Billie Mandel www.billiemandel.com

Embodied Critique Design critique methodology for the whole team and the whole person

Big emotions and opinions are hard to manage in a group…

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Especially in a professional environment. Especially in tech.

So we quickly become brains in jars, and stuff our emotions.

…and what does it have to do with design critique?

Why is this a problem?

http://www.bamatick.com/

If the wookie wins, his opinion becomes the thing you build

…rather than the thing the users need being what you build

Also? Opinions and raw emotions aren’t actionable.

I like it

So what?

I hate it

This rocks

I think you should do it this way

This sucks

Blue is better

You suck

I don’t think the user wants this

My idea is better

Everyone’s opinion is a hypothesis for research.

Feelings aren’t facts.

–Scott Berkun

“Good and bad is not the same as what you do and don’t like.”

What’s the point of design critique? Why do it?

Iteration makes stuff better.

Open communication makes people feel good.

People who feel good do better work.

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• Elicit the best thinking of each team member • Enjoy our work • Be proud of the outcome

Shared Goals of Embodied Design Critique

http://www.willmeekphd.com/processing-emotions/

The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, http://www.zerochan.net/929275

What do you mean, embodied?

The key skill to develop in providing embodied critique is to observe our feelings and opinions, and then ask ourselves what they mean. This allows us to turn the emotions evoked by design into actionable questions, which sparks effective team discussion.

Soliciting Critique

• What I’m trying to figure out is • The design problem I’m trying to solve is • What I’m struggling with is • What I’d specifically like to gain from this session is

• Do you like it? • What do you think? • Which one do you prefer? • It’s finished

Say this: Not this:

Providing Critique

• That’s bad/ugly • I don’t like it • I like it • I like it, but… • Here’s how I’d do it

Say this: Not this:

• Why did you decide to…. • Have you considered…. • I’m wondering about… • I’m concerned about X (and I think it’s

because Y). • Is X something you’ve thought about? • How might you adjust this design if X

were an issue? • (Design element X) makes me feel…. • I like it BECAUSE…

The key is for the person who did the work to feel empowered to fix it.

Receiving Critique

• Take it personally • Argue or defend • Design or redesign during

the critique session

DO: DON’T:• Listen • Ask clarifying questions • Share feelings if they are blocking your listening • Come back to the design goals • Take notes

Embodied Critique Sample Format:

1) Designer introduces her/his design, including: A) Problem s/he is trying to solve B) Specific goals for that specific critique session C) What state the design is in (i.e. initial draft, second draft)

2) Critique participants spend 3-5 quiet minutes feeling their feelings about the design, then discerning and writing down their questions and comments

3) Round table of participants going through their feedback, with the designer responsively asking qualifying questions

4) Designer takes notes for her/his own follow-up.

NOTE: Team brainstorming can be a follow-up action, but should be after not during the critique session

…thanks for listening!

Questions?

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On giving and receiving effective critique: • http://www.fastcodesign.com/3019674/9-rules-for-running-a-productive-design-critique • http://scottberkun.com/essays/35-how-to-give-and-receive-criticism/ • http://tympanus.net/codrops/2012/10/15/the-unwritten-rules-of-a-great-design-

critique/ • http://www.uie.com/articles/critique/ • http://creativesomething.net/post/78006355620/three-tips-for-effectively-critiquing-

creativity

Why critique makes for better collaboration/better creative end product: • http://alistapart.com/article/design-criticism-creative-process • http://www.discussingdesign.com/critique-is-central-to-good-collaboration/

Resource Links

Useful and validated as of 4 December 2014

Embodied Critique by Billie Mandel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

www.billiemandel.com