The CritThe Crit
Free portfolio tool

Turn project work into a case study people can follow.

A guided writing workspace for designers. Build the story around the problem, evidence, decisions, and outcomes, without forcing the work into a rigid process template.

Start writingSee the seven sections

Your typing autosaves in this browser. Nothing is public unless you deliberately create a separate viewing link.

The framework

Seven sections, adapted to the project.

Use the structure as a set of questions, not a checklist you have to inflate. Skip what does not serve the story.

  1. Step 1

    The Hook

    Give the reader a reason to continue.

  2. Step 2

    Context & Role

    Make your scope and collaborators clear.

  3. Step 3

    The Problem

    Show what mattered and what constrained you.

  4. Step 4

    Process & Discovery

    Connect evidence to a change in direction.

  5. Step 5

    Solution & Decisions

    Explain the trade-offs behind the work.

  6. Step 6

    Results & Impact

    Use verified evidence—or name what is unknown.

  7. Step 7

    Reflection

    Say what changed in your judgment.

Start with the hook
A useful first draft

See the story, not just the fields.

The preview makes gaps and repetition easier to spot. It is still your job to verify every number, quote, and claim.

The example is fictional.

It demonstrates structure only. Replace every detail with evidence from your own project.

Illustrative example

Redesigning checkout for a meal-kit app

Reduced checkout abandonment by simplifying when customers chose a delivery window.

Lead Product Designer

Company

FreshBox, 40 employees

Timeline

8 weeks, team of 3

Methods

Interviews and usability tests

The Problem

Session recordings suggested customers were leaving at delivery scheduling. Interviews reframed the issue: the page was not merely confusing; it asked people to commit too early.

Process & Discovery

That evidence shifted the team from “simplify the form” to “defer the decision.” We tested whether customers would complete payment before selecting an exact window.

Solution & Decisions

Checkout became two steps, and delivery scheduling moved after purchase with a sensible default. The core decision was reducing commitment at the moment of highest intent.

What makes this useful

The sequence connects evidence to a changed direction, then to a design decision. It does not rely on a gallery of polished screens.

How it works

A calm place to work through the story.

Write with a clear outline

Work through one part of the story at a time, with prompts that focus on evidence and decisions.

Preview the whole story

See how the sections read together on desktop or switch between writing and previewing on mobile.

Choose when to share

Keep the draft in your browser, save a private editing link, then create a separate viewing link only when ready.

Start with what you actually know.

You can return to the draft at your own pace. Empty sections are more honest than invented evidence.

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