Let’s Talk About Designer Etiquette
Most of the posts on this blog focus on how to be a better pattern tester, but today we are going to focus on designers. Unfortunately, one bad experience with a designer can ruin a pattern tester’s desire to ever test patterns for that designer again, and maybe even for any designer, at all. So, what can designers do to help their pattern testers feel appreciated? How can designers ensure that pattern testers want to keep testing patterns (for them and/or for others)? That’s what I hope to address in this post.
To be clear, I am not talking about situations in which a pattern tester does not uphold their end of the bargain, or when a pattern tester is being problematic. In those instances, a designer may be entirely justified in whatever interactions they have with that pattern tester that might lead the pattern tester (and the designer) to not enjoy the experience. Here, we are talking exclusively about situations in which a pattern tester has upheld their end of the bargain: they completed the test, on time, submitted all necessary feedback and photographs, posted what was required of them on social media, etc. Assume for purposes of this post, the pattern tester is not the problem.
With that said, my two main pieces of advice are:
(1) Engage with the content your testers post on social media; and
(2) Provide the compensation you agreed to provide.
ENGAGE WITH YOUR TESTERS’ CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
This is a big one for me. I understand that everyone’s social media grids are managed differently and often are curated to achieve a certain aesthetic. As a result, sometimes you are going for a certain vibe that does not align with sharing tester photos. That’s fine. You do not need to share tester photos directly on your Instagram grid. However, the very least you can do is *LIKE* the photo that your pattern tester posted of your pattern, and comment on it! If you ask me, I think you should also share it to your stories. This takes very little effort on your end, and can make your pattern testers feel incredibly appreciated.
You may think it is not a big deal, but trust me when I tell you that every pattern tester notices when the designer did NOT like their photo, and then starts to wonder what they did wrong or why the designer doesn’t like them. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve received messages from pattern testers asking me what they did wrong, because the designer didn’t acknowledge their photos at all. We are human! And we put in a lot of time and effort to test a pattern for you. So, when we tag you and show off your design, please like it and share it if you can! ◡̈
Tip to Testers: Tag the designer in the photo, not just in your caption. When you only include the designer’s handle in the caption, the post can very easily get drowned out in their notifications and they can miss it entirely. If you tag them, the designer can see the post through their tagged photos. Also, use the hashtag for the design. This is another way to ensure the designer should see your post.
PROVIDE THE COMPENSATION YOU AGREED TO PROVIDE
By compensation, I do not mean money (unless you agreed to provide money). I simply mean whatever you agreed to provide in exchange for someone completing the pattern test.
Did you tell testers that they would receive a final copy of the pattern at the conclusion of the test? If so, make sure you provide a final copy of the pattern at the conclusion of the test.
P.S., if you don’t already do this… please start. It’s the very least you can provide, so that if we want to make a second one, we don’t have to try to find the latest version in our emails and try to remember what all the edits were throughout the testing process.
Did you tell tester applicants that they would receive a copy of another pattern from your library? If so, follow up at the end of the test and ask them which pattern they would like…. Then provide it! I’ve seen some designers also provide a coupon code, so testers can go in and grab the one they want without the designer having to ask each person. (BTW, I love when designers offer this. ◡̈)
Whatever you agreed to provide as compensation for the test, just make sure you follow through! It can be incredibly upsetting to get to the end of the test and never get the one little thing you were promised… and then have to decide if you’re going to awkwardly ask for it, or just let it slide. I usually just let it slide… but that’s not fair to pattern testers! We did all the work and then didn’t even get the one thing we were promised in return.
Again, I know that it’s easy to forget as you get caught up in the excitement of finalizing and releasing the pattern. I don’t think anyone intentionally neglects to provide this. But it happens a lot and the pattern testers notice. Maybe set a reminder on your calendar or in your phone? A post-it note on your desk?
Note: this only applies for testers who complete the test! If you do not uphold your end of the bargain, do not expect the reward.
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I also polled my audience of pattern testers on Instagram and heard a lot of other great pieces of advice that can help ensure the good pattern testers want to keep coming back and testing for you and others:
Listen to and acknowledge feedback provided. I understand that the feedback provided sometimes may be incorrect or otherwise not work for the pattern you intended. That’s okay! But if feedback or ideas are raised in a group chat and then ignored entirely, pattern testers can feel unappreciated and wonder why they’re even testing the pattern. Acknowledge the feedback provided and, if you aren’t going to incorporate it, let them know why it doesn’t quite work for the pattern.
