How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off - Ingrid Towey & Jess Schaefer

UX designers aren’t allowed to run out of the room crying when you review their wireframes, but sometimes they look like they want to. I learned a lot about critiquing other people’s work when I homeschooled my kids, because after you teach your kids all day, you still have to tuck them in at night. Let me share those lessons with you.

Hone your diplomatic skills to match your design skills. Harsh and arbitrary critiques annihilate the essential communication that needs to take place within a team. Feedback should empower designers and set them up for success. They need to understand why you want changes and how those changes will improve the final product and experience.

You need to review people’s designs so that they WANT to make the changes that you want them to make.

UX Y'all 2023

Transcript

1. 1 Ingrid Towey Red Hat, Principal Technical Editor & Writing Coach Jess Schaefer Red Hat, Principal Graphic Designer & Senior Product Designer How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off UX Y’all 2023 | October 6, 2023
2. 2 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Have you ever found yourself in a design review and this is. how you felt by the time your creative lead and other designers were done tearing up your design?
3. 3 Ingrid Experience as a homeschooler made me aware of better ways to give feedback, because if you have to teach someone how to write or learn their math facts, you still have to tuck them in at night. As an editor, I have to be both tough and kind. when I edit people’s content. UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off
4. 4 Jess With 25 years of design experience, I’ve had the delight and horror of being on both sides of the design review. I’ve learned what works. Remember we’re all on the same team. and we can only be successful together. UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off
5. We’re all on the same side It’s design, not dictate Explain why Use a structured design review format 5 1 2 3 4 Principles to live by UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off
6. Principles to live by 6 ▸ The user’s side. ▸ Focus on the user’s journey. That’s the most important thing. 1 2 3 4 We’re all on the same side UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off
7. 7 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 ▸ Easy to comprehend content aids the user’s .cognitive ease,. which leads to more informed decision making. ▸ The same applies when giving and receiving feedback. We’re all on the same side Cognitive ease Increased focus, attention, and memory Better decision making
8. 8 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off We’re all on the same side Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 Test your understanding. ▸ Our users’ needs and expectations are not the same as ours. ▸ Usability testing can help you to understand their viewpoint. .We are not our users..
9. 9 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Don’t forget the importance of usability testing. Q:: Should we animate our technical diagrams? A:: Apparently, not. Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 We’re all on the same side
10. 10 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 Red Hat Satellite architecture diagram
11. 11 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 ▸ Pick your battles. ▸ Design should be collaborative. It’s design, not dictate
12. 12 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 I’ll throw in a copy suggestion… Okay, will do. Thanks!! …can you remind me… *Psychological safety
13. 13 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 Explain why ▸ Don’t just say, “Do this!” Explain the reasoning behind it. ▸ When you have .clear guidelines., you are setting up your designers for more success.
14. 14 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4
15. 15 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 Use a structured design review format ▸ Have feedback validated by the creative director. ▸ Be specific about what you want feedback on. Otherwise, you can go down the rabbit hole. Source: Modern Alice in Wonderland Falls Down YouTube Rabbit Hole
16. 16 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 Use a structured design review format Know what stage you’re in: ▸ Low fidelity ▸ Mid fidelity ▸ High fidelity
17. 17 UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off Principles to live by 1 2 3 4 Use a structured design review format ▸ Provide clear and concise feedback. ▸ We want to empower the design and set them up for success.
18. 18 ▸ Don’t forget, it’s all about relationships. ▸ Do remember that it’s all about creating a successful user journey. ▸ Don’t forget about the importance of creating cognitive ease. ▸ Do critique so that people want to make your changes. A good design review makes you excited to improve the experience. Helpful do’s and don’ts UX Y’all 2023 | How to critique other people’s designs without pissing them off
19. 19 Ingrid Towey Red Hat, Principal Technical Editor & Writing Coach Thank you! youtube.com/user/RedHatVideos linkedin.com/in/ingridtowey Jess Schaefer Red Hat, Principal Graphic Designer & Senior Product Designer inkedin.com/in/jschaefer311