/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
| Finding | Severity | Recommendation |
|---------|----------|----------------|
| [Issue] | 🔴 Critical / 🟡 Moderate / 🟢 Minor | [Fix] |
### 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
| Element | Issue | Recommendation |
|---------|-------|----------------|
| [Typography/spacing/color] | [Inconsistency] | [Fix] |
### 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.