How did they try to achieve it?
Next we identify the choices that the creator made to try to reach the
objectives they have and produce the work we’re looking at. Whether
the creator spent time going back and forth between options to
determine which was better, or something was done just based on
instinct or given little conscious thought at all, everything being
looked at is the result of a choice.
How effective were their choices?
Now that you are thinking about specific objectives and choices that
the creator made it’s time to ask whether you think the choices they
made will work to achieve the objective they set? This is the crux of
critical thinking.
Why is, or isn’t, what they did effective?
Finally, think about the result that you think the choice will actually
produce. How close is it to the actual objective? Is it completely
different? Does it work counter to the objective. Maybe it won’t work
to achieve the objective on it’s own but it contributes, in conjunction
with other elements of the design, to the objective.Note that the first two questions can be reversed in order depending on how
the design is being presented. These questions form the foundation for the
critical thinking that comprises good critique. As such, these questions can be
asked and answered internally by individuals giving feedback, or they can be
exposed and asked directly of the creator. As mentioned in the section on best
practices for giving critique it’s great to lead with questions, and questions that
ask about what choices were made and what objectives those choices were
intended to achieve make a great way to start the conversation.
Other questions to think about
The four questions above will help you formulate feedback that a creator can
use to better understand the effectiveness of their choices in regards to their
objectives, but what about other aspects of the design, what about other
questions that come up. For example:
What new problems, complications, or successes might arise from the
choices being proposed?
What other objectives should the creator have been considering, but
didn’t?Raising these kinds of questions can be important. Ignoring them may mean
missing something that becomes problematic later on down the project’s