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Run A Design Critique

Run a critique that improves the work instead of collecting opinions — state the goal, critique against it, and separate observation from prescription. Use when reviewing a design, giving design feedback, or running a crit session.

---
name: run-a-design-critique
category: design
description: >-
  Run a critique that improves the work instead of collecting opinions — state
  the goal, critique against it, and separate observation from prescription. Use
  when reviewing a design, giving design feedback, or running a crit session.
---

# Run a Design Critique

An unstructured critique produces a list of personal preferences, and the
designer leaves with twelve contradictory notes and no idea which matter. A good
critique produces a small number of specific problems, each tied to a goal
everyone agreed on beforehand.

## Set the frame first — the presenter does this

Before showing anything, state four things. Ninety seconds, out loud.

1. **Who is this for, and what are they trying to do?**
2. **What decision am I asking you to help with?** ("Is this hierarchy clear?"
   not "thoughts?")
3. **What is fixed?** Brand, platform conventions, deadline, technical limits.
   Feedback that ignores constraints wastes everyone's time.
4. **What stage is this?** Exploration wants direction. A near-final screen wants
   defects. Getting this wrong is why designers dread crits — "have you
   considered a different layout" is useful in week one and demoralising in
   week six.

Without the frame, every reviewer invents their own and critiques against that.

Shared publicly by the author and open for any use. See the Terms.