Play of the Week newsletter by Chris​ ​​​

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Newsletter issue: #175
Read time: 1m 56s

Ever watched a designer melt down during a critique session?

That was me in 2016, sweating through my t-shirt while stakeholders dismantled my unified navigation design (in hindsight, it absolutely made no sense).

I thought I was Steve Jobs. Turns out I was just stubborn.

Let's talk about the elephant in every design review: your ego.

Your ego is the enemy.

Most designers walk into critique with invisible armour:

• "Users will love it!"
• "You don't understand my vision!"
• "This is how [insert famous company] does it!"

Sound familiar? I used to be THAT guy.

And you know what: No one cares about your "vision" if users can't use your interface AND it doesn’t support business objectives.

Feedback isn't someone taking a sledgehammer to your sandcastle. It's probing your thinking, it’s free expertise, it’s how can we make your work better.

Let me break down how I handle feedback like a grown-up:

• Listen first, defend later → If ever
• Separate ME from MY WORK → My design isn't my identity
• Find the root concern → "I don't like it" often means "Something feels off"
• Not all feedback deserves equal weight → Prioritize real insights over your CEO's colour preferences
• Seek critique, not validation → If I only wanted compliments, I’m not designing. I'm fishing for likes

What changed my approach? Watching brilliant designers get passed over for promotions because they couldn't take critique without turning design reviews into the Game of Thrones finale — dramatic, loud, and nobody wins.

I once had a stakeholder say: "Chris, this isn't working."

💀 Old me: "But you ASKED for this layout!"
😎 New me: "Help me understand what's not clicking for you."

Guess which response led to a better solution?

If people don't understand your design, your design isn't working. Full stop.

This isn't just about being nice. It's career strategy.

Be the designer people WANT to work with.

No one's eager to collaborate with someone who treats every suggestion like a personal attack. If your ego can't handle critique, your career will plateau faster than my failed startups.

Great designers listen. They iterate. They understand their job isn't proving they're right, it's creating the best solution.

Your first idea isn't your best. And that's actually awesome news.

It means you have somewhere to go. Room to grow. Permission to make your work even better.

Feedback still gets you salty?

Check out my full article with 10 concrete strategies to handle feedback without losing your mind below:

🔥 HOT THIS WEEK

The goings ons

Happenings & shenanigans in the (design) world and beyond

Find it hard to name things? I found this cool tool called Untitled and it helps you from idea to name. Taking you through a conversational process to create names suited to your idea's context, character, and audience. I might go on a bloody new naming spree now. FML.

The Browser Wars are heating up with ChatGPT announcing Atlas. The new browser is only available on macOS and plans to take on Perplexity's Comet, Atlassian's Dia and Arc, and the Zen Team's Zen Browser.

Who's going dethrone Chrome or Safari? There's now more pressure on Google and Apple to innovate. I'm just glad there's new players in this space. Who's your money on?

Karri Saarinen @karrisaarinen me, my daily driver, and a peaceful corner of the internet 3:57 PM • Oct 21, 2025 304 Retweets 5713 Likes Read 152 replies

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AI brand design is, well... kinda human. Soft tones, serif fonts, human imagery, a sense of nostalgia, playful hand drawn illustrations, and strangely familiar. From Claude, Perplexity, to Notion, and now Microsoft AI.

Billion dollar tech companies are leaning into the human emotion and story behind the brand. I love this era. Makes me pumped to be working on my own rebrand project!

Charles Patterson @CharlesPattson Taking a moment to spotlight Tina Vu — one of the most talented designers I've ever worked with. She led this stunning rebrand, her aesthetic is truly world-class — everything she touches turns to gold 🧡 11:14 AM • Oct 20, 2025 13 Retweets 524 Likes Read 29 replies

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Next livestream I'll be speaking to Dan Winer, about:

1. Presenting design work with conviction
2. Leading discovery + shaping product
3. Getting noticed + promoted

Dan is a product design leader & teaches 1000+ designers how to be a strategic partner vs. a pixel pusher. This about being the most trusted person in the room. This is your path to promotion. Join on LinkedIn or YouTube

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That's it for today. Speak soon 💛 ​ ​ — Chris

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