What it is
Sessions that explore and critique high-level design directions or concept sketches informed by research, to judge whether concepts address the problem, not to finalize details.
Why use it
Structured critique at the concept stage prevents early commitment to one direction and lets several be weighed against research evidence.
Use this when
- Synthesis is done and the team is ready to explore directions
- Several concepts need evaluating against user needs
- Stakeholder input is needed before committing
You may not need this when
- A clear, validated direction already exists
- The solution space is constrained enough for detailed design
Dependencies — what you need
- Stakeholders available for review
- Synthesized insights to judge concepts against
- Flexibility to iterate; no strict requirements yet
People involved
- Design
- Product
- Stakeholders
Typical outputs
- Concept directions evaluated (pursue or set aside)
- Design principles or constraints from feedback
- Early low-fidelity sketches
- An agreed direction
Template
Exploratory Design Reviews template
A fill-in structure for running this method: what to prepare, what to do, what to record, and how to read the result.
How AI can help
AI as augmentation — not replacement
- Generate alternative directions to stress-test an approach
- Identify edge cases the concept misses
- Draft a critique framework or agenda
- Suggest accessibility and usability considerations
AI prompt
A prompt for any AI assistant. It works only from material you paste in, keeps assumptions apart from findings, and leaves the decisions to you.