MAACE Design Feedback Sessions

What we changed 

• Extended each feedback session to 35 minutes to allow more time for presenters to give context on their work and for group discussions 

• Got rid of the feedback template to reduce the amount of prep work 

• Are no longer asking participants to decide in advance what they will present

• Created a schedule where participants can sign up for sessions so they have more time to prepare and can choose a time that does not conflict with project deadlines 

Format 

• MAACE Design Feedback Sessions are hosted every two weeks beginning in January 2024 and running until March

• The meeting is 90 minutes and features timeslots for two feedback sessions 

• Each feedback session is 35 minutes 

• All attendees participate as one group 

Schedule 

Participants can use this schedule to pick a timeslot for an upcoming design feedback session. If you have selected a timeslot but cannot present that day, you may swap days with someone else.

Book a feedback session

Feedback session structure

What is a MAACE Design Feedback Session?

MAACE Design Feedback Sessions are an opportunity for designers to get feedback from their peers on their work, similar to a development code review. This is also referred to as a design critique. 

“A design critique refers to analyzing a design, and giving feedback on whether it meets its objectives. It is nearly impossible to improve a design without feedback from others. Their input helps you avoid mistakes and thus create higher quality work. The old saying rings true: two brains (or more in this case) are always better than one” (Design Critiques: Encourage a Positive Culture to Improve Products).

Roles 

Presenter 

Provides clarity on the stage of work, the problem they are solving, their user or project goals, and the type of feedback they seek at this time. 

Participants 

Open feedback is essential for a collaborative UX process. However, sharing unfinished work is naturally uncomfortable and often generates tension. Channel your inputs in one of four ways:
Positive: Share what you think works well and ground it in relation to the user or project goals.
Constructive: Articulate how something could be better and why.
Idea: Suggest ideas for the presenter to consider in their process.
Question: Ask open questions for the presenter to consider before they complete their designs. 

Facilitator 

The facilitator ensures that the design feedback generates valuable inputs for the presenter.
Time boxing: The facilitator keeps the conversation on track by making sure that the group follows the agenda.
Keep conversation on track: The facilitator keeps in mind what the presenter is looking for feedback on and directs the conversation back if it gets off track.
Note taking: If requested, the facilitator takes notes of the discussion to provide them to the presenter afterwards. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

What can I present? 

Any UX design or research work that you would like input on can be presented. It does not need to be polished or even complete. Examples of content you could present include: 

• Project plans  

• Process flow diagrams  

• Wireframes  

• Research plans  

• Research deliverables  

• Plans for a workshop or collaborative session

How should I prepare? 

When preparing for your session, it can be helpful to consider these questions: 

1. What outcome are you trying to achieve? What metrics are you trying to increase or decrease?

2. Are there any barriers blocking progress? Examples include technology, policy, regulatory, and skill or capacity within the team. 

3. What phase of the process are you in? Examples include discovery, research, ideation, prototyping, testing and delivery. 

4. What do you want feedback on?  

5. What do you not want feedback on? 

How can I give context for participants unfamiliar with my project?

A good way to frame your work for other participants is by sharing your problem statement. A problem statement is an overview of the challenge you’re facing that explains an issue’s cause, impact and potential solutions. An example of a MAACE problem statement has been provided below. 

Problem statement example 

Identify the problem

Clients applying for marine insurance certificates are providing insurance documents that contain errors. 

Put the problem into context

Marine insurance certificates are legal documents and cannot be issued if there is incorrect information on the supporting insurance documents as this would be a liability for Transport Canada.  

Service requests that have errors in their insurance documentation require an average of one hour of extra time spent processing each request to account for email communication back and forth with Marine Insurance Unit administrators and the client to fix these problems. 

Find the root cause

Insurance companies are using their own sources for vessel information that may not align with what is contained in the Canadian Vessel Registry database. 

Describe your ideal outcome

Reduce the amount of time spent by Marine Insurance Unit administrators communicating with clients about errors in their insurance documents by 80%. 

Propose a solution and outline its benefits

When clients upload insurance documents, we are proposing to provide validation using the Canadian Vessel Registry database so that they are informed of corrections that need to be made before they submit their application. This will eliminate the need for Marine Insurance Unit administrators to manually review and inform clients of errors. 

Resources 

Articulating Design Decisions: Communicate... by Greever, Tom (amazon.ca) 

Design Critiques: Encourage a Positive Culture to Improve Products (nngroup.com) 

Critiquing our (remote) design crits | by Aletheia Delivre | UX Collective (uxdesign.cc) 

SQUACK: UX Feedback and Critique with Julie Jensen - YouTube 

How To Write a Problem Statement: A Step-By-Step Guide | FigJam (figma.com)

How regular feedback improves service delivery at ISED - Canadian Digital Service (canada.ca)