The Art of Giving Effective Feedback

Collaboration is a central part of our work. And collaboration is all about sharing feedback.

But you might not have had a chance to learn how to give creative feedback… especially if you’re not in a creative field.

Fear not: we have advice to share after a decade in the collaborative script writing game.

Why effective feedback is important:

Honing in on the most effective ways to give feedback can help you be more collaborative, no matter what field you’re in.

For us, the why is simple: Feedback is how we get to the best possible video.

It’s crucial that our scriptwriters authentically capture our clients’ ideas, while still infusing an expert persuasiveness that helps them achieve their goals.

This is where the word ‘effective’ plays an important role: Confusing feedback leads to misinterpretation and wasted effort when you’re trying to make progress.

Getting on the same page is essential to reaching that authenticity, but endless back and forth can really slow the process down.

Finding the perfect balance of clarity and persuasion is our ‘magic recipe.’

To put it simply: effective feedback is important because it keeps the process moving forward. Confusing feedback slows things down.

Now that you see how effective feedback can serve your process – and progress! – in any collaborative effort, let’s turn to some specific advice.

Tips for giving effective feedback:

Feedback is a crucial part of our script writing process. Typically, we write a first draft for clients and send it their way, because no one knows the nuances of their message as well as they do.

Here’s what we’ve learned works best:

1. Edit with abandon

Don’t be afraid to just go for it when you’re making edits! Be playful: editing actions might include deleting, summarizing, rewriting, updating visual descriptions, whatever you need to do to feel great about the updated draft.

It’s important to let your ideas fly so that you can see all the different ways you might package your message. Then, you can review and select what you think works best.

Just don’t forget to…

2. Keep an eye on length

It can be easy to go overboard. And if you do, that’s okay! Part of editing includes paring it back down…

Our explainer videos are all about getting to the point – we’ve learned over time that the shorter we can keep a message, the better it will sit with audiences.

When working with clients, we’ll include a link to a timing predictor, which makes it easy to see where an edited narration is landing for time.

This video is a great example of powerful scripting: within just 15 seconds, the Voter Participation Center connects to viewers on a personal level and points them towards a clear call to action.

3. Read things aloud

Your ear often catches things that your eyes don’t.

Reading creative projects like scripts aloud is an extremely important part of editing – after all, that’s how your audience will experience it!

Another helpful tip: It can be helpful to have someone else read it to you so you can focus exclusively on listening!

4. Keep it informal

Be wary of using jargon or formalities where something more conversational or general will do. A conversational tone makes your content accessible because the information is easier to process.

And lastly…

5. Keep in touch!

Collaboration means leaning on each other for help, even when it feels hard.

We’re here for you our clients at every step of the way, throughout the entire production process. If at any point you feel stuck or confused when editing, consider reaching out for help. From talking through visual challenges to finding a quicker way to work something complicated, working as a team can help get you un-stuck. So don’t be afraid to ask.