Learning from Design Critiques in Figma for Mobile App Design

Key Concepts

• Purpose of Design Critiques
• Preparing for Critiques
• Receiving Feedback
• Analyzing Feedback
• Implementing Changes
• Giving Constructive Feedback
• Creating a Safe Environment
• Iterative Process
• Documenting Feedback
• Collaborative Critiques
• Best Practices
• Common Pitfalls
• Continuous Improvement

1. Purpose of Design Critiques

Design critiques serve to evaluate and improve the quality of design work. They provide an opportunity for designers to receive feedback from peers, mentors, and stakeholders, which can lead to more refined and effective designs.

Example: A critique session where designers discuss the usability and visual appeal of a mobile app screen, leading to suggestions for improving the user experience.

2. Preparing for Critiques

Preparing for critiques involves gathering all necessary materials, such as design files, prototypes, and documentation, and organizing them in a way that makes it easy for reviewers to understand the design.

Example: Creating a presentation that outlines the design goals, user personas, and key design decisions before the critique session.

3. Receiving Feedback

Receiving feedback involves actively listening to the comments and suggestions from reviewers without becoming defensive. It's important to remain open-minded and consider all feedback as a potential opportunity for improvement.

Example: A designer listens to feedback about the color scheme of a mobile app screen, noting suggestions for better contrast and readability.

4. Analyzing Feedback

Analyzing feedback involves evaluating the comments received during the critique to identify common themes, actionable suggestions, and areas that require further exploration.

Example: After a critique, a designer reviews the feedback to identify that multiple reviewers suggested improving the navigation menu, indicating a need for further design iterations.

5. Implementing Changes

Implementing changes involves taking the feedback received and making the necessary adjustments to the design. This step requires careful consideration of the feedback and how it aligns with the overall design goals.

Example: Based on feedback, a designer updates the navigation menu to make it more intuitive and user-friendly, improving the overall usability of the mobile app.

6. Giving Constructive Feedback

Giving constructive feedback involves providing comments that are specific, actionable, and supportive. The goal is to help the designer improve their work without discouraging them.

Example: A reviewer suggests that the button placement on a mobile app screen could be improved for better accessibility, providing specific reasons and potential solutions.

7. Creating a Safe Environment

Creating a safe environment for critiques involves fostering an atmosphere where designers feel comfortable sharing their work and receiving feedback without fear of judgment or criticism.

Example: Establishing ground rules for the critique session, such as no personal attacks and focusing on the design rather than the designer, to create a supportive environment.

8. Iterative Process

The iterative process involves repeating the critique and improvement cycle multiple times to refine the design. Each iteration builds on the feedback from the previous one, leading to a more polished final product.

Example: After implementing changes based on the first critique, a designer presents the updated design in a second critique session to receive further feedback and make additional improvements.

9. Documenting Feedback

Documenting feedback involves keeping a record of the comments and suggestions received during critiques. This documentation helps track the evolution of the design and ensures that all feedback is considered.

Example: A designer maintains a feedback log that includes comments from each critique session, noting which suggestions were implemented and which were not.

10. Collaborative Critiques

Collaborative critiques involve involving multiple stakeholders, such as designers, developers, and product managers, in the critique process. This collaboration ensures that the design meets the needs of all parties involved.

Example: A critique session that includes designers, developers, and product managers, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of the design from different perspectives.

11. Best Practices

Best practices for design critiques include setting clear goals, preparing thoroughly, actively listening, and implementing feedback thoughtfully. These practices ensure that critiques are productive and beneficial.

Example: Following best practices by setting a clear goal for the critique session, such as improving the user flow of a mobile app screen, and preparing a detailed presentation to support the discussion.

12. Common Pitfalls

Common pitfalls in design critiques include becoming defensive, ignoring feedback, and failing to prepare adequately. Avoiding these pitfalls helps ensure that critiques are constructive and effective.

Example: Recognizing and avoiding the pitfall of becoming defensive by remaining open-minded and considering all feedback as a potential opportunity for improvement.

13. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement involves consistently seeking feedback and making iterative improvements to the design. This mindset ensures that the design evolves and improves over time.

Example: A designer regularly schedules critique sessions and implements feedback to continuously refine the design of a mobile app, leading to a more polished and effective final product.

Examples and Analogies

Purpose of Design Critiques: Think of design critiques as a quality control check in a factory. Just as quality control ensures that products meet standards, critiques ensure that designs meet quality and usability standards.

Preparing for Critiques: Consider preparing for critiques like preparing for a presentation. Just as a presentation requires gathering materials and organizing them, critiques require gathering design files and organizing them for review.

Receiving Feedback: Picture receiving feedback as receiving advice from a mentor. Just as a mentor provides guidance, feedback provides insights for improvement.

Analyzing Feedback: Imagine analyzing feedback as reviewing a report. Just as a report requires careful reading and analysis, feedback requires careful evaluation to identify key points.

Implementing Changes: Think of implementing changes as making repairs to a car. Just as repairs improve the car's performance, changes improve the design's effectiveness.

Giving Constructive Feedback: Consider giving constructive feedback like offering suggestions for a recipe. Just as recipe suggestions improve the dish, constructive feedback improves the design.

Creating a Safe Environment: Picture creating a safe environment as setting up a playground. Just as a playground provides a safe place for children to play, a safe environment provides a comfortable space for critiques.

Iterative Process: Think of the iterative process as refining a sculpture. Just as a sculpture is refined through multiple iterations, a design is refined through multiple critiques.

Documenting Feedback: Consider documenting feedback like keeping a journal. Just as a journal records events, documentation records feedback for reference.

Collaborative Critiques: Picture collaborative critiques as a group project. Just as a group project involves multiple perspectives, collaborative critiques involve multiple viewpoints.

Best Practices: Think of best practices as the rules of a game. Just as following the rules ensures a fair game, following best practices ensures productive critiques.

Common Pitfalls: Consider common pitfalls as obstacles in a race. Just as avoiding obstacles ensures a smooth race, avoiding pitfalls ensures effective critiques.

Continuous Improvement: Picture continuous improvement as training for a marathon. Just as training improves performance, continuous improvement enhances design quality.