Designers · problem and fix
How to get specific client feedback on design: Mac workflow for designers in 2026
To get specific client feedback on design, ask for three things: where the problem is, what is wrong, and what the client wants instead. Vague notes come from missing one of those parts. This page shows how to ask for them, how to collect notes on a Mac, and how to turn scattered comments into one list you can act on.
The short answer
- Ask for three things in every round: where the problem is, what is wrong, and what good looks like.
- Keep comments in one place. In Figma, that means comments pinned to top-level frames, components, or groups.
- Copy Slack and email notes into one numbered list, with a link back to each original message.
- Repeat each note back to the client and get a yes before you change the file.
- Lazur can point at a comment, explain it out loud, or draft your reply, but it does not click for you.
What vague feedback scattered across channels costs you
Rework you could have avoided
A vague note forces you to guess. A wrong guess means another round, a new file version, and another review. Each loop pushes the next milestone back. The cost is quiet, because nobody logs it as a delay.
Approvals that stall
A client who cannot say what they want often delays sign-off. Your file sits in review while the thread goes quiet. The schedule slips without anyone choosing to slip it. Vague feedback feels harmless until the deadline arrives.
Trust that wears down
Clients notice when you ask the same question twice. Repeated questions make them feel unheard, and they may doubt your process before the work is finished. A tidy list shows you are paying attention.
Hours lost searching
Finding one comment across Slack, email, and Figma can take longer than you expect. The search repeats every round until someone builds a list. That search time rarely appears on an invoice, but you still pay for it.
Work that drifts from the brief
Changes made to satisfy the loudest note can pull the design away from the original goal. The final file looks busy, and nobody can say why it changed. Tie each change back to the brief before you make it.
Why it happens
Clients judge by feel, not by design terms
Most clients react to what they see. They say a page feels heavy, or a button feels off. They are not wrong to feel that way. They lack the words for spacing, weight, or hierarchy, so the note stays vague.
Feedback arrives in too many channels
Comments land in Figma, Slack, email, text messages, and call notes. Each channel asks for a different response. Nobody sees the whole set, so the same note can appear twice, or none of them gets full attention.
Nobody owns the list
When feedback has no owner, it has no status. People assume someone else will summarize it. The designer assumes the client will repeat the important items. The client assumes the designer caught everything.
The brief never named success
If the brief did not say what good looks like, feedback fills the gap with taste. Each reviewer brings a different idea of done. Notes then contradict each other, and the designer is stuck in the middle.
Feedback comes in a rush
Clients often review between meetings. A quick note written on a phone rarely includes the location, the problem, and the goal. Speed helps the client send feedback, but it makes the note harder to act on.
The tone sounds like a verdict
Notes like 'this is wrong' put the designer on the defensive. Shute (2008) says useful formative feedback should be nonevaluative and supportive. A note that names a change is easier to act on than a note that only passes judgment.
How to fix it
These work with or without any app.
Ask for a place, a problem, and a goal
Use one sentence template for every round: 'On this part, this problem, and I want this result.' Send it with your review link. Clients fill in blanks more easily than they write feedback from scratch. Accept a short note only when the place is clear.
Name one home for notes
Pick the Figma file, or one shared list, as the single record. Ask the client to put notes there. Copy anything that arrives elsewhere into that record on the same day, with a link back to the original message.
Put a version name on every round
Name each round clearly, such as 'Homepage v4, review round 2', and put that name in the comment and the list. The client then knows which file a note belongs to, and you can tell old notes from new ones.
Offer two options, then ask
When a client cannot describe a fix, show two concrete versions. Ask which one is closer and why. A choice between two options gives you a checkable answer, even when the client cannot name the change.
Repeat each note back before you change anything
Write one sentence that restates each note in your own words. Send it to the client and ask them to confirm, change, or close it. This catches misunderstandings before you spend an hour on the wrong fix.
