Best Practices For Virtual Engineering Design Reviews

You're doing it wrong: Engineering Design or Software Code Reviews Yesterday, someone asked me the one single thing I do with engineering teams to have the fastest impact. That thing is changing the mindset around engineering design reviews or software code reviews. Most people spend their time doing very low-value nitpicks in code reviews: "Can you update this note in the drawing?" or "This indentation is a bit weird on line 223". Those things are important and reviews are a great place to catch them, but they aren't the most important thing. The biggest value of any review is to check whether the change or design meets the intention. That is something that automated tools can't check and is also the number 1 reason why engineering changes fail in the field: the design didn't meet the intention or the intention was wrong. To do this, I coach reviewers to do the following when they look at a review: 1. Check whether they understand the intention of this change or design. There isn't a "correct" way to document this, but it should be documented somewhere (requirements, design doc, in person meeting, etc). 2. Does the reviewer believe the intention to be correct? If not, have some discussion on the intention before even looking at the design 3. Look through the change or design. Do you think this meets the intention? Does it meet the intention under all reasonable circumstances? Are there scenarios or circumstances where it might not? 4. Is there sufficient analysis or test evidence to convince you that this design or change will actually meet the intention in practice, not just on paper? If not, is there a plan to verify this before production and roll it back if not? 5. Then get into the design details :) Asking reviewers to follow this basic process starts to immediately and radically change the engineering culture of any team. Reviewers stop feeling like robots and turn on their creative brain to solve hard challenges. #engineering #codereview #designreview

Managing remote UX teams at top tech companies like Dropbox and Google has given me unique insights. Here are some best practices to overcome common challenges. - Virtual Design Critiques: Host regular design critique sessions via video conferencing. These allow for real-time feedback and ensure all team members stay aligned and engaged. - Leverage Digital Whiteboarding: Utilize tools like Miro or Mural for collaborative brainstorming and sketching sessions. These digital whiteboards can simulate the in-person experience and foster creativity among remote team members. - Conduct Virtual Usability Testing: Schedule remote usability testing sessions with real users using platforms like UserTesting or Lookback. This allows your team to gather valuable feedback and iterate on designs without needing in-person interactions. - Implement Design Pairing: Pair designers to work together on tasks via screen sharing and collaborative tools. This practice, similar to pair programming in software development, enhances problem-solving and skill-sharing among team members. - Encourage Creative Breaks: Schedule regular creative breaks where team members can share inspiration, personal projects, or recent design trends. This keeps the team engaged and inspired, even when working remotely. What strategies have you found effective for managing remote UX teams?

That meeting could have been a Figma file. We’ve all been there—another invite pops up on the calendar to “review designs,” and suddenly an hour is gone with nothing decided. Before you book yet another meeting, try this instead: 📌 Drop the design in Figma and invite comments. You might resolve 10 issues in 10 minutes without a single calendar invite. In fact, I find the old “This Could’ve Been an Email” rule now increasingly applies to design feedback, too. 🧠 Real-time brainstorming? Try FigJam. Staring at a muted Zoom call isn’t collaboration. Virtual sticky notes and freehand sketches get ideas flowing way better than awkward silences and “You’re on mute” reminders. ⏳ Async for the win. Instead of a “quick status check” that eats 30 minutes, keep progress visible in Figma. Stakeholders can review updates on their own time, so you can skip the “any updates?” meeting that somehow turns into a monologue. 🎯 Run interactive design reviews. Instead of screen-sharing static slides, let people click through prototypes and comment directly in Figma. It’s like a meeting that actually stays on topic (miracles do happen). 🎨 More time to design. Fewer meetings = more making. Block off those newly freed hours for deep work (or, you know, actually take a lunch break). Your productivity and sanity will thank you. How do you cut down on pointless meetings in your design process? Share your best “this meeting could’ve been a Figma link” story! 👇 #FigmaFriday #Figma #uxdesign #strategy #collaboration #digital #projectmanagement #designreviews #designtips ---------------- 👋 Hi, I’m Dane—sharing daily design tools & tips. ❤️ Found this helpful? 'Like’ it to spread the word. 🔄 Share to help others (& save for later). ➕ Want more? Follow me for daily insights.