Your team cannot see the problem anymore because they walk past it every day. A review is a stranger walking in.
Somebody who has not been in the room looks at the work and tells you the truth about it, ranked, in writing.
What does a design review cover?
- Does it make sense? Can a stranger tell what this is and what to do next.
- Does it work? The buttons, the forms, the phone, the slow page.
- Does it look like one company? The type, the colors, the voice, the photos.
- Does it do the job? Whether the design helps the business goal or just looks nice.
When is a design review worth it?
Before you launch, before you spend real money on ads pointing at it, and when sales or sign-ups dropped and nobody knows why. Also when two people on your team disagree and you need a tiebreaker who does not work for either of them.
What do I get at the end?
A short written list: what to keep, what to fix, and the order to fix it in. No forty-slide deck.
How is a design review different from a usability test?
A review is an expert's judgment. A usability test watches real customers. A review is faster and cheaper. A test is the final word. Start with the review and test the parts that are still in doubt.
Answered by Jared Lukes, Minneapolis. Twenty-five years in brand, UX, and technology, currently holding fractional AI and technology seats at three companies. About Jared.