8 Questions You Should be Asking Before a Design Review

Design reviews are a critical step in product development, but they’re also complex. The needs of designers, managers, customers, and products are constantly evolving, which means the way you run a review can be just as important as the review itself.

When should the review happen? Who should attend? How much detail is too much? Answering these questions ahead of time sets the foundation for a productive discussion and helps prevent wasted effort.

Here are eight key questions to ask before your next design review.

1. Does a design review meeting need to happen at all?

Not every project—or every milestone—requires a formal meeting. Some designs benefit from frequent, short reviews. Others may only need occasional, more comprehensive check-ins. And in some cases, a dedicated meeting isn’t necessary at all.

With 3D viewers and issue-tracking tools, teams can often stay aligned without gathering everyone in a room (or on a call). Consider whether the review should be a live meeting, an asynchronous review, or a mix of both. The right cadence depends on your team’s needs, the project’s complexity, and the stakeholders involved.

2. Who needs to be at the review, and who doesn’t?

Getting the attendee list right is critical. Excluding a decision-maker can stall the project or lead to costly rework later. On the other hand, inviting too many people can slow things down and waste time.

Think carefully about who absolutely needs to be part of the review and who only needs visibility afterward. If someone doesn’t need to be in the room, consider sending them a summary update instead. That way, you protect their time while still keeping them in the loop.

3. What is the role of the customer in the review?

Customer involvement varies widely. Some customers want to be hands-on at every stage, while others only want to see later-stage designs or final deliverables. Clarify expectations early:

• How involved does the customer want to be?
• How involved does your team need them to be?
  

Aligning on this avoids misunderstandings and ensures the customer’s role supports—not disrupts—the process.

4. Who will lead the review?

Every effective review needs a facilitator. In many cases, this will be the project’s lead designer or engineer. Their role is to:

• Keep the discussion focused and on time
• Set the scope for what will be reviewed
• Make sure every relevant voice is heard
  

Without a clear leader, reviews can drift off track. Assigning a facilitator in advance ensures the session stays productive and purposeful.

5. Who will capture the feedback, and how?

Feedback is only useful if it’s recorded and acted on. Before the review starts, establish who is responsible for capturing feedback and where it will be tracked.

Some teams rely on spreadsheets. Others use project management tools or issue-tracking platforms. The key is to avoid fragmented notes and make sure there’s a single source of truth. That way, nothing falls through the cracks after the meeting ends.

6. What is the process for resolving disputes?

Disagreements are inevitable. Without a process to resolve them, they can derail the review. Decide ahead of time how your team will break deadlocks:

• Does one stakeholder have final authority?
• Will the group vote?
• Will you use a system (like ranking or prioritization) to guide decisions?
  

The specific method matters less than having one. A clear dispute-resolution process keeps the review moving and avoids endless debates.

7. What preparation needs to be done in advance?

A review is only as good as the preparation behind it. Identify what work needs to be completed ahead of time—whether that’s updating drawings, uploading models, or reviewing requirements—and make sure everyone knows their responsibilities.

If team members arrive unprepared, the review loses value. In fact, some teams stop the process altogether if prep work hasn’t been done. To avoid this, provide a central location where all information is stored and accessible before the meeting.

8. How will everyone connect?

Logistics matter. Is your team co-located, or spread across different sites and time zones? If you’re running a remote or hybrid review, choose the right tools to support it. Screen-sharing platforms like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom can make collaboration easier. For distributed teams, reliable access to 3D models and shared files is essential.

The smoother the setup, the more time you’ll have to focus on the design itself.

Conclusion

Design reviews aren’t simple—but asking the right questions before you start can make them far more effective. By clarifying goals, roles, and logistics, you set your team and your customers up for a process that’s efficient, focused, and collaborative.

The questions above don’t just guide individual reviews. Over time, they can help you build a repeatable approach to design reviews that adapts to different projects while maintaining consistency.