Activate when the user asks to review this design, give design feedback, critique this UI, check this mockup, or design review.
Activate when the user asks to "review this design", "give design feedback", "critique this UI", "check this mockup", or "design review".
Ask:
If the user shares a screenshot or image, analyze it directly. If they describe the design in text, request a screenshot or more detail before reviewing.
Before any criticism, identify 2-3 things the design does well. This is not politeness — it flags strengths to preserve during iteration.
Evaluate across these 6 dimensions. Only flag dimensions with real issues.
1. Clarity (Can users figure out what to do?)
2. Flow (Does the journey make sense?)
3. Information Architecture (Is content organized logically?)
4. Consistency (Does it feel like one product?)
5. Error Handling (What happens when things go wrong?)
6. Accessibility
Structure feedback in priority tiers:
Must Fix (1-3 issues) Issues that directly cause user confusion, drop-off, or task failure. Launch blockers.
Should Fix (2-4 issues) Issues that degrade the experience meaningfully. Users can work around them but should not have to.
Consider (1-3 issues) Polish items that elevate the experience. Not urgent, but worth tracking.
For each issue, provide all three:
"Want me to suggest an alternative layout, write copy for error states, review the mobile version, or mock up the flow as text wireframes?"
Bad feedback:
- The design looks cluttered
- The colors aren't great
- It needs better UX
- Consider improving the layout
- The form is confusing
Why this fails: Every point is vague. "Cluttered" how? "Better UX" means nothing. No one can act on this.
Good feedback:
What works:
- Progress indicator (Step 2 of 3) sets clear expectations
- Order summary stays visible on the right — reduces anxiety about what they're paying for
- Express checkout options (Apple Pay, Google Pay) above the form reduce friction for returning buyers
Must Fix:
1. The "Continue" button is below the fold on mobile
WHY: Users who fill out the form can't see the next action without scrolling.
This causes a moment of "now what?" that kills conversion.
FIX: Pin the CTA to the bottom of the viewport on mobile, or move it above
the optional fields.
2. Error messages appear at the top of the form, not inline
WHY: If a user enters an invalid card number, they see a red banner at the top
but have to scan down to figure out which field is wrong. On a 6-field form,
this takes 5-10 seconds of confusion.
FIX: Show errors inline, directly below the offending field. Red border +
specific message ("Card number must be 16 digits").
Should Fix:
3. The "Apply coupon" field is as visually prominent as the payment fields
WHY: Users without a coupon pause and wonder if they're missing a deal.
This is a known conversion killer — Baymard Institute found 59% of users
who see a coupon field will leave to search for codes.
FIX: Collapse behind a "Have a coupon code?" text link. Expand on click.
4. Shipping options show prices but not delivery dates
WHY: Users choose shipping speed based on "will it arrive by Friday?" not
"$5.99 vs $12.99." Without dates, they can't make an informed choice.
FIX: Show "Arrives by [date]" next to each option. Put the date first,
price second.
Consider:
5. Guest checkout requires an email but doesn't explain why
WHY: Privacy-conscious users hesitate. A single line — "For your receipt
and order updates" — reduces friction.
FIX: Add helper text below the email field.
Bad feedback:
The dashboard has too much information. Simplify it.
Good feedback:
What works:
- The date range picker in the top-right is well-placed and follows convention
- KPI cards at the top give a quick snapshot
Must Fix:
1. All 8 KPI cards have equal visual weight
WHY: When everything is emphasized, nothing is. The user's eye has no
entry point. They don't know which number matters most.
FIX: Make the primary metric (e.g., revenue) 2x the size of secondary
metrics. Group the others in a row below. Apply the "squint test" — if you
blur the screen, the most important number should still be the first thing
you notice.
Should Fix:
2. Three charts show overlapping data (daily users, weekly users, monthly users)
WHY: Redundant visualizations waste space and increase cognitive load.
The user has to mentally diff the charts to extract insight.
FIX: One chart with a toggle (daily / weekly / monthly). Or one chart
showing the primary timeframe with a sparkline trend for the others.
Use this as a checklist. Focus only on the relevant issues per screen type.
Forms:
Tables / Data Views:
Onboarding / Wizards:
Settings / Preferences:
Modals / Dialogs:
When the design involves AI-powered features (chatbots, AI-generated content, smart suggestions, copilots), add these checks. AI UX has distinct failure modes that traditional heuristics miss.
Setting Expectations
Handling Uncertainty
Loading & Latency
Error & Edge Cases
Human-AI Interaction Loop
Flag AI UX issues in the Must Fix tier when: AI output is auto-applied without review, there's no way to recover from bad AI output, or confidence levels are misleading.