Design Review ELEC 421

What? A scheduled, systematic evaluation of a design by knowledgeable people, particularly fellow designers, the client, members of the client’s organization, and outside experts An important way for a team to get an informed outside perspective and to keep the project on track In industry, they are often done at several points during a project

Why? To help the design team ensure that the design meets client and user requirements Each review helps designers to rethink and refine their concepts Use the review as an opportunity to ensure quality control at a point in the process when it’s not too late to correct mistakes

How? A typical review begins with the team briefly discussing client and user requirements The team then presents its design (or design alternatives, if a single design concept has not been decided on) The reviewer’s role is to evaluate the design critically by asking questions, identifying problems, and making suggestions

Preparing the Review Make your presentation brief by devoting most of it to describing the design itself Present background information on the client and users as needed Use visual aids (e.g., PowerPoint slides, photos, video clips, etc.) as needed Prepare a questionnaire about areas that particularly concern you as well as strengths and weaknesses of the design

Presenting the Review Not to persuade that the design is wonderful Encourage reviewers to uncover possible problems in the design, offer suggestions for improvement Ask for oral feedback during and after the presentation Respond non-defensively Record all comments

Reviewer’s role Offer constructive feedback and probing questions Say what you like and dislike Probe the how and why of the design Be on the lookout for “latent defects” (i.e., design flaws that are not obvious and that may surface during the use of product) Ask about the design’s reliability and safety issues