design critique - annotated

(ANNOTATION) I’m going to talk to you guys about something we all experience but few perfect. THE DESIGN CRITIQUE.

so let’s start at the beginning. the definition of criticism: the practice of judging the merits and faults of something or someone in an intelligible or articulate way.this applies to “formal” criticism of any type (art, literature, etc) but for our purposes we’ll consider design critique.

GOLDEN RULE: consider the presenter separate from the object

OBJECTIVE: to make something better (typically the object being considered)

critique takes place throughout the design process (in design education) at the desk (one on one) on the wall (group) as part of a review (group + jury)

skills of the design critique

people aren’t the only things that play a role in the processthere’s also the wall (context!)and the audience

GOOD CRITIQUE = discussion of the work to move it along + spark ideasBAD CRITIQUE = results in silence + hurt feelings

what separates the two?a) taking the critique personallyb) understanding expectationsc) speaking the right languaged) understanding the culture (i.e. ALL OF THE ABOVE)

IT’S REALLY ABOUT IMPACT: bad critiques have HIGH IMPACT. they prevent the work from moving forward; they create interpersonal obstacles between critic and presenter. it is not enough to say that the presenter can’t take it personally. the entire CONTEXT of critique - the language, expectations, materials, setting, conduct of attendees - all contribute to the success or failure of a critique.

DUH! SO WHAT?EVERYTHING COMMUNICATES, INCLUDING THE CULTURE OF CRITIQUE.knowledge = powerchange the culture, change the outcome

DO YOU WANT...your colleagues / employees / students to be happy, relaxed and creative?or fearful, threatened, and paralyzed?

YOU HAVE THE POWER: think about critique as you would craft a user experience, and don’t forget to consider how an outsider might fit into it. would they feel at ease? would they feel intimidated? by changing the environment surrounding the critique and thoughtfully considering ALL the elements involved, an organization can actually facilitate a good critique experience.