Write done when criteria for must fix items
For each must fix item, write what done looks like in one line. For example, 'Price text reads clearly at actual size on the pricing card.' The client can then approve or reject the item against that line, not against a mood.
Set a review rhythm
Gallup recommends specific, timely feedback and regular, frequent communication. Use the same review slot each week, and send the list before it starts. A fixed rhythm reduces the number of notes that arrive at random hours.
What specific client feedback looks like
Specific feedback names a place, a problem, and a goal. Take two notes on the same hero banner. 'Make the header better' gives you nothing to test. 'The headline is hard to read over the photo, and I want it to feel calmer' gives you all three. You can check the second note on screen in a minute. You cannot check the first one at all.
| Vague note | Specific note | What you do next |
|---|---|---|
| Make it pop | The price on the pricing card is too small to read at actual size | Check the price text size and contrast on the card |
| Feels off | The left nav labels run together, so I cannot tell the sections apart | Check spacing and label weight in the nav |
| Try something else | Swap the checkout banner photo for the team photo from last week | Replace one image and send the new version for review |
Use one rule. If you cannot test a note, you cannot close it. Rewrite every vague note as a question before you change the file. Ask, 'Which part should change, and what should it look like when it works?' Clients rarely use design terms, and they do not need to. They only need to name what they see and the result they want.
Why client feedback gets scattered
Most client feedback never arrives in one place. A client leaves a Figma comment on Monday, writes in Slack on Tuesday, mentions a change on a call, and forwards an email with a screenshot on Friday. Each channel has its own timing and tone. Nobody holds the full list. By the time you start work, you are merging several threads from memory. Items get dropped. The loudest request wins, even when it is not the most important one.
Why most feedback misses the mark
21%
U.S. employees who strongly agree they received meaningful feedback in the past week (Feb 2022 survey)
Gallup: Give Feedback Like a Coach (June 16, 2022)26%
Employees who strongly agree the feedback they receive helps them do better work
Gallup: Feedback Is Not EnoughGallup's February 2022 survey of 14,705 U.S. adults found that 21% strongly agree they received meaningful feedback in the past week. That covers workers in general, not designers, so treat it as a broad signal. A separate Gallup finding says only 26% strongly agree the feedback they receive helps them do better work. Gallup also cites research showing feedback improves performance about one-third of the time, though it does not name that study.
Education research points the same way. Shute (2008) defines formative feedback as information meant to change a learner's thinking or behavior. The review says that feedback should be nonevaluative, supportive, timely, and specific. Hattie and Timperley (2007) found feedback is among the major influences on learning. They also found that the type of feedback and the way it is given change how well it works.
Set up one feedback home in Figma
Figma works well for pinning feedback to the design itself. Press C to enter comment mode, or click the comment tool in the toolbar. Click the spot you mean, or drag to select a region. Type your note and send it. The client and you now see the same spot, not a description of it.
Attachment rules matter. Figma attaches comments to top-level frames, components, or groups. Comments do not attach to nested frames, components, groups, or other layers. If a top-level frame moves, its comments move with it. A client who comments on a button deep inside a card may not land on the button itself. Ask them to name the element in the text, so you do not guess.
Watch the limit. Figma's help article says you can add up to 100 comments per hour, including replies, across all files and prototypes. A long review with a lot of back and forth can hit that. Check the live help center for the current limit, because the article may be out of date. If you hit the limit, move the rest of the review to your shared list.
Read comments in the sidebar. In the browser and the desktop app, open commenting mode to see the comments in the right sidebar. Work through them from top to bottom. Count the open items and write the total down. That total is your starting list for the round.
Pull Slack and email notes into one list
- Open the Slack thread or the email where the client wrote feedback.
- Copy each note into one line in a single document or issue list.
- Add the link to the Figma comment, the frame name, and the date.
- Name the owner of each change and mark any item that needs a client answer.
- Send the client a short reply that lists the open items by number.
