Feedback Tips
How to give feedback founders can actually use.
Good feedback is specific, honest, and narrated in real time. Here is how to do it well — and how to get your responses approved.
Think out loud, constantly
Narrate everything you see and do. Say what you are looking for, what you expect to happen, and what you are trying to accomplish. Silence is the enemy of useful feedback — if you are not talking, the founder learns nothing.
Say this
"I am looking for a sign-up button. I expect it to be in the top right corner, like most sites."
Not this
"Hmm. [silence] [clicks around] [silence]"
Be specific about what confuses you
Do not just say it is confusing. Point to the exact element, word, or section that tripped you up. The more specific you are, the easier it is for the founder to fix.
Say this
"The headline says 'synergy' but I am not sure what the product actually does. I had to read three paragraphs before I understood."
Not this
"It is a bit confusing."
Do not be overly polite
Founders do not post tests to hear compliments. They post tests because they need to know what is broken. Polite vagueness helps no one. Be direct, be honest, and be kind — but do not soften real problems.
Say this
"I could not figure out how to sign up. The button blends into the background and the form had no labels."
Not this
"It looks really nice! Maybe a few small tweaks here and there but overall great job!"
Explain what you expected vs. what happened
The gap between expectation and reality is where the most valuable insights live. Tell the founder what you thought would happen before you clicked, and what actually happened after.
Say this
"I expected clicking 'Get Started' to take me to a sign-up form, but it scrolled me down to a pricing section instead. I was not sure if I had missed something."
Not this
"The button did not work."
Stay on task, but flag tangents
Complete the tasks the founder asked about. But if you notice something unrelated that confused you, mention it briefly at the end. Do not go down rabbit holes during the task itself — it muddies the recording.
Say this
"I completed all three tasks. One unrelated note: the footer links to a privacy page that returns a 404."
Not this
"[Stops mid-task to explore random pages for five minutes]"
Keep a natural pace
Do not rush through tasks to finish quickly. Do not artificially slow down either. Move at the pace you naturally would if you had visited the site on your own. The founder needs to see where you naturally hesitate, not a performance.
Say this
"I am going to take a moment to read this section before I scroll down. I want to understand what this is about first."
Not this
"I am going to quickly click through everything as fast as I can to finish this test."