This article was originally published on the author’s LinkedIn page.
On July 29, I taught a new course at a new venue, the College Business Management Institute (CBMI): Data-Driven Storytelling: Creating Engaging and Informative Presentations. Every time I teach, I remind myself: feedback is data. It tells me what landed, what fell flat, and where future iterations need to go. This round was no different.
Here’s a snapshot of what participants shared:
🌟 The Super Positives:
- "Instructor was excellent and extremely knowledgeable."
- "Awesome class — I’d take it again."
- "Anna was great! The VISTA modeling was extremely helpful."
- "Loved this class, highly recommend. Please make it two parts!"
- "Fantastic job explaining concepts. I thoroughly enjoyed this course."
🔍 The Constructive Critiques:
- "A little dry but overall good."
- "I wished the fundamentals were explained better."
- "Could have used more examples and a use case study."
- "The pre-course homework felt overwhelming with my workload."
- "Two hours wasn't enough time for everything we wanted to cover."
Every comment matters. As an instructional designer (ID) and subject matter expert (SME), here’s how I translate this feedback:
- Add more real-world examples and case studies early on to ground abstract ideas.
- Remove some of the fluff and focus on the application.
- Rework pre-course prep so it adds value without overwhelming learners.
- Scaffold the fundamentals more intentionally.
- Expand — maybe even a two-part design — to allow for deeper exploration.
The big insight? Both praise and critique are gifts. Compliments show where value shines, and critiques show where growth lives. Together, they drive a stronger learning experience.
Feedback isn’t success vs. failure — it’s data. And data leads to better design.
Word of advice to fellow self-critiques out there: give yourself some grace and don’t focus only on the negative but do keep it in mind and reflect on those criticisms to fuel your growth. Also, always ask for feedback and you'll hear me saying this often: "Be brutal, people. Give it to me like it is, don't hold back. I want the bad if not more than the good!"
#constructivefeedback #adultlearning #continuousimprovement