instilling the practice of critique

The Practice of Critique Vincent Matyi User Experience Consulting, Knowledge Management Competency Center

Introduction

© 2013 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 3 Public

Merrill Zavod Sr. Human Factors Engineer

Benjie Falke Sr. Information Designer

Communication Design

3 yrs. experience

Milan Guenther Sr. Information Designer

Diploma-Designer, MBA

12 yrs. experience

Sean McGinnis Sr. Information Designer

Visual Communication, AAS

13 yrs. experience

Caroleigh Deneen Sr. Information Designer

Management of Tech, MSE Psychology, BS 15 yrs. experience

Johann W. Sarmiento Sr. Human Factors Engineer

• Human-Computer Interaction, PhD • Computer Science, MS • Systems Engineering, BE 14 yrs. experience

Marian Gunkel Sr. Human Factors Engineer

• Psychology/Engineering • Psychology, German Diploma

13 yrs. experience

Melissa A. Visintin Strategist, User Experience

• Mass Communication/Multimedia, MS • Medical Illustration, BFA 16 yrs. experience

User Experience Consulting Team Knowledge Management Competency Center @ SAP

Kirsten Gay Director, User Experience

• Architecture, MA • Landscape Architecture, BS 17 yrs. experience

Vincent Matyi Sr. Information Designer

Multimedia- BFA

11 yrs. experience

Kathrin Bort User Research Intern

Ayman Alalao Information Designer

Interactive Design and Media, MS Visual Communication, BS

Kyle Romain Information Designer

Digital Communications, BS

12 yrs. experience

• Human Factors Psych., PhD • Experimental Psych., MS • Psychology, BS

Thomas Thome Information Designer

Diploma-Media System Design

Davis Hermann User Experience Intern

Studio Art, BA French, BA


Why critique as a tool in your set?


Encourage greater participation in teams

Promote mutual understanding

Fosters inclusive solutions

Cultivate shared responsibility

Improve collaboration and spontaneity between siloed departments


Encourage greater participation in teams

Promote mutual understanding

Fosters inclusive solutions

Cultivate shared responsibility

Improve collaboration and spontaneity between siloed departments

• Everyone is equal when everyone is a critic. • Reveals thoughts and approaches from others

• Results in a concentration of many different

ways to improve a design • Creates an environment that fosters healthy

disagreement while maintaining a level of harmony to grow together


Critique See it through a different view

So, what is critique?


Critique is a structured conversation that happens when a group of people convene to review design work …


Critique is a structured conversation that happens when a group of people convene to review design work … with a common purpose to explore, examine and improve the qualities of a work, design or an experience.


Critique does not cost much and is good for everyone involved in a project.


Critique requires a few key roles

Presenter / facilitator

Critics / audience

Recorder / note taker


Critique is planned and structured at a place and time

1 hour Studio setting

The right people

Not too early or too late in a project


Critique is participatory

Contribute or go home

Presenter engages all

Give a quota to all


Critique is objective

Keep your opinion

Mutual purpose

Goal focus


Critique is impersonal

Leave your ego at home

Focus on the design not the person

Direct all conversation to the design


Critique is a safe and sacred place to let your darlings die

Don’t fall in love

Don’t expect validation

No shortage of ideas

Reincarnate ideas for future

Trust & respect

Improve or it dies here


Critique is the opportunity to listen and learn

Not a test See through the eyes of others

Be quiet!


Critique is a skill that should be practiced

Repetition = improvement


Critique is most effective in small groups


Critique covers both the weakness and strength of a design

Not a test Start with the good


Critique is planned and facilitated within a group of trusted people to focus on design with purpose.



Facilitation



Facilitation Trust



Facilitation Trust Design


Critique is planned and facilitated within a group of trusted people to focus on design with purpose. http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/the-design-plan-official-versus-how-it-feels

Design



Facilitation Trust Design



Facilitation Trust Design Purpose

Guideline For Presenters and Critics


Presenter


1. Determine in advance what you want or need from the critique

Presenter


1. Determine in advance what you want or need from the critique.

2. Send out designs ahead of time

Presenter




3. Share logistics and your personal objectives for the critique session.

Presenter




3. Share logistics and your personal objectives for the critique session

4. Start the critique by reviewing the objectives of the critique, ground rules and purpose of your design

Presenter






5. Present the design work by referencing the criteria for judging the works value and effectiveness. Do not assume your colleagues share this point of view

Presenter






5. Present the design work by referencing the criteria for judging the works value and effectiveness. Do not assume your colleagues share this point of view.

6. Once finished with your presentation: Actively listen and think before you speak. Ask questions for clarity in a neutral, open-minded fashion

Presenter








7. Do not rationalize design decisions or get defensive

Presenter









8. Remain in control of the flow of the meeting

Presenter










9. Have a recorder write down everything for later reference

Presenter










9. Have a recorder write down everything for later reference

10. Thank your participants by ending with a brief summary

Presenter


Critic


Critic 1. Empathize and understand What problem is the design trying to solve? How effective does the design solve the problem? Are they there yet, or do they have further to go? If they’re not there yet, what are the parts that aren’t working? Why or why not was the design effective? Is there more to this design that should have been solved?



2. Begin by suggesting what works well or helps to accomplish goal.

Follow with ways it does not accomplish a goal





3. Avoid opinions and phrases such as “I like” or “don't like” or love or hate. Use concrete words and industry language. Avoid general terms such as “nice,” “good,” "bad," and “pretty”






4. Discuss the work and never the person. Comment on the work should be based on the needs and parameters of the design problem







5. Offer direction and explanation but not a prescription








6. Provide strategies to move the design forward








6. Provide strategies to move the design forward

7. Feel free to lead and provide your feedback with clarifying questions to get the bigger picture or the smaller details


Be prepared


1. Decision makers, managers, executives

Be prepared



2. Difficult people

Be prepared



2. Difficult people

3. Design by committee

Be prepared



2. Difficult people


4. User Research

Be prepared



2. Difficult people


4. User Research

5. All get divided over an issue during critique

Be prepared



2. Difficult people


4. User Research


6. Problem solving and design decisions during critique

Be prepared



2. Difficult people


4. User Research


6. Problem solving and design decisions during critique

7. Hurt feelings and flattened energy

Be prepared

User Experience Consulting My Team @ SAP


Some critique methods championed by the User Experience Consulting Team to help SAP meet its objectives: 1. Design Charrette

2. Design Studios

3. Design Thinking Workshops and Coaching

4. Weekly Team Design Review


External References Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making Sam Kaner Gamestorming Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, James Macanufo Critique Handbook Kendall Buster, Paula Crawford http://scottberkun.com/essays/23-how-to-run-a-design-critique/ http://www.cooper.com/journal/2009/01/a_good_design_critique.html http://alistapart.com/article/design-criticism-creative-process http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/the-importance-of-design-critique/ http://www.discussingdesign.com/ http://www.uie.com/articles/critique/ http://www.uie.com/articles/great_critiques/ http://blog.teamtreehouse.com/the-art-of-the-design-critique http://www.kickerstudio.com/2010/11/everything-ive-ever-learned-about-giving-design-critiquesi- learned-from-tim-gunn/ http://www.ac4d.com/2012/04/30/do-you-want-critique-or-a-hug/

Thank You!

instilling the practice of critique

Education

sap ag

design work

experience human factors

group oftrusted people

facilitation trust design

group of peopleconvene

user experience architecture

humancomputer interaction