Structured critique with time-boxing. Context framing, question-led feedback (not solutioning), action owners. The format that makes critique productive instead of political.
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Critique produces action items. Prioritise which ones to fix first with RICE scoring across the backlog.
# Design Critique
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Facilitator:** [Name]
**Presenter:** [Name]
**Attendees:** [Names and roles]
**Duration:** 60 minutes
## 1. Context (5 min)
Presenter frames the work:
- **Project:** [One sentence]
- **User problem being solved:** [One sentence]
- **Constraints:** [Timeline, tech, team]
- **Stage:** [Early exploration / mid-design / near-shipping]
- **Specific feedback wanted:** [IA / interaction / visual / copy / everything]
Framing matters because critique on near-final work is different from critique on early sketches. The presenter sets the expectation.
## 2. Walkthrough (10–15 min)
Presenter walks through the work without being interrupted. Attendees write notes but don't speak.
Rules:
- No "what if" questions during the walkthrough — note them for discussion.
- No "I would have done it this way" — note the specific concern for the feedback section.
## 3. Clarifying questions (5 min)
Attendees ask factual questions only. Not feedback dressed as questions. "What's the intent of this empty state?" is a clarifying question. "Don't you think the empty state should be a modal?" is feedback dressed up.
## 4. Feedback (25 min)
Structured round-robin. Each attendee gives feedback in this format:
- **One thing that's working:** [Specific observation, not generic praise]
- **One concern:** [Specific, tied to the user problem or constraints]
- **One question or alternative:** [For the presenter to think about, not implement]
Facilitator captures the specific concerns in a shared doc. Avoids "I like it" and "I don't like it" — always ask for the specific "what" and "why".
## 5. Decisions and owners (5 min)
Not every piece of feedback becomes an action. Presenter decides, out loud, which concerns they'll explore and which they'll park with reasoning.
| Concern | Decision | Owner | Follow-up date |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Specific concern] | [Explore / park / defer] | [Name] | [Date] |
## 6. Close (2 min)
- Confirm next review date (if needed)
- Confirm async feedback window (if attendees have more to add)
## Critique principles
- **Praise the work, not the person.** "This empty state is really sharp" > "You're so good at empty states."
- **Specific over general.** "The CTA competes with the back button" > "The hierarchy feels off."
- **Question over prescription.** "What's the intent of leading with the price?" > "You should lead with social proof."
- **Timeboxed.** Critique that expands fills the available time, badly. Hold the clock.