Let’s say you do something creative–you cook or design websites or work as a landscape architect. OR let’s say you do something that isn’t creating anything new, but is highly specialized, like plumbing or tax preparation.
At some point you will need feedback on the soup or sink installation or whatever. If you are making soup and you are talking with other chefs, it’s perfectly fine to ask, “So what do you think?” However, if you are NOT talking with other chefs, this “what do you think” question is a disaster.
Why is this? After all, most of us can eat, even though we aren’t chefs, and most of us know what we do and don’t like.
But most of us don’t have practice talking about food. So we can say, “It’s good soup,” or, “Meh, not really my thing.” Not helpful!
The smart folks at Copylicious have a solution–make a checklist
For soup, the checklist might include:
- Do any flavors overpower–is it too sweet? Too tart? Too salty?
- How is the texture–does it feel good in your mouth?
- Does it look appealing? How about the smell?
- Would you prefer an entree-sized serving, or just a taste portion?
…you get the idea. Teach me how to evaluate the outcome; give me the tools I need to express myself.
If you are doing something more routine, like plumbing, your checklist can teach me how to appreciate the details I wouldn’t think to inspect:
- Is the caulking neat and smooth?
- Did the plumber remove her muddy shoes before entering the job site?
- Is the water pressure strong?
…and so forth.