A CRIT is a very important stage of the process of design. It is essentially an evaluation process. A successful CRIT is possible only when the designer has clarity of the Situations, Tasks, Actions & the results involved for that stage of the Design process.
The Design process broadly comprises in a more or less sequential manner a few of these steps as follows, 1. Origin, the positioning of the circumstances and identifying, defining relevant facts, 2.Review of the facts/information/data; and bringing forth significant strategic value, goals and objectives, Frame the problem, 3. Innovate/Create/Explore - Identify scope of Innovation and explore variations, 4. Differentiate, address innovations thru parameters of choice/goals/objectives to conclude and converge, 5. Test the solutions, 6. Evaluate solutions based on overall significance and such, 7. Feedback is essential to inform the various stages of this process.
It is at stage-7 that a crit is required, to review and evaluate the process, its context, its activities, its response and the results of the same. In the Design studio this process keeps repeating itself several times. each designer is processing the project material in her or his capacity and thus its essential to understand the need of and nature of the CRIT.
The nature of any CRIT depends on the overall span of engagement of the designer with the design process. When the process is in its very initial stage ideally an
INDIVIDUAL CRIT helps the designer to maintain relevance of direction. This kind of crit can be useful at any point in the span of the design process, but especially during the initial stages of any of the steps of design process explained above.
The designer requires to maintain a significant value across the process by threading progressively important aspects leading to the qualitative aspects of the content. This stage requires a
FORMATIVE CRIT, that helps to progressively understand and work with the body of significance created. This kind of crit is useful at all stages of the design process.
These two kind of crits mentioned above generally help to develop the stage for innovation, which is a stage in the process of design, to bring forth the various significant value contents. The Dots that matter from all the research and review done. These dots need to be joined and their outcome analyzed. Such a stage requires a
SUMMATION CRIT, that generally helps in creating a summation or a synthesis of the joining of dots, leading to new interpretations and meaning.This kind of crit can also help in the stage of convergence, testing and evaluation. It helps to sum up the significant aspects at any stage.
When an individual designer has completed one loop of the 7 steps of design process, the designer is in a position to discuss the findings and outcomes of the design process. This stage is a good platform for other designers to meet over and share, discuss thoughts, if working on the same project or same significant value for the design. this kind of a crit is the
GROUP CRIT.
The matured stage of any design studio process usually looks at articulation of the design communication to the target audience. The clarity of the design intention, its work-ability and outcomes should be communicated in an appropriate language and medium that which is comfortable for the target audience to understand and engage with the various decisions taken. This crit is the
SILENT CRIT, the designer need not explain anything verbally, but it should be clearly reflected thru the content.
The last type of crit is the
PANEL CRIT, which is a stage in which the significant value achieved thru design is explored for what more, what are the questions that can be initiated from this point onwards? Questions on the questions entertained in the process. This stage of a crit is akin to the 7th step of the design process, where feedback is desired for relevant opportunities of betterment.
