---
title: "When Disagreeing, First Reflect on Your Feedback"
source: "https://virtualddd.com/heuristics/when-disagreeing-first-reflect-on-your-feedback/"
authors: ["Peter Hunter", "Elena Stojmilova", "Kenny Schwegler", "Andrea Magnorsky"]
tags: ["sociotechnical systems", "facilitating software architecture and design", "decentralised decision-making", "software architecture", "psychological safety", "team agency"]
type: "guiding heuristics"
question: "What should an architect do when they disagree with a team's decision?"
submitter: "Peter Hunter"
---

# When Disagreeing, First Reflect on Your Feedback

Before concluding a team is wrong, critically assess your own feedback. Consider if your advice was persuasive or if you provided the necessary context for them to see the bigger picture. This focuses on improving your advisory skill rather than assigning blame.

## Example

An architect disagreed with a team's technology choice but first reflected on whether their own feedback was good enough. They concluded a more persuasive argument might have changed the team's mind.