Design critique

Design Critique

Systematically evaluate existing designs and provide specific, actionable improvements with code.

Prerequisites

Before critiquing, check for existing design context:

• Read any design-context files for brand guidelines, design system tokens, or stated goals.
• Understand the project's purpose, audience, and constraints before making recommendations.

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Step 1: Visual Hierarchy Assessment

Evaluate how effectively the design guides the user's eye.

Checklist

• Primary focal point: Is there one clear element that draws attention first?
• Secondary elements: Can you identify a clear 2nd and 3rd level of importance?
• Size contrast: Is the most important element the largest? Is there enough size difference between levels?
• Color contrast: Does the primary CTA use the strongest color? Are secondary elements visually receded?
• Weight contrast: Do headings feel heavier than body text?
• Whitespace: Does the most important element have the most breathing room?
• Reading flow: Does the layout follow an F-pattern (content) or Z-pattern (landing page)?

Common Fixes

/* Problem: All elements same visual weight */
/* Fix: Create clear hierarchy with size and color */

/* Before: flat hierarchy */
.heading { font-size: 1.5rem; color: #333; }
.subheading { font-size: 1.25rem; color: #333; }
.body { font-size: 1rem; color: #333; }

/* After: clear hierarchy */
.heading { font-size: 2.5rem; font-weight: 800; color: var(--gray-900); letter-spacing: -0.02em; }
.subheading { font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 500; color: var(--gray-500); }
.body { font-size: 1rem; font-weight: 400; color: var(--gray-700); line-height: 1.65; }

---

Step 2: Color Usage Evaluation

Checklist

• Palette cohesion: Are all colors from the same family/system or do some feel random?
• Meaningful color: Does each color serve a purpose (brand, semantic, decorative)?
• Color count: Are there too many colors? (Aim for 1-2 brand + 4 semantic + neutrals.)
• Contrast ratios: Does all text meet WCAG AA (4.5:1 for normal, 3:1 for large)?
• Consistent semantic colors: Is red always error? Green always success?
• Dark mode: If present, are colors adapted (not just inverted)?
• Color-only information: Is any information conveyed by color alone? (It should not be.)

Common Fixes

/* Problem: Text fails contrast check */
/* Before: light gray on white */
.muted-text { color: #aaa; } /* ~2.3:1 on white -- FAILS AA */

/* Fix: darken until AA passes */
.muted-text { color: #737373; } /* ~4.6:1 on white -- passes AA */

/* Problem: Link indistinguishable from text */
/* Fix: underline + color */
a { color: var(--brand-500); text-decoration: underline; text-underline-offset: 2px; }

---

Step 3: Typography Consistency Check

Checklist

• Font count: Max 2 typefaces (3 with monospace). More feels chaotic.
• Size scale: Do sizes follow a consistent scale ratio or are they arbitrary?
• Weight usage: Are only 2-3 weights used? (400, 600, 700 is a good set.)
• Line height: Is body text 1.5-1.75? Are headings 1.1-1.3?
• Line length: Is body text constrained to 45-75 characters per line?
• Consistency: Same element types use same styles throughout?
• Text wrap: Are headings using text-wrap: balance?
• Responsive: Does text scale appropriately on mobile?

Common Fixes

/* Problem: Line length too long */
/* Before: text spans full 1400px container */
.content { max-width: 1400px; }

/* Fix: constrain prose */
.content { max-width: 1400px; }
.content .prose { max-width: 65ch; }

/* Problem: Arbitrary font sizes */
/* Fix: implement a scale */
:root {
  --scale: 1.25;
  --text-sm: calc(1rem / var(--scale));
  --text-base: 1rem;
  --text-lg: calc(1rem * var(--scale));
  --text-xl: calc(1rem * var(--scale) * var(--scale));
}

---

Step 4: Spacing and Alignment Audit

Checklist

• Consistent spacing: Are gaps between similar elements the same?
• Spacing scale: Do spacings use a base unit (4px or 8px multiples)?
• Alignment: Are elements aligned to a grid? Left edges lining up?
• Proximity: Are related items closer together than unrelated items?
• Padding balance: Is internal padding consistent within components?
• Vertical rhythm: Is there a consistent rhythm to the vertical spacing?
• Edge consistency: Are page margins consistent across sections?

