Get feedback from other teams

Tell the participants at the beginning of the Prototype phase that there will be a feedback session midway through and remind them 30 minutes before. Ask them to prepare a narrative and to make their work visible (e.g. affixed to a board).

Assign the order in which teams will present and provide feedback. Ensure that this order is followed by signalling teams at the appropriate times.

Ask the presenters to walk through their design and to explain how it ties in with their business objective, user needs and constraints. Encourage them to ask for direct feedback on elements that they are struggling with.

Ask the commenters to save their feedback on Post-it notes and to share them at the end of each presentation. Should time run out, instruct them to pass their Post-its to the presenters.

Before the session begins, orientate the participants. Each team is expected to give other teams feedback to help them with their design. Teams are not there to place blame or to offer alternatives on the spot. Review the following guidelines with them:

• Everyone should feel empowered to give feedback regardless of their previous experience.
• Be as detailed as possible about what's working and what's not.
• Check to see if the design is meeting user needs and business goals.
• Frame new ideas as suggestions.
• Avoid expressing emotional reactions; instead, work out what makes you feel that way and build upon it before giving feedback.
• Always point out what works well. If you don't, teams might miss a great idea or opportunity.
• Focus on feedback, not criticism. Pose your thoughts as questions to allow the team to express their reasoning behind the design and to prevent them from becoming defensive.