Ask more, say less

One of the most useful tools I've found for helping designers learn is asking simple questions. The other: show, don't tell.

I used to think 'fixing’ was being helpful, but I realised some time ago that telling someone what to do or doing it for them often backfired.

At best, they did what I asked; more often than not, they didn’t. Either way, they became detached from the work and it didn’t feel like theirs anymore.

People don't like being told what to do.

Some questions I use a lot:

“Are you happy with it?” – Useful for gauging the difference between someone’s ability and their design taste. Also, you want people to give you their best work, don’t you?

“What else did you consider?” – Gives them practice explaining decisions to others.

“Have you thought about [thing]?” - This highlights a specific detail or topic you want them to explore.