Common Fixes

/* Problem: Inconsistent spacing */
/* Before: random pixel values */
.card { padding: 17px; margin-bottom: 23px; }
.section { padding: 45px 30px; }

/* Fix: use a 4px/8px scale */
.card { padding: var(--space-5); margin-bottom: var(--space-6); }
.section { padding: var(--space-12) var(--space-8); }

/* Problem: Misaligned elements */
/* Fix: use consistent padding and max-width */
.container {
  max-width: 1200px;
  margin-inline: auto;
  padding-inline: var(--space-6);
}

---

Step 5: Accessibility Review

Contrast

• Normal text (< 18px): 4.5:1 minimum contrast ratio.
• Large text (18px+ bold, 24px+): 3:1 minimum.
• UI components (borders, icons): 3:1 against adjacent colors.
• Focus indicators: 3:1 against adjacent background.

Keyboard Navigation

• All interactive elements are focusable.
• Focus order follows visual order.
• Focus indicator is visible and has sufficient contrast.
• No keyboard traps (user can always tab away).
• Skip-to-content link exists.

Screen Reader

• Images have meaningful alt text (or alt="" if decorative).
• Form inputs have associated labels.
• Icon-only buttons have aria-label.
• Headings form a logical outline (no skipped levels).
• Dynamic content changes are announced (aria-live regions).

Common Fixes

/* Problem: Custom focus style removed */
/* Before */
*:focus { outline: none; } /* NEVER DO THIS */

/* Fix: custom but visible focus */
*:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid var(--brand-500);
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

/* Problem: No skip link */
/* Fix: */
.skip-link {
  position: absolute;
  top: -100%;
  left: 0;
  padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
  background: var(--brand-500);
  color: white;
  z-index: 9999;
}

.skip-link:focus {
  top: 0;
}

<a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">Skip to main content</a>

---

Step 6: Responsive Behavior Check

Checklist

• Mobile layout: Does the layout stack sensibly on small screens?
• Touch targets: Are all interactive elements at least 44x44px on mobile?
• Text readability: Is body text at least 16px on mobile (no zoom needed)?
• Horizontal scroll: Is there any horizontal overflow?
• Images: Do images resize appropriately (max-width: 100%)?
• Navigation: Is mobile navigation accessible and usable?
• Breakpoints: Do layouts transition smoothly between breakpoints?

Common Fixes

/* Problem: Fixed widths cause overflow */
/* Before */
.card { width: 400px; }

/* Fix: flexible with max */
.card { width: 100%; max-width: 400px; }

/* Problem: Small touch targets */
/* Before */
.icon-button { width: 24px; height: 24px; }

/* Fix: larger touch target */
.icon-button {
  width: 24px;
  height: 24px;
  padding: 10px;    /* Increases touch target to 44px */
  margin: -10px;    /* Prevents layout shift */
}

/* Problem: Images overflow container */
img {
  max-width: 100%;
  height: auto;
}

---

Step 7: Performance Impact Assessment

Checklist

• Font loading: Using font-display: swap? Preloading critical fonts?
• Image formats: Using WebP/AVIF with fallbacks?
• Image sizing: Are images sized appropriately (not 4000px for a 400px display)?
• Animation performance: Animations using only transform and opacity?
• CSS efficiency: Any redundant or overriding styles?
• Layout shifts: Are dimensions reserved for images/embeds (aspect-ratio, width/height)?
• Excessive shadows/blurs: Are there complex box-shadows on frequently painted elements?

Common Fixes

/* Problem: Animation causes layout recalculation */
/* Before */
.card:hover { margin-top: -5px; }  /* triggers layout */

/* Fix: use transform */
.card:hover { transform: translateY(-5px); }  /* GPU composited */

/* Problem: Layout shift from images */
/* Fix: reserve space */
img {
  aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
  width: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
}

---

Step 8: Specific Improvement Recommendations

When providing feedback, always follow this structure:

Recommendation Format

### Issue: [What's wrong]
**Severity**: High / Medium / Low
**Category**: Hierarchy | Color | Typography | Spacing | Accessibility | Responsive | Performance

**Problem**: [1-2 sentences describing what's wrong and why it matters]

**Fix**:
[Specific CSS/HTML code to resolve it]

**Impact**: [What improves -- readability, usability, aesthetics, performance]

Example

### Issue: Hero section lacks visual hierarchy
**Severity**: High
**Category**: Hierarchy

**Problem**: The hero headline, subheadline, and CTA button are all similar
in visual weight. Users cannot quickly identify the primary message or action.

