🔦 Design reviews are essential for catching issues early and ensuring your design aligns with project goals.
💡 There are different types of design reviews (concept, preliminary, critical, system, product, and UX) each with its own purpose and timing.
🔍 Running an effective design review involves preparation, clear role assignments, and follow-up actions.
🍯 Tools like UXtweak, Figma, and Zeplin can significantly streamline the process by offering data-driven insights and seamless collaboration.
When it comes to creating great products, design reviews can make all the difference.
In this guide, we’re going to walk through everything you need to know about design reviews—from what they are and why they matter to practical tips on how to run them effectively.
Whether you’re a UX designer, team leader, or part of a product research team, this article is packed with insights and actionable advice to help you lead better design review sessions.
What is a design review?
A design review is a formal process used to evaluate a design against project requirements and objectives.
Its primary focus is to ensure that the design is functional, technically feasible, and meets user needs before moving on to the next phase.
While user feedback is vital – and something that’s typically explored in a design critique (more on that in our upcoming Design Critique article) – a design review zeroes in on the technical and usability aspects.
As Steve Jobs famously said,
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
This process ensures your design is working as it should before you proceed further.
Importance of design review sessions
Design reviews are crucial because they help identify issues early, saving time and money in the long run.
Catching problems before they turn into costly fixes in production ensures that your design aligns with both business objectives and user needs.
In everyday terms, addressing design issues early is like noticing you put on mismatched socks before leaving your house—taking care of the small details now prevents bigger embarrassments later.
This early detection sets a collaborative tone where every team member’s input is valued and makes it easier for everyone to agree on what success looks like.
Building on this foundation, establishing clear acceptance criteria from the start creates a shared roadmap for the entire process.
This clarity not only helps everyone understand when a design is truly complete, but it also boosts team morale as each member feels more engaged and responsible.
💡 Pro Tip
Learn more about UX design process in our UX Design Process guide.
Types of design reviews
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to design reviews. Different stages in the design process call for different types of reviews. Here’s a quick rundown:
Type of Review What It Involves When It's Conducted Design Critique When the team gives feedback on the overall design, focusing on things like creativity, visual elements, and how well it aligns with the concept. Early in the design phase, before the final direction is set. Design Review Here, you dig into the technical and usability aspects, making sure everything works as it should and meets both user needs and business goals. Before development starts or during the middle of production. Usability Review This is all about making sure the design is easy to use. I.e. testing it with users to catch any navigation or usability issues. Once a prototype is ready, before the final design gets approved. Functional Review This checks if the design actually works from a technical standpoint. Can it be built? Is it scalable? Does it meet the required functionality? Once the design is finalized, before development kicks off. Stakeholder Review This review makes sure the design aligns with the goals and expectations of key stakeholders—like clients, product owners, or marketing teams. Throughout the design process, especially at key stages. Peer review Fellow or external design experts evaluate the design to make sure it's up to standard. It’s about getting fresh perspectives and refining the design based on that feedback. Early on or after major milestones, when the design is in a solid state.
Each type serves a unique purpose. For instance, a concept design review helps validate your initial ideas, while a critical design review ensures every detail has been thoroughly checked before the design is finalized.
How to run an effective design review?
Running a successful design review is all about organization and clarity. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:
1. Assign clear roles
Decide who is presenting, who will provide feedback, and who is facilitating the session. This structure ensures that everyone knows their part and helps keep the discussion focused.
2. Prepare design artifacts in advance
Share prototypes, wireframes, or any relevant documentation with your reviewers before the meeting. Pre-session preparation means everyone comes in ready to evaluate the design.
3. Clearly explain the goals
Start the session by outlining what you hope to achieve. Whether you’re looking for validation, troubleshooting issues, or making key decisions, being upfront about your goals sets the right expectations.
4. Assign action items
As the session wraps up, document all feedback and assign follow-up tasks. This ensures that the valuable insights are translated into tangible improvements.
5. Schedule regular reviews
Consistent check-ins help maintain quality throughout the project lifecycle. Regular reviews foster a culture of continuous improvement and open communication.
💡 Pro Tip
For more tips on improving team collaboration and streamlining your review process, you can explore our UX Tools page.
Creating a design review checklist
A detailed checklist is a crucial part of any design review. Here are some key points to include:
- Alignment with project objectives: Does the design meet the initial goals and requirements?
- User needs & usability: Are user pain points addressed, and is the design easy to use?
- Technical feasibility: Can the design be implemented within existing technical constraints?
- Adherence to guidelines: Does the design follow established brand and design standards?
- Risk & scalability: Are potential risks identified, and is the design scalable?
- Accessibility standards: Is the design accessible to all potential users?
Involve your team in creating the checklist to gather different perspectives and catch issues that might otherwise be missed.
