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ToggleDesign reviews play a crucial role in ensuring the quality, efficiency, and success of any creative or product development process. Whether you’re working on eLearning courses, website designs, marketing assets, or other digital content like architectural or engineering drawings, an effective design review process helps teams align on objectives, spot inconsistencies, and implement feedback efficiently.
However, traditional design reviews like feedback meetings and email threads often come with challenges—scattered feedback across multiple channels, miscommunication between stakeholders, difficulty tracking versions, and inefficient workflows that slow down project timelines. These issues can lead to confusion, rework, and delays.
Imagine sending your design for review and getting 20 emails with conflicting feedback. Not good.
This is where zipBoard steps in–simplifying design collaboration by centralizing feedback, streamlining approvals, and ensuring seamless version control. With zipBoard’s design review software, your team can annotate directly on design assets, track changes, and keep projects organized—all in one place.
A well-structured design review process enables you to:
Try zipBoard’s centralized review system for a smoother workflow.
Start Your Free TrialBook DemoA well-structured design review process is crucial for maintaining quality and efficiency. However, many teams struggle with challenges that slow down progress and lead to miscommunication. Here are some of the most common roadblocks in design reviews—and how zipBoard helps overcome them.
Imagine sharing a design for review and receiving feedback through multiple emails, chat messages, and verbal comments. Some notes will get lost, others may contradict each other, and there’ll be no clear record of what issue you have to resolve.
zipBoard solves this by allowing reviewers to leave feedback directly on designs, allowing you to easily organize and keep track of design feedback.
When designers receive feedback from multiple team members—clients, project managers, and developers—it can be challenging to prioritize changes. Some suggestions may even contradict each other, leading to delays in decision-making.
You need a structured system to ensure designers do not end up ondused about what they need to proritize. And zipBoard helps you do this.
It provides a central location for design feedback, allowing reviewers to leave contextual feedback; where as project managers and lead designers can assign feedback as tasks, use tags to categorize comments, and track action items. This keeps the review process organized, helping teams distinguish between critical changes and optional suggestions.
Without a proper system for managing design iterations, your team risks working on outdated file versions. This can result in costly rework and frustration when older designs are mistakenly used.
zipBoard’s version control and file management system ensures that teams always have access to the latest design files. Each iteration is stored and easily accessible in one thread, allowing reviewers to revert to previous versions and track changes efficiently.
Imagine this: designers submit the final version of designs, but the key decision-maker has not approved yet. This wait can significantly delay project timelines.
This usually occurs when reviewers don’t have a structured, yet flexible way to provide sign-offs. You don’t want to live your team in a limbo, unsure of when to move forward.
Try zipBoard. zipBoard speeds up the design approval process by providing approval stamps and automated reminders, ensuring stakeholders can review and approve designs efficiently. It also allows stakeholders to provide feedback async, making it easier for them to leave contextual feedback when they can.
Design teams, developers, and project managers often rely on different tools for communication. One team shares feedback in emails, another in a messaging app, and another in a project management tool.
These fragmented modes of communication create silos, which lead to missing important details, causing unnecessary revisions.
zipBoard helps you deal with this challenge. It integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack, MS Teams, and Jira, keeping all feedback and discussions in one place to maintain alignment across teams. Learn more about zipBoard’s integrations here →
For industry-specific challenges and best practices, check out our guide: Best Design Review Software: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlining Design Reviews with zipBoard.
Different teams and industries categorize design reviews in various ways (peer, stakeholder, and customer design reviews), but they generally fall into two main categories: Internal Design Reviews and External Design Reviews.
Understanding these distinctions will help you structure your design review process more effectively.
Internal reviews are conducted within the team before presenting designs to external stakeholders. These reviews help ensure that the design aligns with project goals, brand guidelines, and technical feasibility.
Once the internal team refines the design, you can conduct external reviews to gather feedback from clients, regulatory bodies, subject matter experts (SMEs), or other external stakeholders.
The purpose of external reviews is to help:
As mentioned, some teams and industries categorize design reviews more specifically:
While these classifications offer more granular distinctions, they generally fit within the internal-external categorization. Assitioanlly, it is sometimes best to use the internal-external caegorization as peers and customers are also stakeholders in the review process. Learn more about stakeholder collaboration →
Try zipBoard’s collaborative review tools to centralize feedback and streamline approvals!
Start Your Free TrialBook DemoA structured design review process ensures that feedback is clear, actionable, and effectively incorporated into the final design. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
Before starting a review, clearly outline:
💡 Pro Tip: Set clear expectations for what kind of feedback is required at each stage.
To ensure an effective design review, compile all necessary assets, such as:
💡 Pro Tip: Upload all files to a centralized platform like zipBoard to streamline access and feedback collection.
Select the right stakeholders based on the project phase:
💡 Pro Tip: Use zipBoard to assign roles so each reviewer knows their responsibilities and provides relevant input.
While design review meetings are common, it’s worth noting that not all stakeholders (especially external stakeholders) will be available for such meetings to provide feedback on the spot.
Another challenge is that some reviews and feedbacks may be rushed. So the best way to conduct reviews is to organize it in a way that people can provide and receive feedback in real-time, even if it is async. zipBoard’s design review software can help here,
💡 Review meetings can be held, however, to discuss the project phase and what’s expected from each stakeholder for the reviews.
