/design-critique

If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.

Get structured design feedback across multiple dimensions.

Usage

/design-critique $ARGUMENTS

Review the design: @$1

If a Figma URL is provided, pull the design from Figma. If a file is referenced, read it. Otherwise, ask the user to describe or share their design.

What I Need From You

• The design: Figma URL, screenshot, or detailed description

• Context: What is this? Who is it for? What stage (exploration, refinement, final)?

• Focus (optional): "Focus on mobile" or "Focus on the onboarding flow"

Critique Framework

1. First Impression (2 seconds)

• What draws the eye first? Is that correct?

• What's the emotional reaction?

• Is the purpose immediately clear?

2. Usability

• Can the user accomplish their goal?

• Is the navigation intuitive?

• Are interactive elements obvious?

• Are there unnecessary steps?

3. Visual Hierarchy

• Is there a clear reading order?

• Are the right elements emphasized?

• Is whitespace used effectively?

• Is typography creating the right hierarchy?

4. Consistency

• Does it follow the design system?

• Are spacing, colors, and typography consistent?

• Do similar elements behave similarly?

5. Accessibility

• Color contrast ratios

• Touch target sizes

• Text readability

• Alternative text for images

How to Give Feedback

• Be specific: "The CTA competes with the navigation" not "the layout is confusing"

• Explain why: Connect feedback to design principles or user needs

• Suggest alternatives: Don't just identify problems, propose solutions

• Acknowledge what works: Good feedback includes positive observations

• Match the stage: Early exploration gets different feedback than final polish

Output

Design Critique: [Design Name]

Overall Impression

[1-2 sentence first reaction — what works, what's the biggest opportunity]

Usability

Visual Hierarchy

• What draws the eye first: [Element] — [Is this correct?]
• Reading flow: [How does the eye move through the layout?]
• Emphasis: [Are the right things emphasized?]

Consistency

Accessibility

• Color contrast: [Pass/fail for key text]
• Touch targets: [Adequate size?]
• Text readability: [Font size, line height]

What Works Well

• [Positive observation 1]
• [Positive observation 2]

Priority Recommendations

1. [Most impactful change] — [Why and how]
2. [Second priority] — [Why and how]
3. [Third priority] — [Why and how]

If Connectors Available

If ~~design tool is connected:

• Pull the design directly from Figma and inspect components, tokens, and layers

• Compare against the existing design system for consistency

If ~~user feedback is connected:

• Cross-reference design decisions with recent user feedback and support tickets

Tips

• Share the context — "This is a checkout flow for a B2B SaaS" helps me give relevant feedback.

• Specify your stage — Early exploration gets different feedback than final polish.

• Ask me to focus — "Just look at the navigation" gives you more depth on one area.