In Slack, press ⌘ K to jump to a channel or a person quickly. Then search the client name to pull up their threads. Keep the list where your team already reads, such as a shared doc or a Linear project. In Linear, each note can become an issue with a title and a status. That keeps the status visible without a long chat thread.
Do not let the list become a second inbox. Each item should close within the same round. If a note sits open for a week, ask the client directly whether it still matters. Some notes go away once the client sees the new version. Mark those as closed and say so in your reply.
Ask questions that get specific answers
Good questions do the sorting for you. Ask where the client is looking, what bothers them, and what they expect to see. Gallup recommends asking coaching questions when work is off track. Those questions ask why, what steps could help, and which obstacles to remove. The same questions work well in a design review.
- Which part of the screen should change first?
- What did you expect to see here instead?
- What would make this feel finished to you?
- What would stop you from approving this version?
- Is this a must fix for launch, or a nice to have?
Ask the must fix question first. It sorts the list fast. Items marked nice to have can wait for the next round, which keeps the current round small. A small round is easier for the client to approve and easier for you to finish.
Mark up PDFs and screenshots in Preview
Some clients send PDFs or screenshots instead of a link. On a Mac, open the file in Preview, which comes with macOS. Use the annotation tools to add notes, text boxes, highlights, and shapes. Notes take typed text. Text boxes go where you drag them. Shapes show blue resize handles, so you can fit them to the exact area you mean. Write one short line beside each mark.
Keep the markup editable until the round closes. Save or Export keeps annotations editable. Printing to PDF flattens them, so nobody can change them. Use File > Export for drafts you may revise. Use File > Print > PDF > Save as PDF only for a final copy you want to lock.
Common mistakes that keep feedback vague
- Replying 'Got it' without repeating the change in your own words.
- Fixing the loudest note first, not the most important one.
- Asking the client to let you know, instead of offering two clear options.
- Letting Figma replies and Slack replies split into separate threads.
- Sending a new version before you confirm which notes are closed.
- Trusting memory after a call instead of writing the notes down.
The last mistake costs the most. Notes said on a call fade fast. Ask someone to type them as you talk, or say them back at the end of the call. Paste the summary into the list before you hang up. The client should hear you read the list back once.
Where Lazur fits in this routine
Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ to ask about anything on screen, and Lazur answers out loud. Ask where a comment is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to do something, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click. Lazur does not click buttons or edit files for you.
Hold fn to dictate clean, formatted text at the cursor in any app. That helps when you want to type a reply to a client while the file stays open. Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer and are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models.
Edge cases: regulated clients and shared calls
Some clients will reject a written list and ask for a call instead. That is fine. Use the call to read the open items aloud, then update the list while they talk. Send the updated list after the call, so the decisions stay in writing. A call without a written summary tends to reopen the same notes next round.
Conflicting feedback is another edge case. Two people on the same client team may ask for opposite changes. Do not pick a winner alone. Ask the client to name one decision owner, then write that name at the top of the list. Keep both requests visible, so the decision is clear to everyone.
What to do next this week
Start with the round you have now. Gather every open note into one list today. Rewrite the vague ones as questions. Send one reply with the numbered list, then wait for confirmation before you change the file. The routine works best when each round follows the same order, so the client learns what to expect.
If you want help with this routine on your Mac, try Lazur. The trial starts when you first open the app and needs no credit card. Download it from the download page, or compare plans on pricing. For Figma setup, see Figma for designers on Mac. If your comments go missing, read Figma comments not showing on Mac.
Faster with Lazur
Where Lazur helps with vague feedback scattered across channels
Hold ⌥ ⌘ and say what you want. Lazur sees your Figma window. Lazur draws a circle and a label around the button or menu you need.
- 1
Hold ⌥⌘ and talk
- 2
Lazur draws a circle and a label around the button or menu you need.
- 3
You stay in Figma. Nothing to copy into a chat window.
More things to say in Figma
- “Where is the comment about the footer?”
- “What does this note actually ask me to change?”
- “Walk me through pinning a comment to the top-level frame.”
