Design Review Scorecard

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Template sections

• Review context — project name, design stage, reviewer(s), and review date
• Usability criteria — clarity, task flow, error prevention, and user feedback integration (scored 1–4)
• Design system alignment — token usage, component consistency, and pattern adherence (scored 1–4)
• Accessibility — contrast ratios, touch targets, keyboard navigation, and ARIA (scored 1–4)
• Business & product fit — alignment with product strategy, technical feasibility, and stakeholder requirements (scored 1–4)
• Decisions log — what was decided in this review session, by whom
• Next steps — actions with owners and dates before the next review

HOW TO USE

Best practices

1. Share the scorecard criteria before the review. Surprises in a review destroy trust. Send the scorecard 24 hours ahead so designers know exactly what they'll be evaluated against.
2. Score silently, then discuss. Groupthink is the enemy of good feedback. Have each reviewer score independently before anyone speaks. Then surface the gaps.
3. Focus discussion on low scores. Scores of 3 or 4 don't need much discussion. Spend the review session on the 1s and 2s — they're the only things that block shipping.
4. Separate feedback types. "This feels wrong" is not the same as "this scores 1 on accessibility." Label your feedback. Instinct and criteria are both valuable, but differently.
5. Track scores over time. A single review score is a snapshot. The trend across 5 reviews for the same designer tells you whether coaching is working.