Scott Berkun has a great article about How to run a Design Critique. As the moderator of the feedback sessions, Scott summaries a number a number of key points to make the sessions successful
Key Points
- Ususally involves a small group (3-7 people)
- Discussing a set of design sketches, screens, wireframes, or a prototype
- State the goals of the meeting/critique at the beginning of the meeting
- Set goals that are appropriate with the project timeline
- Document all feedback, in particular, feedback that is outside of the scope of the critique. It is important to address all aspects of the design, it may just happen outside of the critique meeting
- Invite people who are critical to the design process. Try to focus on people who will give useful feedback, both positive and negative
- Arrange a room that has room to display each of the designs, preferably wall space where you can compare different aspects of the site and workflow
- Use the appropriate technology, if you have a projector and laptop then this can be very useful, you need to also consider your audience
- There is significant value to using the same room for all critiques on a project, specially if you can leave teh screen shots up on the walls
- Establish a set of rules of order, Scott lists a good set
- Start with clarifying questions
- Listen before speaking
- Lead into explorations of alternative
- Avoid statements that refer to absolutes
- Speak in context of your point of view
- Have the creator/designer lead the meeting
- Make sure to take notes during the meeting of key questions that were raised, new issues, ideas
- Send out email after the meeting and include the above notes and what the next steps in the design process are.
This is a great article for conducting successful group evaluations and walkthroughs of a design. Scott has done an excellent job, now if we could only get everyone to agree