15 Design Critique Questions to Get Better Feedback Fast

You've shared your design and asked for feedback. The response? "Looks good!"

That's not helpful. You need specific, actionable feedback that helps you make better decisions.

The solution? Ask better questions. The questions you ask determine the quality of feedback you get. Generic questions get generic answers. Specific questions get specific answers.

Here are 15 design critique questions organized by category, plus what to listen for in the responses.

Clarity & Comprehension

These questions test whether people understand your design and its purpose.

1. "What do you think this product/service does?"

   • Listen for: Accurate understanding vs. confusion. If people misunderstand, your messaging isn't clear.

2. "What's the main action you'd take on this page?"

   • Listen for: Alignment with your intended action. If people mention different actions, your hierarchy needs work.

3. "If you had to describe this in one sentence, what would you say?"

   • Listen for: Whether their description matches your value proposition. Misalignment means your messaging needs refinement.

What to listen for: People should understand your design's purpose and primary action within 3-5 seconds. If they're confused, your clarity needs work.

Visual Hierarchy

These questions test whether your design guides attention effectively.

4. "Which element draws your attention first?"

   • Listen for: Whether they mention your intended focal point (headline, CTA, key visual). If not, your hierarchy is off.

5. "What do you notice second? Third?"

   • Listen for: Whether the order matches your intended reading flow. If people jump around, your visual flow needs work.

6. "Does anything feel cluttered or overwhelming?"

   • Listen for: Specific elements that feel too busy. This helps you identify what to simplify or remove.

What to listen for: People should follow a clear visual path through your design. If their attention jumps around randomly, your hierarchy needs refinement.

Trust & Credibility

These questions test whether your design feels trustworthy and professional.

7. "Does this feel trustworthy? Why or why not?"

   • Listen for: Specific reasons (social proof, design quality, clarity) or red flags (too salesy, unclear, unprofessional).

8. "What would make you more likely to trust this?"

   • Listen for: Missing trust signals (testimonials, security badges, clear pricing, professional design).

9. "Does this feel like a legitimate business or a scam?"

   • Listen for: Honest gut reactions. If people hesitate, your credibility signals need work.

What to listen for: People should feel confident engaging with your design. If they express hesitation or doubt, your trust signals need strengthening.

Friction & Usability

These questions test whether your design is easy to use.

10. "What feels confusing or unclear?"

    • Listen for: Specific friction points (unclear labels, confusing navigation, ambiguous actions).

11. "What would stop you from [taking action]?"

    • Listen for: Objections or concerns (pricing, commitment, complexity, trust).

12. "How many clicks/taps would it take to [complete action]?"

    • Listen for: Whether the number matches your expectations. Too many steps create friction.

What to listen for: People should be able to complete key actions without confusion. If they mention friction, simplify those areas.

Conversion & Motivation

These questions test whether your design motivates action.

13. "What would make you more likely to [take action]?"

    • Listen for: Missing motivators (social proof, urgency, clear value, risk reduction).

14. "Which version makes you want to [take action] more?"

    • Listen for: Clear preference when comparing options. This helps you choose the stronger design.

15. "What's the biggest reason you'd hesitate to [take action]?"

    • Listen for: Objections you can address (pricing concerns, commitment fears, unclear value).

What to listen for: People should feel motivated to take action. If they express hesitation, your motivation signals need work.

If You Only Ask 3 Questions, Ask These

You don't always have time for 15 questions. If you can only ask three, make them these:

1. "What's the main action you'd take on this page?" (Tests clarity)
2. "What feels confusing or unclear?" (Surfaces friction)
3. "Which version makes you want to [take action] more?" (For A/B tests)

These three questions cover clarity, usability, and motivation—the three pillars of effective design.

Turn Subjective Decisions Into Data

Some design decisions are subjective. Is this headline clearer? Does this layout feel more trustworthy? Does this CTA feel more compelling?

Instead of asking for opinions, run an A/B test. Show two versions side-by-side and get real votes on which one works better.

Create a headline test on DesignPick →

You'll have results in hours, not days—and the feedback will be objective because voters compare options, not just compliment your work.

The Bottom Line

Better questions lead to better feedback. Stop asking "what do you think?" and start asking specific questions about clarity, hierarchy, trust, friction, and motivation.

The responses will help you make better design decisions, faster.

Want more feedback strategies? Browse more experiments on the blog.