Tips to Ace Your Design Critique Panel

Top Presentation Do’s and Don’ts from the Furman MASD

MASD Students encounter critique panels at the conclusion of each semester.  The following is a list of the top advice we give our students!

1) Prepare Your Pitch Deck

The deck is the panel’s window into your designer brain. Make sure it’s worth looking at.  A well-made deck can make or break your presentation.  Remember that time is limited and consider how this might impact what you need to include or toss out. Your presentation doesn’t just display your portfolio work, it IS your portfolio work.

Learn how to build the perfect pitch deck

DO

• Learn a little about who will be in your design critique panel
• If you have 35 images, consider cutting to 25
• Only include what is impactful
• Make sure your sepllnig si corrcet– in your work, in your deck, or in your app.
• Use colors or design elements that let your work stand out and presentation elements fade into the background.

DON’T

• Don’t use white. It is blinding in contrast on projection.
• Don’t use a lot of type, especially on a black background. It’s too hard to read.
• Don’t use too many slides. Be prepared to get ‘the gong,’ at the exact cutoff time. There is NO running over allowed.

2) Position Yourself for Success

Ultimately, the panelists are here to see you.  YOU are the final product of this design program and how you present says a lot about you. Preparing yourself for the presentation is essential and can make the process go much more smoothly, give you confidence, and help you stand out.

DO

• Eat well
• Practice and memorize your script.
• Grab your best smile on the way to the zoom screen. Always be smiling. Happiness is an attitude. It’s contagious!
• Let your curiosity and excitement show by using passion in your voice.
• Remember to breathe.
• Make eye contact or, if presenting online, look DIRECTLY at the little green dot on your computer. If need be put your computer on a couple books to even you out your head-to eye-to dot, so you have a better position
• Greet the panelists by engaging them in a kind, courteous, and respectful manner.

DON’T

• Don’t drink too much coffee on the day-of
• Don’t use slang words or filler words such as “and’s,” “um’s…” or “ah’s”
• Don’t let things going wrong slow you up. Just take a breath and keep going
• Don’t speak in a monotone voice. The panelists will feel your lack of excitement and may interpret it as a lack of passion

3) Present with an Objective

You have a very limited amount of time to get everything across, so stick with what matters. The panelists need to see that you know what you are talking about, that you are comfortable with pressure, and that you can communicate about your ideas and designs in a cohesive way.

DO

• State your big idea and define the impact beyond classroom
• Make sure everything you say or present ties back to the big idea
• Center on key points
• Keep your points moving by making believable arguments and planting seeds
• Let your excitement about the smaller aesthetics help you relish the bigger thought

DON’T

• Don’t say or bring anything into the conversation which doesn’t forward the point
• Don’t lose yourself in the details of your designs. You may be excited about them, but on their own they aren’t profitable or helpful
• Don’t go over your time limit

4) Conclude with Purpose

Congrats! You’ve done it! You finished your presentation and now you to get feedback from the panel. It’s all down-hill from here, but the experience isn’t over yet. This might be one of the most important parts of the presentation in that you are directly interacting with the panelists.

DO

• Be humble
• Be open to and appreciative of criticism or feedback
• Answer questions succinctly
• If you are unsure or feel locked-up when a panelist suggests something, just turn the question and ask, ’what would you do?’
• Follow up the critique with a ‘thank you’ letter or email.

DON’T

• Don’t waste time arguing with a panelist or defending your work from critique
• Don’t do any more talking than you need to. Your presentation is over.

 

Good luck, we believe in you, and I’ll see you at the next critique.

Call me if you need me (preferably not after 1 a.m.)

Hank