- “Draft a reply asking which headline the client prefers.”
- “Dictate the numbered summary into this document.”
- “Remind me this afternoon to send the open list.”
Free for 3 days, then $18/month. Download for Mac
You say“Where is the comment about the footer?”
Lazur · points at itLazur circles the footer comment pin and labels it, so you can read the note and decide the change yourself.
What designers say to Lazur for this
Each one is a single hold of ⌥ ⌘.
“Where is the comment about the footer?”
Lazur draws a circle and a label around the footer comment on your screen, so you do not hunt for it.
Points at it
“What does this note actually ask me to change?”
Lazur reads the note on screen and explains it out loud in plain words.
Explains what's on screen
“Walk me through pinning a comment to the top-level frame.”
Lazur guides you one click at a time and waits for each click before the next step.
Walks you through it
“Draft a reply asking which headline the client prefers.”
Lazur drafts the reply text, and you read it and decide what to send.
Drafts it
“Dictate the numbered summary into this document.”
Hold fn, and your words appear at the cursor in any app with clean formatting.
Types what you say
“Remind me this afternoon to send the open list.”
Lazur adds a reminder in Apple Reminders by voice, so the follow up does not slip.
Handles the small stuff
A plan you can start this week
- Day 1
Collect every open note
Search Figma comments, Slack threads, and email for the client name. Copy each open note into one list. Include the frame name and a link to the original message.
- Day 2
Sort and label each note
Mark each item as must fix, nice to have, or question. Rewrite vague notes as questions. Write the owner beside each item, so nothing sits without a name.
- Day 3
Send one reply with the numbered list
Post the list once, in the channel the client reads. Ask them to confirm, change, or close each number. Hold off on new work until they answer.
- Day 4
Make the confirmed changes
Fix only the items the client confirmed. Reply to each number with what changed and a link to the new version of the frame.
- Day 5
Review the answers and close the round
Check the list against the replies. Close finished items and ask the client about anything still open. Save the list so the next round starts from it.
Questions people ask
What if a client only says 'make it better'?
Ask where they are looking and what bothers them. Then ask what would make the design feel finished to them. Write their answer as one line in your list. If they still cannot name it, offer two concrete options and ask which one is closer.
Should I use Figma comments or Slack for client feedback?
Use Figma comments for notes that point at a spot in the design. Use one shared list for everything else. Slack and email are fine for context, but copy each item into the list so it does not get lost.
Why does my Figma comment point to the wrong element?
Figma attaches comments to top-level frames, components, or groups, not to nested layers. Name the exact element in the comment text. Check Figma's help article on comments for the full attachment rules.
Is there a limit on Figma comments?
Figma's help article says you can add up to 100 comments per hour, including replies, across all files and prototypes. Check the live help center for the current limit, because the article may be out of date.
How do I keep feedback from email and Slack in one place?
Pick one list, such as a shared document or a Linear project, and make it the only record. Copy each note into it with a link and an owner. Close items in the list, not in the chat.
Can Lazur read my client's files or messages?
Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer, and they are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models. Check your employer's rules before you use it with client data.
Do I need to follow my employer's rules for client data?
Yes. If you work in a regulated field, such as law, nursing, or accounting, follow your employer's rules on client or patient data. Ask your employer or compliance team before you use any AI tool on screen.
Sources
- Give Feedback Like a Coach · Gallup · checked 2026-11-08
- Feedback Is Not Enough · Gallup · checked 2026-11-08
- ERIC EJ787077: Focus on Formative Feedback · ERIC (U.S. Dept. of Education) · checked 2026-11-08
- ERIC EJ782448: The Power of Feedback · ERIC (U.S. Dept. of Education) · checked 2026-11-08
- Add comments to files · Figma · checked 2026-11-08
- Guide to comments in Figma · Figma · checked 2026-11-08
- Preview User Guide for Mac · Apple · checked 2026-11-08
- Annotate a PDF in Preview on Mac · Apple · checked 2026-11-08
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