About

Student designers can learn to evaluate their own work and critique each other’s work. If I Were You is a way for you to discuss your design work with your classmates, and to give and receive valuable advice from each other.
 

What you need

• A group of two to ten designers to work together.
  • Each designer brings their favourite sketch or prototype ideas, no more than 5 ideas in total.
• A place to work quietly, with chairs and tables.
• Papers and pens or pencils.
• About 10 to 15 minutes per participant to do it properly. The bigger the group, the longer it takes.
  • A group of ten students might take up to three hours to complete this method.
     

Method

• One student participant is made the referee to ensure that the sequence and timings are followed.
• Taking it in turns, a student presenter explains their design project and ideas to the group.
  • The presenter has 5–10 minutes to explain their design project and ideas to the group.
  • The other students (including the referee) are the audience. They listen to the presenter, and ask for clarification if required.
• When the presenter has finished, the audience take it in turns to give their feedback on the presenter’s project, one at a time.
  • Each designer in the audience has 1–2 minutes to give their opinions and advice.
  • They begin their feedback with the words, “If I were you, I would…” This is important and obligatory.
  • They may also repeat the advice from other participants, if they want to.
• The student presenter listens and takes notes.
• Once everyone has given their feedback, the presenter summarises the opinions and advice they got to ensure that they understood them.
• Then it is the turn of the next student to be the presenter. Continue in this way until everyone (including the referee) has presented and received feedback.
• Once the method is complete, each student will have received valuable feedback from everyone in the group.
   

The referee’s role

• Keep to the timings, or it will take too long and there will be no time left for some of the designers to present their work.
• Allow questions from the audience while the presenter is presenting, but it must not become a debate.
• Ensure that each participant begins their feedback with the words, “If I were you, I would…”
• Ensure that feedback is limited to 2 minutes.
• Ensure that the presenter listens quietly to the feedback, and only responds when everyone has given their contribution. Avoid debate
• The referee presents last, allowing someone else to take their role.