criterion (based on what are you evaluating it?)

3) Direction (what should change, concretely?)

Template (copy/paste):

I’m giving feedback on: [section / sentence / element]
Objective: [what it should achieve]
Criterion: [coherence / clarity / tone / target / constraint]
Why it doesn’t work today: [one concrete sentence]
Direction: [what to change, in which direction]
Example/alternative: [short proposal or reference]

Takeaway

Useful feedback isn’t “I like it.” It’s: “based on what are we deciding?”. When criteria are clear, taste goes back to its place: a signal — not the steering wheel.