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Roles of Design Critique and Effective Criticism

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Here, we will take a detailed look at the "Design Critique" process, exploring how to provide effective criticism and how to utilize these skills across various platforms so that people are able to communicate their feedback more effectively in the age of technology. You can choose from the different pages to navigate from this page. We have listed: the differences between effective and ineffective constructive feedback, the roles of critique and their importance when taking on roles in specific mediums (face to face, phone, email) and a video summary of constructive feedback.

EffectiveFeedback

The Presenter

The Critiquer

The Facilitator

Ineffective Feedback

Video

Contents

Ineffective Feedback

Ineffective Feedback is a type of assessment which does not carry any value for the presenter as it does not successfully convey how they may improve. Critique that is incomplete (doesn't elaborate on reasoning), untimely (giving critique that has not been asked for or during conversation about another topic), preferential (using "i like" statements) or any critique that is used for their own gain would be considered ineffective feedback.

Effective Feedback

Effective feedback allows the presenter to build on what they already have and improve their final product based on the critique they receive. Asking pertinent questions about the presenters' process and steps the've taken so far, how they came to certain choices, their overall goals, etc. is an effective way to lead your critique. Speaking to their strenghts and focusing on what they are doing right can also help them to improve in other areas.

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"The Presenter"

So, who exactly is "The Presenter"? The presenter/designer is the person/group who creates a design to present to others. This would usually involve sharing the specific goals they are trying to acheive with their design, the context of said design, perhaps their process and a walkthrough of the design and its rationales. How can one utilize these aspects to effectively communicate their feedback through voice calls, video calls, e-mails and such?

  • When presenting through a video call for example, one should be mindful of how they will present their design (screen-sharing, physical copy, link, etc.) and be sure that everything works beforehand to reduce technical difficulties.
  • If presenting a design concept through a voice call, perhaps have a script set up in order to properly convey ideas.
  • If sending a prepared presentation through email or via link, be sure that all links work and that the design is accessible for the audience. Perhaps ask a collaborator or friend if they could receive a copy to test.

"The Critiquer"

"The Critiquer" is the person/people who are responsible for giving the presenter effective feedback! As such, they should be leading with helpful questions, explain what the presenter is doing right and how they can improve/what they may change, giving suggestions without attempting to control direction and being empathetic towards the presenters' overall ideas and goals.

  • When giving critique on a video call they should be aware of how your body language comes across (showing active listening with non-verbal cues, for example).
  • If giving feedback for a voice call, ensuring to keep effective feedback methods in mind, being aware of how tone and/or choice of words come across to others and make sure there are no audio disruptions (clear connection, background noise).
  • When sending feedback through email, perhaps send helpful links found based on the presenters' ideas as suggestions to improve or expand their design (research, articles, not "opinion pieces").

"The Facilitator"

The role of "The Facilitator" is to make sure that there is effective and successful critique. They do this by encouraging active participation by all members for a chance to speak and by maintaining focus on relevant subjects and the overall design goals. They may also act as timekeepers.

  • In order to successfully facilitate during a video call, one may want to double check that everyone involved has had a chance to speak. Don't be afraid to speak up if you feel discussion goes off topic.
  • When facilitating critique through a voice call, maybe one could mute other members when one is speaking and unmute once finished to ensure people do not speak over each other (especially if there is some delay due to timezones). It may be a good idea to set an alarm for a specific time, as well (also good for video calls).
  • If facilitating through email, double check to make sure everyone is CC'd, forwards are to the right individuals and practice proficiency in formal emails.

Video

Take a quick look at this video summary explaining constructive criticism in 2 minutes! (Link provided if there is any issues playing video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bYrbB0Bp8w

References

  • Morrison, L. (2022). EDST1230U_Week 4 In-Class Slides [slides 5-6]. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://learn.ontariotechu.ca/courses/19608/modules/items/440549.
  • Morrison, L. (2022). EDST 1230U_Preparing for Week 4 Async Slides-The Art of Critique [slides 5-6]. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://learn.ontariotechu.ca/courses/19608/modules/items/440548.
  • Kovács, A. (2022, August 31). How to give powerful design critique. UX Studio. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://uxstudioteam.com/ux-blog/design-critique/
  • Yu, S. (2018, December 23). A practical guide to running effective design critiques. Medium. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://suelynyu.medium.com/a-practical-guide-to-running-effective-design-critiques-c6e8166c9eb0
  • YouTube-Krekovski, J. (2020, August 17). What is Constructive Criticism | Explained in 2 min. YouTube. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bYrbB0Bp8w.