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Ask Questions

Lots of Questions: Giving Good Design Critique

Alexa Herasimchuk

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Alexa Herasimchuk

alexaleighh.com

Product Designer, Yelp

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Design Critique

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Critique = feedback session

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That’s me!

Thesis midterm, Fall 2014

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Critiques aren’t about you

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Critique Rules

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Establish clear roles

Ensure everyone understands and agrees on the problem

Focus on feedback, �not criticism

Laptops and phones�stay closed

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Rule 1: Establish clear roles

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The Presenter

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The Audience

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The Facilitator

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Rule 2: Understand and agree on the problem

I am showing early/mid/late work

around the problem because�why it’s a problem and am looking for feedback around specific focus for feedback

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Rule 3: Focus on feedback, not criticism

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TEARS DOWN

“I don’t like ______”

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BUILDS UP

“Have you thought about ______?”

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PASSES JUDGEMENT

“That decision is bad”

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POSES QUESTIONS

“Why did you make that decision?”

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PERSONAL

“I don’t like that color”

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OBJECTIVE

“That color isn’t working because…”

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Audience, frame your sentences

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This is working because…

–or–

This is not working because…

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Ask (lots of) questions!

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Rule 4: Laptops and phones stay closed

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Questions?

Send me an email: alexah@yelp.com

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Some Useful Links

  1. Four Things Working at Facebook Has Taught Me About Design CritiqueTanner Christensen, Product Designer at Facebook�
  2. How to give and receive a good design critique�AIGA.org�
  3. Stop dreading feedback conversations�SYPartners�
  4. How to do a Product Critique�Julie Zhuo, VP of Product Design at Facebook