Participants:

2-10

11-25

25+

Prep Time:

Time to run:

30 min

Critique template

Use this framework to allow designers to present their current solution.

Start from this template

Courtesy of our friends at

This template offers a structured way for designers to gather feedback on their proposed solutions to problems.

Provided in the template are: Areas for presenting the solutions and adding basic instructions, including suggested formats for how to present the solutions and frame your request for feedback, as well as an area for analysis with your team.

The critique template helps you:

Guide you team through a comprehensive review session
Gather valuable and constructive feedback
Analyze potential strengths and weaknesses
Brainstorm pathways to improve in a focused, positive way

How to use the critique template

To use this template, structure your session in three segments: First, present your proposed solutions; next, allow time for your team to brainstorm and write down their feedback; and finally, bring everyone back together to analyze the feedback and apply it to the current design.

Step 1: Present your proposed solutions

Use the beginning of your critique session to present the proposed solutions, making sure to provide as much context (including visuals) as necessary. This is crucial in order to ensure that you are gathering meaningful feedback in the following steps.

Step 2: Individual brainstorming

Break out as individuals, and have everyone spend 10 minutes silently recording their ideas, with the goal of answering the following questions:

What do you like about this solution?
What don’t you like about this solution?
What are some ideas you have to improve this solution?

Pro-tip: Use Mural’s private mode tool to avoid groupthink during this individual ideation session.

Step 3: Analyze feedback as a group

Once your team has had time to record their ideas, bring everyone back together to go over the feedback and see how it might apply to the proposed solution. Note: It can be useful to drag sticky notes over to the parts of the solution where they apply to make your feedback more actionable after the meeting.

Tips for running a critique template exercise

To get the most out of your critique, you should:

Make sure to keep things on track using the timer tool
Use Mural’s private mode (as noted above) and anonymous voting to help determine the best path forward
Once you have gathered all your feedback, organize it by theme using tags or color coding to create actionable next steps within the same workspace

How to create a Critique template

Start from blank template

View example template

Mural’s critique template takes you from ideas to action

By offering an infinite canvas to present your ideas, collect and organize feedback, and determine the best actions to take, Mural gives your team a single place to move from ideation to innovation.

Infinite & resizable canvas options

Choose the right canvas for your collaboration goals — flexibility without limits.

Sticky notes & text

Add ideas, action items, and more as a sticky note or text box — then change the colors and cluster to identify patterns and new solutions.

Real-time collaboration

Add more productivity and engagement to meetings and calls with features to guide collaboration.

Private mode

Avoid groupthink and get authentic feedback by allowing collaborators to add content privately.

Timer

Keep collaboration moving forward with a timer to structure and time-box activities.

Anonymous voting

Gain consensus and reach alignment quickly, either in real time or asynchronously.