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DefineDD-11
How to run a design critique
Facilitate critique against goals rather than personal taste; critique informs design judgement and is not user validation.
Product statusAssisted workflowTeklens prepares the narrative and synthesises the notes; the critique is a conversation between people.
Input3 required inputsDesign in progress and its feedback questions · Audience, objectives, constraints and rationale · Initiative focus and approved Company Brain guidance
SkillsPrepare or synthesise a design critique · Record decisions and follow-up · Prepare task contextDesigner + Product Designer Agent
OutcomeDesign critique: boundary and brief, feedback separated into strengths, concerns and disagreements, and the designer’s disposition.Artifact: Design critique
Owner
Designer
Human-led
Participants · Agents
Product ManagerEngineerResearcherProduct Designer Agent
Trigger
A work-in-progress design has specific feedback questions.
Required context
Design systemDesign in progress and its feedback questionsCompany BrainAudience, objectives, constraints and rationaleCompany BrainInitiative focus and approved Company Brain guidance
Optional context
FilesCritique notesConfluenceRelated PRD
Skills
Prepare or synthesise a design critiqueRecord decisions and follow-upPrepare task context
Suggested conversation arc
- 1Frame the critique boundaryAgree what is open to change, what is constrained and whose perspective is useful. State concrete questions before showing detailed solutions.Skills: Prepare task context
- 2Prepare the design narrativePresent the audience, user problem, design rationale and selected alternatives alongside the focused feedback questions.Skills: Prepare or synthesise a design critique
- 3Hold the human critiqueFacilitate reasoned discussion and retain strengths, concerns, disagreement and questions. Do not convert every preference into a required change.
- 4Decide revisions and research needsHave the designer choose revisions against the goals; identify issues requiring user evidence and record why some suggestions will not be adopted.Skills: Record decisions and follow-up
Output
Design critique: boundary and brief, feedback separated into strengths, concerns and disagreements, and the designer’s disposition.
Artifacts
Creates: Design critique
What good looks like
- Feedback relates to stated objectives and concrete design locations.
- Critique status is not mistaken for approval or user validation.
- Rejected suggestions carry a recorded reason.
Quality gate
The Designer decides the revisions against the goals.
Destination
Teklens onlyConfluence
Usually next
People and agents work from the same company knowledge. The owner stays accountable. Assigned agents prepare and check. A named person approves at the gate.
Deep dives from the AI PM Lab
Articles that explain the thinking behind this Activity.
Choose the path that matches your role.
Choose one decision and review where delivery has drifted. Agree a useful first scope with a founder.