What?
Design review invite stakeholders from different teams i.e. business team, development team etc. to look at the design. The time to present the project’s design goal and design progress.
Why?
🧐 Professional lens. A great way to borrow other participants’ professional lens to look at the design or problem from different perspective as early as possible.
👂 Opportunity to hear different voices. A chance for the participants to hear each other and for designers to better understand any internal concerns and limitations while developing new ideas.
📵 No screen moments. Stay focused. The only tools which the participants would use during the session are post it, pens and their professional lens.
Who?
- Facilitated by a member from the design team.
- Invite 5–6 representatives from different departments to join as the design review participants.
Where?
- Book a meeting room to minimise the distractions.
- The ideal room — with whiteboard or a wall to stick the post its and projector to share the presentation.
When?
30 | Idea stage — At the very beginning of the project development stage.
Have some ideas ready in low-fi prototype and present to the participants.
Review goal
👀 Understand internal stakeholder’s expectations.
👀 Validate the design directions.
👀 Brainstorming and discussion.
Post it ( In 3 different colours )
📗 I wish Anything you wish to add or remove.
📘 Functional Meeting user needs, UX Copy content structure, Clarity, Brand tone, Consistency, Grammar mistakes
📕 Technical concerns State any potential development concerns with the design.
60 | Concept stage — After a few arounds of usability testing with the users
Present the latest Mid-fi prototype to the participants.
Review goal
👀 Share design progress.
👀 Last review feedback address.
👀 Group discussion.
Post it ( In 3 different colours )
📙 Aesthetic User Interface design, Brand, Visual, Motion, Sound and Touch.
📘 Functional Meeting user needs, UX Copy content structure, Clarity, Brand tone, Consistency, Grammar mistakes.
📕 Technical concerns Raise any potential development concerns with the design.
90 | Final concept stage — Final check before hand-off.
Present the new Mid/high-fi prototype to the participants.
Review goal
👀 Facilitator show prototype and discuss
👀 Last review feedback address
👀 Grammar checker
Post it ( In 3 different colours )
📙 Aesthetic User Interface design, Brand, Visual, Motion, Sound and Touch.
📘 Functional Meeting user needs, UX Copy content structure, Clarity, Brand tone, Consistency, Grammar mistakes.
📕 Technical concerns Raise any potential development concerns with the design.
How?
Pre-Design Review
- Decide on the topics to discuss.
- Set a date for the design review.
- Send invitations and reminders to the participants.
- Plan the design review session. A detail breakdown of how much time should be spent at different parts of the design review session. Participants could be busy, so try not to overrun. 😉
During Design Review
01 Set the stage. Explain the format and topics. ( Add a quick IceBreaker exercise, if these kind of workshops are new to the audiences.)
02 Present ideas. Walk through the design.
03 Silence design review. Participants will review the design in silence and write down their thoughts on the post it.
04 Sharing. Participants will share thoughts with others.
05 Session feedback.
Don’t forget to timebox.
After Design Review
- Record all the points and turn them into actionable tasks.
- Prioritising the tasks then update the prototype accordingly.
Have a go with your team. Enjoy!
