Art of design critique

Critiques and feedbacks are a crucial part of designer’s work life. It helps us see our designs from another perspective. Through productive critique sessions, we can overcome creative block and can expose our minds to improvisations and enhancements to make our solution thorough and balanced. The best feedback comes from our peers. As designers working within a group or organization, we not only share the common product(s) but also design principles. Our fellow designers understand our motives and design decisions better than a co-worker from a different professional background. They help us figure out if there are any missing links in the design approach and support us to build a solution which is not only usable but also consistent and coherent with the larger design system.

Almost all design teams I have worked so far embraces the power of peer reviews. It’s like a ritual where the team gathers daily or weekly to provide feedback or recommendations on a design solution. In the end, it’s designer’s decision to make changes in the existing solution based on the most relevant feedback.

Like every other form of critique — food, movie, book etc, design critique is also an art. However, in case of design reviews, the art has to be skilled by not only the person who is giving the critique but also who is seeking it. Exchange of ideas and thoughts in a healthy manner between the team members is a sign of a productive peer review session.

Luckily or unluckily, I have encountered both bitter and sweet side of the design reviews. From being a nervous designer looking at my laptop during peer reviews to somewhat a decent contributor, I went through various aspects of learning this art. This post includes knowledge gained from those experiences and embraces personal views which may be helpful for some of the designers like me.

How can one get better at the art of receiving design critique? Here are some of the ways that helped me get great feedback on my work during review sessions without being left dishearten or demotivated:

1. Detachment is the key– Separate yourself from your creation for a while. We designers are emotional being. We are passionate about our designs as much as we are for our users. But that passion sometimes becomes a bottleneck in the path of progression. We need to understand that no design solution is perfect in the very first shot. You try, you test, you learn and you update. Peer reviews are a way of putting your work under test. The only difference is that they are not end-users rather advocators of users just like you.
2. Take control and start with giving an adequate context– You understand the design problem and know your solution better than anyone else in the room. Never presume that your peer knows everything about it already. Give them proper context and present your rationale. Help others understand the design decisions you have taken to come up with the solution. Lay the foundation well for a healthy conversation. This will help reduce some of the obvious questions about your work.
3. Trust them– Trust your peers and their judgments as you trust your users and their feedback. They are there to help you bridge the gap between a good solution and a better solution.
4. No feedback is negative feedback– This one is hard to digest. But for me, if someone is not in consent with my design decision, this does not mean that they are trying to turn me down or giving a negative response. We all agree that a problem can have multiple solutions. Take it as if they are motivating you to find one of those ‘other’ solutions. You might have already gone through a series of trials before reaching the present solution. But just stay humble and give them some benefit of the doubt. The best way to deal with such situation is to have an offline conversation on the particular subject where you can show them all your ideations.

My cheat sheet

Now, what about giving a critique? How can we be more discreet while providing our recommendations without ignoring the fact that a lot of thought and hard work went into the work we are about to critique. here is the cheat sheet I use to follow:

1. Understand the context well– First and foremost try to grasp the context well. If the presenter hasn’t provided one, ask politely for some background pointing at your unawareness on the subject.
2. Tone of encouragement– Never neglect the fact that the designer who has worked on a solution has put his or her soul into it. Take a moment to appreciate the work and mention the things you like the most.
3. Ask questions before jumping to conclusions– When in doubt, ask questions. Don’t assume that the designer might not have thought about the gap in the solution that you just discovered. Frame your question to confirm if that is a known factor and provide a due explanation of its value.
4. Visuals are not a low hanging fruit– Visuals in any design are very subjective. If you are following a design toolkit or style guide you can always help the designer to figure out the inconsistencies. However, in certain instances, I have observed people picking visuals to have a lengthy conversation trying to prove a point. Personally, I feel that it’s good to bring the designer’s attention to any enhancement in the visuals that can make the solution look more appealing. At the same time, we should give them their own space to play with the innovative ideas.
5. Trust him/her–Trust is a two-way element in any design review. If you trust their judgment, they will honor your recommendations too.

Peers reviews are powerful means which when used correctly prove to be highly rewarding and yielding. It is also a way of socializing with your peers who otherwise are busy getting the work done.

In one of the companies I worked with, sometimes the team used to eat lunch (mostly pizzas :)) during one of the session to make it less formal and more fun. The idea essentially is to create an ecosystem where everyone can speak up to their mind easily without getting personal. It’s a platform to share and build knowledge. So let those creative juices flow and empty your mind for better possibilities.