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. That is all, and it is often enough.
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.