Design Critiques

Introduction:

Improvements to the design review process inside People Products org.

Problems:

The team didn’t have recurring and consistent design critiques
Feedback was too shallow and wasn’t actionable
Some people are more vocal during meetings than others, and we wanted to hear everybody during design presentations
Very often people were talking over each other
Absence of design meeting format

My role:

I was one of 3 team members who were assigned to improve the process
We were given 2 weeks to ideate on a better process along with a few other stakeholders
Our primary goal was to increase the quality of feedback provided during design reviews and increase collaboration

Finding a solution (Research, Concepting, Collaboration, etc.):

A team of 3 designers including me conducted several surveys, where we were trying to identify opportunities for improvement
Used online resources to find best practices of design critiques used by other teams. Some resources: Figma forum, articles on medium.com, and more.
Conducted several experimental design critique sessions using FIGJAM

Outcomes / Success stats:

Introduced design critique cadence (2 times a week)
– Team members started planning their presentations ahead of time
– We introduced a calendar where we had a list of upcoming presentations (Designer name, project name)
Introduced the role of facilitator
– This helped to make sure that everybody on the team has a chance to express their opinion
– People stopped talking over each other
– Facilitators rotated each time
Introduced a template in FIGJAM that was used as a standard for all design critiques sessions
Introduced several types of design critiques:
– Standard. The presenter should give a context on the project ~ 5 min. Then all designers had to ask clarifying questions ~ 5 min. Provide feedback ~ 10-15 min. Facilitated process.

– Jams/Workshops. The presenter had to drop designs into the FIGJAM file along with a few questions for the team to answer. Everybody is allowed to jump into the design ideation process, sketch ideas, diagrams

– Silent. Everyone stays silent and reviews the documentation, designs, or flows and adds feedback digitally. Helps to stay focused on a project where lots of details had to be taken into consideration.

– Groupings. People were assigned to small groups and had to collaborate inside these focus groups. Then each team was sharing its unique solution to a problem.
The New Design critique process significantly improved the quality of feedback produced by the design team. Managers as well as design team members noticed significantly increased design team collaboration.

Design critiques template in Fig Jam

Learnings:

Some managers were eager to provide their feedback prior to hearing their subordinates and thus setting some biased opinions among some team members.
Design critiques helped us become a better team and improved team culture.

Introduction:

Improvements to the design review process inside People Products org.

Problems:

The team didn’t have recurring and consistent design critiques

Feedback was too shallow and wasn’t actionable

Some people are more vocal during meetings than others, and we wanted to hear everybody during design presentations

Very often people were talking over each other

Absence of design meeting format

My role:

I was one of 3 team members who were assigned to improve the process

We were given 2 weeks to ideate on a better process along with a few other stakeholders

Our primary goal was to increase the quality of feedback provided during design reviews and increase collaboration

Finding a solution (Research, Concepting, Collaboration, etc.):

A team of 3 designers including me conducted several surveys, where we were trying to identify opportunities for improvement

Used online resources to find best practices of design critiques used by other teams. Some resources: Figma forum, articles on medium.com, and more.

Conducted several experimental design critique sessions using FIGJAM

Outcomes / Success stats:

Introduced design critique cadence (2 times a week)
– Team members started planning their presentations ahead of time
– We introduced a calendar where we had a list of upcoming presentations (Designer name, project name)

Introduced the role of facilitator
– This helped to make sure that everybody on the team has a chance to express their opinion
– People stopped talking over each other
– Facilitators rotated each time

Introduced a template in FIGJAM that was used as a standard for all design critiques sessions

Introduced several types of design critiques:
– Standard. The presenter should give a context on the project ~ 5 min. Then all designers had to ask clarifying questions ~ 5 min. Provide feedback ~ 10-15 min. Facilitated process.

– Jams/Workshops. The presenter had to drop designs into the FIGJAM file along with a few questions for the team to answer. Everybody is allowed to jump into the design ideation process, sketch ideas, diagrams

– Silent. Everyone stays silent and reviews the documentation, designs, or flows and adds feedback digitally. Helps to stay focused on a project where lots of details had to be taken into consideration.

– Groupings. People were assigned to small groups and had to collaborate inside these focus groups. Then each team was sharing its unique solution to a problem.

The New Design critique process significantly improved the quality of feedback produced by the design team. Managers as well as design team members noticed significantly increased design team collaboration.

Design critiques template in Fig Jam

Learnings:

Some managers were eager to provide their feedback prior to hearing their subordinates and thus setting some biased opinions among some team members.

Design critiques helped us become a better team and improved team culture.

Design critiques

Introduction:

Improvements to the design review process inside People Products org.

Problems:

The team didn’t have recurring and consistent design critiques

Feedback was too shallow and wasn’t actionable

Some people are more vocal during meetings than others, and we wanted to hear everybody during design presentations

Very often people were talking over each other

Absence of design meeting format

My role:

I was one of 3 team members who were assigned to improve the process

We were given 2 weeks to ideate on a better process along with a few other stakeholders

Our primary goal was to increase the quality of feedback provided during design reviews and increase collaboration

Finding a solution (Research, Concepting, Collaboration, etc.):

A team of 3 designers including me conducted several surveys, where we were trying to identify opportunities for improvement

Used online resources to find best practices of design critiques used by other teams. Some resources: Figma forum, articles on medium.com, and more.

Conducted several experimental design critique sessions using FIGJAM

Outcomes / Success stats:

Introduced design critique cadence (2 times a week) – Team members started planning their presentations ahead of time – We introduced a calendar where we had a list of upcoming presentations (Designer name, project name)

Introduced the role of facilitator – This helped to make sure that everybody on the team has a chance to express their opinion – People stopped talking over each other – Facilitators rotated each time

Introduced a template in FIGJAM that was used as a standard for all design critiques sessions

Introduced several types of design critiques: – Standard. The presenter should give a context on the project ~ 5 min. Then all designers had to ask clarifying questions ~ 5 min. Provide feedback ~ 10-15 min. Facilitated process.

– Jams/Workshops. The presenter had to drop designs into the FIGJAM file along with a few questions for the team to answer. Everybody is allowed to jump into the design ideation process, sketch ideas, diagrams

– Silent. Everyone stays silent and reviews the documentation, designs, or flows and adds feedback digitally. Helps to stay focused on a project where lots of details had to be taken into consideration.

– Groupings. People were assigned to small groups and had to collaborate inside these focus groups. Then each team was sharing its unique solution to a problem.

The New Design critique process significantly improved the quality of feedback produced by the design team. Managers as well as design team members noticed significantly increased design team collaboration.

Design critiques template in Fig Jam

Learnings:

Some managers were eager to provide their feedback prior to hearing their subordinates and thus setting some biased opinions among some team members.

Design critiques helped us become a better team and improved team culture.

Introduced design critique cadence (2 times a week)
– Team members started planning their presentations ahead of time
– We introduced a calendar where we had a list of upcoming presentations (Designer name, project name)

Introduced the role of facilitator
– This helped to make sure that everybody on the team has a chance to express their opinion
– People stopped talking over each other
– Facilitators rotated each time

Introduced several types of design critiques:
– Standard. The presenter should give a context on the project ~ 5 min. Then all designers had to ask clarifying questions ~ 5 min. Provide feedback ~ 10-15 min. Facilitated process.