Want to optimize your design review process? UXtweak enables you to efficiently gather feedback, integrate diverse research methods, and extract meaningful insights—all in one comprehensive platform. 🍯
Design review templates
To streamline your process even further, here are three customizable design review templates you can adapt based on your project needs:
1. Concept/Preliminary review template
This template is perfect for the early stages of a project when you’re still exploring ideas and getting feedback on the overall direction.
Sections:
- Goals: What are we trying to achieve with this design?
- Design overview: A brief description of the design concept.
- Feedback: Collect initial reactions, suggestions, and concerns.
- Action items: What needs to be done next based on feedback?
2. Critical review template
Use this template when you need to go deeper into the details of your design before making final decisions.
Sections:
- Introduction: Brief context about the design and its purpose.
- Detailed design analysis: A thorough breakdown of the design’s components and functionality.
- Review criteria: What are the specific things you’re evaluating? (e.g., usability, aesthetic, performance)
- Risks: Identify potential problems or weaknesses in the design.
- Next steps: What actions should the team take to move forward?
3. UX-Focused review template
This template ensures that the user experience remains a priority, helping to fine-tune the design for usability and user satisfaction.
Sections:
- User goals: What are the users trying to accomplish with this design?
- Usability findings: Highlight issues or positive points discovered during user testing or review.
- Design iterations: Note any changes made to improve the design based on previous reviews.
- Follow-up actions: What actions are necessary to address usability concerns?
These templates can be adjusted to suit different stages or types of reviews, helping you keep your sessions structured and efficient.
Essential design review tools & software
No design review process is complete without the right set of tools. Here’s a quick rundown of some that can make a meaningful difference:
1. UXtweak
UXtweak is a powerful all-in-one user research platform ideal for usability testing, behavioral analytics, surveys and so much more. Its exportable reports and participant recruitment features make it a must-have for validating designs with data-driven insights.
With UXtweak, you can find out how users interact with your product and where they face issues, pinpoint areas of improvement, understand their behavior and use this information to optimize your product’s UX!
Key features
- Moderated testing and user interviews
- Website testing
- Session recording
- Prototype testing
- Mobile testing
- Mobile testing
- Survey tool
- First click testing
- Card sorting (open, closed, hybrid)
- Tree testing
- Heatmaps
- Preference tests
- 5 Second test
- Online surveys
Pros
- Has easy-to-read analytics that expose user behavior and customer journey analytics
- Multiple recruiting options: 155M+ User Panel, Onsite Recruiting, from your own database or via URL.
- Supports PDF reports
- Has a free forever plan for small projects
- Has a multi-operation dashboard with all-in-one functionality
Cons
- Only supports 14 languages
Pricing & Plans
- Starter Plan: Free, includes 1 active study and 15 responses per month.
- Basic Plan: €113/month, with 3 active studies and 50 responses per month.
- Custom Plan: Unlimited responses and custom support, with pricing based on requirements.
Plans are billed annually, with monthly options available. Visit the UXtweak pricing page for details.
2. Figma
Figma is a powerful design and prototyping tool for real-time collaborative reviews, allowing multiple team members to view and comment on designs simultaneously. It allows users to create high-fidelity wireframes, prototypes and designs. Because the tool is cloud-based, there is no installation required, hence being accessible from anywhere.
Key features
- Cloud-based collaboration
- Prototyping & interaction design
- Cross-platform accessibility
- Commenting & feedback
- Developer handoff
Pros
- Automatic saves and the ability to revert to previous versions
- No need for installations
- Developers can inspect designs
- Multiple users can work on the same file simultaneously
- A generous free tier
Cons
- Team collaboration features require a subscription
- Complex projects can slow down performance
Pricing & Plans
Free trial available, professional plan starts at $12/month (billed annually)
3. Zeplin
Zeplin is a design collaboration and handoff tool that helps bridge the gap between design and development. It does so by ensuring that the final product remains true to the original design through precise handoff details. Zeplin also supports team collaboration by enabling comments and feedback directly on the designs.
Key features
- Seamless integration
- Provides accurate spacing, colors, and typography
- Organized design systems
- Collaborative feedback
Pros
- Smooth developer handoff
- Provides precise measurements
- Generates web and mobile assets in the right formats
- Tracks design updates
- Works with Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and Photoshop
Cons
- Limited design editing
- Less interactive prototyping
- Better suited for large teams
- Requires design uploads
Pricing & Plans
Free trial available, paid version starts at $13.75/month (billed annually)
Integrating these tools into your review process can greatly enhance efficiency and overall quality.
💡 Pro Tip
For additional reading on product design, check out our Product Design section.
Wrapping up
A solid design review process helps create products that look great and work seamlessly. By setting goals, preparing properly, and using the right tools, you’ll catch issues early and keep the team aligned. That’s where UXtweak comes in.
From helping you run usability tests, validate prototypes, and share clear reports with your team, UXtweak ensures your design feedback is spot-on and relevant.
If you want to improve your design review process, UXtweak allows you to gather feedback, seamlessly integrate multiple methods, and gain deeper insights—all within one powerful platform! 🐝
Want to see how it works? Get Started For Free!
