Slides from my presentation with Alla Zollers at Boston UPA's 2010 Conference Foe an updated version of this presentation please see: http://www.slideshare.net/adamconnor/ready-set-critique

1. boston upa
The Value of Critique and Integrating it into
Your Design Process
Adam Connor - Senior Experience Designer
Alla Zollers - Senior Experience Designer

2. Let’s talk about…
ICE BREAKING
 Part 1: What is critique
 Part 2: Integrating critique into your process
 Part 3: How to critique and run critique sessions
Please hold your questions until the end of each part

3. ICE BREAKING
Part 1: What is Critique?

4. Feedback is Important
Feedback is the mechanism by which we
understand the response, reaction or
impact what we do, or a product we’ve
created, has on a person, an environment,
a system, etc.
So why are so many people afraid of it?
 People take it personally
 No one wants to be wrong
 wrong = failure
 wrong = vulnerable

5. Why do we fear feedback?

6. Feedback is Important
“We need to let go of our egos, embrace uncertainty, and encourage
those around us to tell us where we’re wrong”
- Dennis Breen, nForm

7. What makes good feedback?
Good feedback…
 should identify where, and how a design is meeting it’s goals
 should identify where, and how a design is not meeting it’s goals
 should be delivered in a form in which the person receiving the feedback
understands it and can act upon it to make improvements.
This is critique!

8. What is Critique?
Critique is:
 a “type” of feedback…
 focused on describing what does and what does not work, as well as why.
 delivered from the of the audience/users and goals of the design.
 a tool for collecting structured feedback…
 in which participants give their feedback in the form of critique.

9. Critique vs Criticism
Criticism… Critique…
finds fault examines structure
looks for problems looks for what does and doesn’t work
condemns what it doesn’t understand asks for clarification
is abrasive is honest and objective
is negative is positive even about what isn’t
working
is general and vague is concrete and specific

10. What is Critique?
Ways in which we already collect feedback
 Reviews
 Focus Groups
 Surveys
 Usability Studies
 Etc.
Critique does not replace any of the tools
we already have.
* Image by smannion, from Flickr

11. The ability to critique well is insanely valuable
For Designers
 Encourages Designers to “detach”
themselves from their designs and
examine them objectively
 Provides access to new ideas that
Designers may not have found alone
 Provides practice in listening to and
responding to feedback
 Provides practice in explaining the
thinking and rationale behind design
decisions

12. The ability to critique well is insanely valuable
For Design and Project Teams
 Helps establish a common framework
for discussing designs and ideas
 Creates opportunities for more team
interaction, building collaboration and
trust
 Allows for a cross-pollination of ideas
for projects

13. The ability to critique well is insanely valuable
 In general, learning to critique well makes us better communicators.
 Critiquing well is about understanding what makes for good
feedback, how to give it, and how to get it.

14. ICE BREAKING
Part 2: Incorporating Critique Into Your Process

15. Plan to Hold a Critique Session
 Identify 3 -6 people you want to invite
 Set one clear goal for the meeting
 Set a time limit (30 min – 1 hour)
 Find an appropriate room and have
materials ready

16. Room and Materials
 Find a room with plenty of wall space
 Print out handouts
• write down the feedback,  Utilize sticky notes or note cards
then affinity sort
• “parking lot” area

17. Traditional Project Lifecycle
Early on in the Project
Discovery
Middle of Project
Refinement
End of Project
Wrap-up of Details

18. Traditional Project Lifecycle
Early on in the Project
Discovery
Designers Business/
Marketing
 Emphasize higher level user/business goals
 Do not focus on technical constraints, but flag concerns
Example Goals
 Get feedback about a set of different concepts / approaches
 Explore the designs of competing products
 Discuss user flow through the system

19. Traditional Project Lifecycle
Middle of Project
Refinement
Designers Business/ Development
Marketing
 Begin to define answers or solutions to issues
 Begin to solve for technical and business constraints
Example Goals
 Compare how different components of a system are designed
 Discuss potential usability issues
 Discuss products that have qualities you want to achieve
 Get cross-functional team feedback

20. Traditional Project Lifecycle
End of Project
Wrap-up of Details
Business/ Development
Marketing
 Solidify answers or solutions to issues
 Solve for technical and business constraints
Example Goals
 Analyze design details
 Discuss potential usability issues
 Get cross-functional team feedback

21. Critique in Agile
Iteration N
Involve your team from the beginning
Week 1 Week 2
 Invite developers and customers
Review Stories Hold Critique
Sketch Make Updates
Plan For Critique Conduct Usability Complete at least one critique per iteration
Recruit for Usability Create New Stories
 Depending on the goal, you can have it either in
the middle or end of the iteration
 Make sure to account for critique session during
estimation
Capture Feedback in a Public Way
 A wiki
 A feedback board
 Attach to specific stories as necessary

22. ICE BREAKING
Part 3: How to Critique and Run Critique Sessions

23. Critique is a Skill
 You will only get better with practice
 Start small
 Perhaps internal only
 Think before you speak
 Choose clients you critique with carefully
Always make sure to review these (and any other) ground rules with clients to gauge how
comfortable they are with them before planning a critique.
Also, post the ground rules in the room where the critique will be held.

24. Ground Rules
 Everyone is equal
 It is up to the designer to decide which
feedback to act upon and which not to
 Design decisions are not to be made
during critiques
 Feedback should be provided from the
perspective of the Design’s audience
 A great use for Personas

25. Techniques and Tools for Good Critique
 Active Listening / Question for Clarity
 Moderators
 Quotas
 Round-Robin
 Direct Inquiry

26. Things to Avoid
 Poor body language
 Preference based feedback
 Being overly defensive
 Problem solving

27. Dealing with Difficult Individuals
 Set expectations at the beginning of the sessions
 Make sure everyone understands what critique is
 Ask quiet people for feedback directly.
 Use personas and documented goals to help ensure everyone stays focused
 Request specific feedback from people with regard to their areas of expertise
(development, marketing, etc)

28. In Summary
 Learning to critique well improves our ability to communicate with our teams,
clients and others.
 The ability to critique well will only improve with practice.
 Critique focuses on what works, what doesn’t and why, and is delivered from the
perspective of a well-defined audience and goals.
 Critique can be done both internally and with clients.
 Critique is best done with 3-6 people in 30 minutes to 1 hour.
 Be sure to clearly communicate the goals of a critique session as well as ground
rules to all participants.

29. Critique this Presentation
Here is your chance to get some practice.

30. Thank You
ICE BREAKING
Documentation
 Slides can be found at: http://www.madpow.net
Adam Connor Alla Zollers
Senior Experience Designer Senior Experience Designer
aconnor@madpow.net alla@madpow.net
Twitter @adamconnor Twitter: @azollers