Rosenverse
Feedback: The Other F-Word
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Wednesday, September 10, 2025 • DesignOps Summit 2025
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Feedback: The Other F-Word
Speakers: Vanessa Varin
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Summary

In this case study, we’ll share how one large design org began reshaping its feedback culture by focusing not just on what gets reviewed, but how we talk about work. The turning point wasn’t a new tool—it was unlearning long-held assumptions: that critique is a milestone, that it’s only for finished work, or that feedback is something senior people give and juniors receive. We’ll walk through how we introduced lightweight feedback rituals, role-based archetypes, and a simple starter kit to help designers ask for the feedback they actually need—earlier, more confidently, and with more clarity. Along the way, we’ll share the bumps, lessons, and shifts in mindset it took to make critique feel like a creative tool, not a performance review. You’ll leave with practical ideas to build a culture of feedback—and a deeper appreciation for the messy, human side of improving our craft together.

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