**Fix**:

.hero-headline {
  font-size: clamp(2.5rem, 5vw + 1rem, 5rem);
  font-weight: 800;
  line-height: 1.05;
  letter-spacing: -0.03em;
  color: var(--gray-900);
  margin-bottom: var(--space-4);
}

.hero-subtitle {
  font-size: var(--text-xl);
  color: var(--gray-500);   /* Receded from headline */
  max-width: 50ch;
  margin-bottom: var(--space-8);
}

.hero-cta {
  font-size: var(--text-lg);
  padding: var(--space-3) var(--space-8);
  background: var(--brand-500);
  color: white;
  font-weight: 600;
}

**Impact**: Users immediately see the headline, understand the value proposition
from the subtitle, and have a clear next action.

---

Step 9: Before/After Comparison Approach

When suggesting changes, provide both states for comparison.

Structure

1. Identify the specific element or section.
2. Show the current CSS (before).
3. Show the improved CSS (after).
4. Explain what changed and why.

/* BEFORE: Flat, low contrast card */
.card {
  padding: 20px;
  border: 1px solid #eee;
  background: white;
}

.card h3 {
  font-size: 18px;
  margin-bottom: 8px;
}

.card p {
  font-size: 14px;
  color: #666;
}

/* AFTER: Elevated, clear hierarchy */
.card {
  padding: var(--space-6);
  border: 1px solid var(--border-default);
  border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
  background: var(--bg-secondary);
  transition: box-shadow 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
}

.card:hover {
  box-shadow: var(--shadow-md);
  transform: translateY(-2px);
}

.card h3 {
  font-size: var(--text-xl);
  font-weight: 700;
  color: var(--text-primary);
  margin-bottom: var(--space-2);
}

.card p {
  font-size: var(--text-sm);
  color: var(--text-secondary);
  line-height: 1.6;
}

/* Changes: added border-radius, hover elevation, better spacing tokens,
   stronger heading weight, improved line-height for readability */

---

Step 10: Scoring Framework

Rate the design across these dimensions (1-10 scale):

Categories

Category	Weight	What to evaluate
Hierarchy	25%	Clear focal points, scannable, directed flow
Consistency	25%	Spacing scale, color system, type system, patterns
Aesthetics	25%	Color harmony, whitespace, polish, modern feel
Usability	25%	Accessibility, responsiveness, clarity, performance

Scoring Rubric

Score	Meaning
1-2	Fundamentally broken. Major rework needed.
3-4	Significant issues. Multiple areas need attention.
5-6	Functional but unpolished. Clear improvement areas.
7-8	Good. Minor refinements would elevate it.
9-10	Excellent. Professional quality, well-executed.

Report Template

## Design Critique Report

### Overall Score: X/10

| Category    | Score | Notes                                |
|-------------|-------|--------------------------------------|
| Hierarchy   | X/10  | [brief note]                         |
| Consistency | X/10  | [brief note]                         |
| Aesthetics  | X/10  | [brief note]                         |
| Usability   | X/10  | [brief note]                         |

### Top 3 Strengths
1. [What's working well]
2. [What's working well]
3. [What's working well]

### Top 3 Improvements (with code)
1. [Highest impact fix -- include CSS]
2. [Second highest impact fix -- include CSS]
3. [Third highest impact fix -- include CSS]

### Quick Wins (< 5 min each)
- [Small change, big impact]
- [Small change, big impact]

---

Critique Process Summary

1. Read design context and understand goals.
2. Assess visual hierarchy: Is there a clear 1-2-3 priority?
3. Evaluate colors: Cohesive? Accessible? Purposeful?
4. Check typography: Consistent scale? Good line length? Readable?
5. Audit spacing: Using a system? Aligned? Consistent?
6. Review accessibility: Contrast, focus, labels, keyboard?
7. Test responsive: Mobile stacking, touch targets, overflow?
8. Check performance: Animations efficient? Images sized? Fonts loaded?
9. Provide specific fixes: Always include code, never just describe.
10. Score and prioritize: Give an overall score and rank recommendations by impact.