Build a Scarecrow | Design Tactic

As a designer, you can feel pressured to get the design perfect right out the gate. Don't strive for this. That is "Hero Designer" talk and it's counter productive. It's much better to "build a scarecrow."

Create a quick, rough draft of what you think the product owner wants. Even better if you have several concepts in mind, give them multiple roughs to choose from.

The majority of people are not good at articulating what you are asking for without a reference. So, give them something to critique. Create draft quick and dirty, so you don't feel like you wasted time making it pretty, and you don't take any of the critique personally.

This strategy fulfills a need that people experience when asked to review anything. They need to feel like they contributed. (Think of the "Just Remove the Duck" Story).

Whether is a presentation or a design, get the first concept out there as something that people can rip to shreds. People love that.