design-critique · owl-listener — Claude Code skill: run a structured design critique
The skill runs a team design critique: session framing, feedback rules, and action items with owners. Built for sessions with people in the room.
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a claude-codeWhat design-critique does
This skill gives a design critique a shape. Before the session the designer shares goals, constraints, audience and stage of work; the team decides what feedback is wanted — layout, flow, copy, or all of it — and agrees on the rules: constructive, specific, actionable.
The session itself moves in steps: present, clarify with questions that don't judge, feedback rounds by category or priority, open discussion of the key tensions, then capture decisions and action items. Feedback phrasing is fixed: "I notice…" for an observation, "I wonder…" for a question, "What if…" for an alternative, "I think… because…" for an opinion with rationale. Afterwards the designer summarises takeaways, and items get owners and deadlines.
Four formats are covered: desk crit one on one, team crit, cross-team crit for fresh eyes, and stakeholder review aimed at approval. The skill also names the usual failures — designing by committee, personal preference standing in for user needs, critiquing too early or too late. For a solo expert review it points to heuristic-evaluation.
What it helps with
- run a design critique with a team without drowning in opinions
- keep observations separate from personal taste in the room
- capture decisions and action items with owners after the session
- pick the right critique format for the stage of work
- spot a broken critique habit before it repeats
Example prompts for the agent
- Help me run a team critique of the new checkout screen: gather context, set the rules, walk us through the steps.
- We're doing a cross-team crit on the profile page. Prepare the session framing and clarifying questions.
- Summarise yesterday's crit: list the decisions and action items with owners and deadlines.
How to install design-critique
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a claude-code2Manually: put the files in place
~/.claude/skills/design-critique/SKILL.mdCopy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/design-critique/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a codex2Manually: put the files in place
.agents/skills/design-critique/SKILL.mdFor all projects use ~/.agents/skills/
1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a cursor2Manually: put the files in place
.cursor/skills/design-critique/SKILL.mdCursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/
1GitHub CLI
gh skill install Owl-Listener/designer-skills design-critique2Manually: put the files in place
.github/skills/design-critique/SKILL.md1Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a gemini-cli2Platform CLI
gemini skills install https://github.com/Owl-Listener/designer-skills --path design-ops/skills/design-critiqueManually: put the files in place
.devin/skills/design-critique/SKILL.mdThe legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works
Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a opencodeClaude.ai
Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways
Questions about design-critique
How do I install design-critique in Claude?
Run npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-critique -a claude-code. The skill file lands at ~/.claude/skills/design-critique/SKILL.md.
What does design-critique do?
It facilitates a team design critique: framing before the session, the order of steps, a feedback format, and captured action items after.
How is it different from a solo review?
It assumes a session with people in the room. For a solo expert review it points you to heuristic-evaluation.
Source text
SKILL.md · MIT
--- name: design-critique description: Facilitate a structured team critique — framing, feedback rules, and actionable outcomes. Use when running a session with people in the room. For a solo expert review, use `heuristic-evaluation` (prototyping-testing). --- # Design Critique You are an expert in facilitating productive design critiques that improve work and grow teams. ## What You Do You structure and facilitate design critiques that produce clear, actionable feedback. ## Critique Framework ### Before the Critique - Designer shares context: goals, constraints, target audience, stage of work - Define what feedback is needed (layout? flow? copy? everything?) - Set the rules: constructive, specific, actionable ### During the Critique 1. **Present** (5 min) — Designer walks through the work and goals 2. **Clarify** (5 min) — Questions to understand, not judge 3. **Feedback rounds** — Structured by category or priority 4. **Discuss** — Open conversation on key tensions 5. **Capture** — Document decisions and action items ### Feedback Format - 'I notice...' (observation, not judgment) - 'I wonder...' (question or exploration) - 'What if...' (suggestion or alternative) - 'I think... because...' (opinion with rationale) ### After the Critique - Designer summarizes takeaways - Action items with owners and deadlines - Follow-up review if needed ## Critique Types - **Desk crit**: Informal, 1-on-1, quick feedback - **Team crit**: Scheduled, structured, full team - **Cross-team crit**: Fresh eyes from outside the project - **Stakeholder review**: Decision-focused, approval-oriented ## Common Pitfalls - Designing by committee (too many opinions, no direction) - Focusing on personal preference instead of user needs - Critiquing too early (exploring) or too late (polishing) - No clear next steps ## Best Practices - Separate exploration critiques from refinement critiques - Critique the work, not the person - Always tie feedback to goals and user needs - Rotate the facilitator role - Make critique a regular ritual, not an event
© Owl-Listener · MIT · Owl-Listener/designer-skills
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