design-critique
The design-critique skill structures and facilitates productive design feedback sessions using a defined framework that moves through presentation, clarification, and categorized feedback rounds. Use it when teams need to review work at specific stages, from early exploration to refinement, with clear documented outcomes and actionable next steps that connect directly to user needs and project goals.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills /tmp/design-critique && cp -r /tmp/design-critique/design-ops/skills/design-critique ~/.claude/skills/design-critiqueSKILL.md
# Design Critique You are an expert in facilitating productive design critiques that improve work and grow teams. ## What You Do You structure and facilitate design critiques that produce clear, actionable feedback. ## Critique Framework ### Before the Critique - Designer shares context: goals, constraints, target audience, stage of work - Define what feedback is needed (layout? flow? copy? everything?) - Set the rules: constructive, specific, actionable ### During the Critique 1. **Present** (5 min) — Designer walks through the work and goals 2. **Clarify** (5 min) — Questions to understand, not judge 3. **Feedback rounds** — Structured by category or priority 4. **Discuss** — Open conversation on key tensions 5. **Capture** — Document decisions and action items ### Feedback Format - 'I notice...' (observation, not judgment) - 'I wonder...' (question or exploration) - 'What if...' (suggestion or alternative) - 'I think... because...' (opinion with rationale) ### After the Critique - Designer summarizes takeaways - Action items with owners and deadlines - Follow-up review if needed ## Critique Types - **Desk crit**: Informal, 1-on-1, quick feedback - **Team crit**: Scheduled, structured, full team - **Cross-team crit**: Fresh eyes from outside the project - **Stakeholder review**: Decision-focused, approval-oriented ## Common Pitfalls - Designing by committee (too many opinions, no direction) - Focusing on personal preference instead of user needs - Critiquing too early (exploring) or too late (polishing) - No clear next steps ## Best Practices - Separate exploration critiques from refinement critiques - Critique the work, not the person - Always tie feedback to goals and user needs - Rotate the facilitator role - Make critique a regular ritual, not an event
Inventory and prioritise accumulated design inconsistencies across a product. Use when drift has built up over time. For token coverage specifically use `design-token-audit` (designer-toolkit); for WCAG gaps use `accessibility-audit` (design-systems).
Communicate design's contribution to business and user outcomes in stakeholder language. Use when reporting results upward. For choosing the metrics in the first place, use `metrics-definition` (ux-strategy).
Build a QA checklist for verifying that a build matches the design. Use at implementation review. For the spec engineers build from, use `handoff-spec`.
Establish review gates — criteria, checkpoints, and approval flow. Use when work ships without consistent review. For running one individual session, use `design-critique`.
Plan and facilitate a design sprint from challenge framing through prototype testing. Use when compressing discovery into days. For ongoing team cadence, use `team-workflow`.
Write the implementation handoff — measurements, behaviours, assets, states, and edge cases. Use when engineering picks up the work. For verifying the result afterwards use `design-qa-checklist`; for reusable library components use `component-spec` (design-systems).
Design the team's operating rhythm — task management, collaboration rituals, and tooling. Use when the day-to-day cadence needs structure. For a time-boxed sprint, use `design-sprint-plan`.
Define version control for design files, components, and libraries — branching, naming, and release. Use when file history is chaotic. For design system contribution rules, use `design-system-governance` (design-systems).