Design reviews vary from industry to industry and from organization to organization, but most include a few key components:

- Background information about the project requirements and goals

- Criteria used to evaluate the design—what success looks like

- The design itself

- Direct feedback, questions, and actionable ideas

The best way to write a design review is to use a rubric. A systematized critique process takes the guesswork out of feedback delivery, ensuring that team members can communicate without confusion or tension.

Meet with the relevant team members to create a design review tool that aligns with the needs of your project—which aspects matter most? Where should reviewers direct their attention? By having everyone on the same page as you review the background, requirements, and necessary changes to the design, you can collaborate rather than dictate, building camaraderie while you problem solve.

In most creative processes, the design review stages are:

1. Presentation: The first stage is a review of the design brief, the necessary background details, and the current iteration of the product, program, or page. The designer may choose to contextualize or describe their design as they see fit.

2. Critique: After establishing the criteria—the metrics by which the design should be evaluated, such as “how accessible is the design?” or “does the design fit into our family of products?”—you’ll begin soliciting feedback from the relevant stakeholders and collaborators.

3. Evaluation: Once you’ve gathered these critical thoughts, you’ll want to prioritize them to determine your next steps, using the established criteria and the project’s main objectives as a guiding force.

After the design review, most developers will likely implement the essential changes before presenting their next iteration for a similar review session using the same design feedback template.