Design Critique
Honest, specific, actionable feedback on interface design.
The Critique Stance
- Be direct. No soft language. No vibes-only feedback.
- Point to specifics, not generalities.
- Explain why, not just what.
- Reference principles, not preferences.
- Offer fixes, not just problems.
Process
- Identify what you're critiquing - Screen, component, flow, or interaction
- Gather context - Platform, users, constraints (if available)
- Apply the lens - Clarity, hierarchy, interaction, accessibility, craft
- Prioritize issues - P0 (blocking) through P3 (polish)
- Propose fixes - Specific, actionable changes
Quick Check (Use CHECKLIST.md for detailed pass)
Clarity
- Can users predict outcomes before acting?
- Is the hierarchy of information obvious?
- Are interactive elements clearly distinguished?
Interaction
- Do all states exist? (hover, focus, active, disabled, loading, error)
- Is feedback immediate?
- Can users recover from errors?
Accessibility
- Focus visible and logical?
- Contrast sufficient?
- Touch targets adequate (44x44pt)?
Output Contract
Structure every critique as:
## Verdict
[1 sentence: ship/iterate/rethink]
## Issues
### P0: [Issue Name]
- **What's wrong**: [Specific observation]
- **Why it matters**: [User impact]
- **Evidence**: [Element, screen, or behavior]
- **Fix**: [Actionable change]
### P1: [Issue Name]
...
## Accessibility Pass
- Focus visibility: [Pass / Issue + fix]
- Contrast: [Pass / Issue + fix]
- Touch targets: [Pass / Issue + fix]
- Motion: [Respects reduced-motion? / Issue]
## What's Working
[2-3 things done well - critique includes praise]
## Next Steps
- [ ] [Verification action 1]
- [ ] [Verification action 2]
Severity Levels
| Level |
Description |
Action |
| P0 |
Blocks task, causes confusion, or data loss |
Must fix before ship |
| P1 |
Frequent friction, misclicks, unclear recovery |
Should fix |
| P2 |
Polish, efficiency, minor annoyance |
Fix if time permits |
| P3 |
Nice-to-have refinement |
Consider for later |
The Questions Behind Everything
- "What is the user trying to do here?"
- "What's the most important thing on this screen?"
- "What would happen if we removed this?"
- "Would a new user understand this?"
- "Are we proud of this?"
Common Critique Notes
"Too busy": Too many things competing for attention. Remove until important things breathe.
"Not discoverable": Hidden functionality, unlabeled icons, gestures without affordance.
"Inconsistent": Different patterns for similar actions. Pick one and commit.
"Feels off": Usually spacing, alignment, or timing. The eye knows before the mind articulates.
"Overdesigned": Every effect turned up. Decoration overwhelming function. Subtract until inevitable.
Deep Reference
For detailed heuristics, common failures, and platform-specific patterns:
- CHECKLIST.md - Quick pass checklist
- PRINCIPLES.md - Full critique principles and examples
1---2name: design-critique3description: Critique UI/UX designs for clarity, hierarchy, interaction, accessibility, and craft. Use for design reviews, PR feedback on UI changes, evaluating mockups, checking if a component is ship-ready, or when honest feedback is needed on whether something meets a high bar.4---5
6# Design Critique
7
8Honest, specific, actionable feedback on interface design.
9
10## The Critique Stance
11
12- Be direct. No soft language. No vibes-only feedback.
13- Point to specifics, not generalities.
14- Explain why, not just what.
15- Reference principles, not preferences.
16- Offer fixes, not just problems.
17
18## Process
19
201. **Identify what you're critiquing** - Screen, component, flow, or interaction
212. **Gather context** - Platform, users, constraints (if available)
223. **Apply the lens** - Clarity, hierarchy, interaction, accessibility, craft
234. **Prioritize issues** - P0 (blocking) through P3 (polish)
245. **Propose fixes** - Specific, actionable changes
25
26## Quick Check (Use CHECKLIST.md for detailed pass)
27
28**Clarity**
29- Can users predict outcomes before acting?
30- Is the hierarchy of information obvious?
31- Are interactive elements clearly distinguished?
32
33**Interaction**
34- Do all states exist? (hover, focus, active, disabled, loading, error)
35- Is feedback immediate?
36- Can users recover from errors?
37
38**Accessibility**
39- Focus visible and logical?
40- Contrast sufficient?
41- Touch targets adequate (44x44pt)?
42
43## Output Contract
44
45Structure every critique as:
46
47```markdown
48## Verdict
49[1 sentence: ship/iterate/rethink]
50
51## Issues
52
53### P0: [Issue Name]
54- **What's wrong**: [Specific observation]
55- **Why it matters**: [User impact]
56- **Evidence**: [Element, screen, or behavior]
57- **Fix**: [Actionable change]
58
59### P1: [Issue Name]
60...
61
62## Accessibility Pass
63- Focus visibility: [Pass / Issue + fix]
64- Contrast: [Pass / Issue + fix]
65- Touch targets: [Pass / Issue + fix]
66- Motion: [Respects reduced-motion? / Issue]
67
68## What's Working
69[2-3 things done well - critique includes praise]
70
71## Next Steps
72- [ ] [Verification action 1]
73- [ ] [Verification action 2]
74```
75
76## Severity Levels
77
78| Level | Description | Action |
79|-------|-------------|--------|
80| **P0** | Blocks task, causes confusion, or data loss | Must fix before ship |
81| **P1** | Frequent friction, misclicks, unclear recovery | Should fix |
82| **P2** | Polish, efficiency, minor annoyance | Fix if time permits |
83| **P3** | Nice-to-have refinement | Consider for later |
84
85## The Questions Behind Everything
86
87- "What is the user trying to do here?"
88- "What's the most important thing on this screen?"
89- "What would happen if we removed this?"
90- "Would a new user understand this?"
91- "Are we proud of this?"
92
93## Common Critique Notes
94
95**"Too busy"**: Too many things competing for attention. Remove until important things breathe.
96
97**"Not discoverable"**: Hidden functionality, unlabeled icons, gestures without affordance.
98
99**"Inconsistent"**: Different patterns for similar actions. Pick one and commit.
100
101**"Feels off"**: Usually spacing, alignment, or timing. The eye knows before the mind articulates.
102
103**"Overdesigned"**: Every effect turned up. Decoration overwhelming function. Subtract until inevitable.
104
105## Deep Reference
106
107For detailed heuristics, common failures, and platform-specific patterns:
108- [CHECKLIST.md](CHECKLIST.md) - Quick pass checklist
109- [PRINCIPLES.md](PRINCIPLES.md) - Full critique principles and examples
tools-only