How to defend your design decisions (Tom Greever)

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March 12, 2025 • 44 mins

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Mastering the art of defending your designs

As a content designer, you’ve probably been asked, "Why did you use that word?" or "Why does this need to change?" Defending design decisions can be tough. Especially when feedback comes from stakeholders who might not fully understand content strategy.

In this episode, Tom Greever, author of "Articulating Design Decisions", shares his framework for explaining and defending design choices with confidence. We talk about how to avoid common pitfalls, navigate stakeholder relationships, and build influence through persuasion, not confrontation.

If you’ve ever struggled with defending your work or felt sidelined in design discussions, this episode will give you the tools to communicate your decisions clearly and build credibility.

What we talked about:

✅ Why content designers struggle with defending decisions more than visual designers
✅ How to explain design choices without getting defensive
✅ How to anticipate stakeholder objections and respond effectively
✅ The role of confidence, persuasion, and relationship-building in design
✅ How to handle feedback that feels personal (without losing confidence)
✅ How to influence without authority and earn a place in strategic conversations
✅ Why writing things down is the best way to clarify your own thinking