Relatedly, try not to get defensive when testers offer suggestions or feedback. We are told time and time again that it is our job to find issues and suggest changes, so when a designer responds defensively or negatively, we are left feeling a little confused and it feels like we did something wrong. As I mentioned above, if the feedback provided isn’t going to work for you, simply say thank you for the suggestion and let them know why it doesn’t work. Or say, “Thank you, I will consider that as I am going through the feedback and making final edits.” Perhaps others will have the same questions or concerns later, and what you initially thought was crystal clear to you, does in fact need some clarification.
Say thank you! On a related note, I have noticed that very few designers actually thank pattern testers for their feedback after a test is complete! I genuinely believe that designers get caught up in all of the busy steps that come along with finalizing and publishing a pattern, and then get wrapped up in the excitement of the sales. But simply saying “thank you!” in response to the feedback email, or thank you collectively in the group chat, can go a long way toward making testers feel appreciated.
Be present. There’s nothing worse than putting a ton of time, energy, and money into testing someone’s pattern only to have them be M-I-A throughout the entire test. If you are putting a pattern into testing, make sure you’re around to answer questions and engage with your testers. Having a group chat for your pattern tests can really help with this, as well. That way, other testers can jump in and try to assist if you’re not available.
Testers also understand that designers are busy humans with lives and other obligations, including families to attend to, other jobs outside of designing, and more. If you know you will not be available for large stretches of time or during certain hours, simply let your testers know! That way, if a question comes up when you are unavailable, they should know that you will not be able to respond until later.
One piece of advice: if you have too much going on to be able to dedicate time to a pattern test right now, consider whether you can briefly postpone that pattern test until you have a little bit more time to dedicate to the process. Testers are generally understanding, but they will need your attention here and there in order to effectively test your pattern.
Be willing to extend the deadline, if needed. What I mean by this is – if you say you’re going to send the pattern out on May 1, and then you don’t send it out until May 8, you should extend the deadline by one week, as well. Your pattern testers agreed to a set timeline based on the expectation they would receive the pattern on a certain date. If you don’t meet your end of the bargain with that date, you need to be willing to extend the deadline accordingly. Similarly, if progress-stopping errors come up during the middle of a test and you’re not able to address/fix them until a week or two later, you may need to extend the deadline by a week or two. Pattern testers often take on tests knowing when they have time to work on something within a given window, and if that time is interrupted by something outside of their control, they may need additional time to finish.
Include testing requirements and deadline in the first email. Sometimes designers will put their requirements for testing and the deadline in the testing form, but not include all of that information about expectations in the email that goes out to the selected testers. The form disappears! Please include the kind of feedback you’re looking for in the email sent to the selected testers, along with the deadline. Setting clear expectations from the beginning will make the experience better for everyone.
Note to pattern testers: read these emails! I cannot tell you how many times I have messed up by starting a pattern test before reading the feedback requested, thinking… I know how this goes, I’ve got this. Only to find out this designer wanted something I was not expecting (e.g., unblocked measurements, an estimate of how many hours it took me to make). I am still learning to do this myself!
Let testers know the release date. Sometimes designers suddenly post that a design that we tested has been released, and it catches us by surprise. Good pattern testers like to help promote the pattern leading up to the release and on the day of the release, but when you dump it on us by surprise, sometimes we aren’t ready! If you know when you’re thinking of releasing the pattern, just let your testers know so they can plan posts accordingly.
Be inclusive in the tester chat. Ask others to introduce themselves. Try to respond to everyone. Sometimes testing groups are made up of a bunch of people who have tested other patterns together and some newcomers. It can be easy for the newcomers to feel left out and ignored if the group doesn’t welcome them or acknowledge their presence.
Try not to require a specific yarn for a test. I understand that certain situations may require testers to use certain yarn – for example, a special collaboration. But for the most part, try not to require that all testers use a specific yarn. It can be difficult for people to get a specific yarn, it may be out of their price range, some people may have allergies or other reasons they cannot use a particular fiber, etc. Honestly, I think it helps broaden the reach of your design if it can be showcased in various different yarns, as well. If you do need testers to use a specific yarn, make sure that is very clear in the application before anyone commits to your pattern test.
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Thank you for reading this post! I hope you found it helpful for your pattern testing experiences. If you have any feedback or ideas for future posts, please DM me on Instagram or use the Contact form on the blog!