Once you collect feedback, organize it into clear, actionable tasks:
💡Pro Tip: Use zipBoard’s task management system to convert feedback into trackable actions.
Based on the feedback, make necessary revisions and present updated versions for approval. This step may involve multiple review cycles.
💡 Pro Tip: Use zipBoard’s phase-based review system to manage different iterations effectively.
Keep track of all design iterations, approvals, and sign-offs in a single location. Avoid confusion by maintaining a structured version history.
💡 Pro Tip: zipBoard’s file management system ensures version control so your team can easily compare revisions and finalize approvals efficiently.
Try zipBoard’s markup tools to gather precise input and accelerate approvals.
Start Your Free TrialBook DemoEach industry follows a structured approach to design reviews, but the specific steps vary based on compliance needs, stakeholders, and project goals. Below, we break down how design reviews are conducted in different industries and how teams can optimize the process.
Architectural design reviews ensure that building plans comply with zoning laws, safety regulations, and sustainability goals while meeting project specifications. A well-structured review process reduces costly construction design errors and streamlines construction document workflows.
Research by Construction Navigant and PlanGrid show that, 9% of a project’s combined cost stems from rework, with 52% of that rework being attributed to miscommunication and poor project data. Additionally, nearly 35% of project time is lost due to ineffective activities, resulting in $280 billion in annual rework expenses.
How to Set Up an Architectural Design Review Process
1. Define Scope & Objectives
2. Gather Design Materials
Collect essential documentation, including:
3. Assemble the Review Team
Bring together key stakeholders to evaluate the design:
4. Conduct Preliminary Review
Recommended Reading: Improve Project Efficiency with the Best Blueprint Markup Software – zipBoard
5. Stakeholder Review & Feedback
Gather input from various stakeholders:
6. Revisions & Compliance Checks
7. Final Approval & Sign-Off
Struggling with manual design approvals and fragmented feedback?
Automate the architectural design review process with zipBoard! Start Your Free Trial →
Engineering plan reviews in construction ensure that mechanical, electrical, and structural designs meet functionality, safety, and efficiency standards. A structured review process helps minimize design flaws, improve constructability, and ensure regulatory compliance.
How to Set Up an Engineering Design Review Process
1. Define Scope & Engineering Constraints
2. Gather Technical Documentation
3. Assemble the Review Team
💡 Pro Tip: Use zipBoard to centralize all stakeholder input and ensure accountability in the review process.
4. Conduct Design Feasibility Review
Recommended: Plan Review Software for Civil Engineers – zipBoard
5. Review Testing & Prototyping Data
6. Feedback & Iterations
7. Final Validation & Approval
Looking to Streamline Your Engineering Design Review Process?
With zipBoard, construction teams can centralize feedback, manage design iterations, and ensure compliance—all in one place.
Product design reviews ensure product prototypes meet user needs, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness while maintaining quality and brand consistency.
A well-structured review process minimizes design flaws, reduces production costs, and enhances user experience.
How to Set Up A Product Design Review Process
1. Define Product Goals & Requirements
2. Create Initial Designs & Prototypes
3. Assemble a Cross-Functional Team
4. Conduct User Testing & Feedback Collection
Recommended: Types of Client Feedback You Need To Build Better Website Prototypes
5. Refine & Improve the Design
Chatbot-Powered Prototyping for Rapidly Iterating Your Designs – zipBoard
6. Final Review for Compliance & Cost
7. Approval & Mass Production
Eliminate bottlenecks in your product design review process.
With zipBoard, teams can streamline feedback collection, track design iterations, and accelerate approvals.
Construction drawing reviews help AEC teams verify shop drawings, blueprints, and structural elements to ensure compliance with safety regulations, project requirements, and industry standards before execution. A thorough review helps prevent costly rework, delays, and structural issues.
How to Set Up Construction Submittal Reviews
1. Define Project Scope & Compliance Needs
2. Gather Construction Documents
3. Form a Review Committee
4. Conduct a Document Reviews
Recommended: How to Set Up a Shop Drawing Review Process: A Comprehensive Guide (with Free Template)
How to Automate Submittal Workflows to Streamline Reviews – zipBoard
5. Identify & Address Design Issues
6. Obtain Approvals from Stakeholders
7. Issue Final Construction Drawings
Related: How to Set Up a Shop Drawing Review Process: A Comprehensive Guide (with Free Template)
Simplify construction document reviews and reduce project delays
With zipBoard, teams can annotate blueprints, track approvals, and ensure seamless collaboration between architects, engineers, and contractors.
UX Design reviews enable you to improve digital product usability, web accessibility, and user experience.
How to Set Up A UX Design Review Process
Related: How to Set Up an Effective Design Feedback and QA Process
The design review process for software products ensure the software system meets functional, usability, performance, and security standards before deployment. A well-structured design review minimizes risks, improves maintainability, and enhances user experience.
How to Set Up A Software Design Review Process
1. Define System Requirements & Scope
2. Create Architectural & UI Designs
3. Gather the Development Team
Recommended: Ensure Software Quality with a Bug Bash: A Comprehensive Guide – zipBoard
4. Conduct Code & Architecture Review
5. Perform Usability & Security Testing
Recommended: A Quick Guide to Get You Started with UAT
6. Iterate & Implement Changes
7. Final Approval & Deployment
Recommended: How to Write a Bug Tracking Report – zipBoard
Struggling with scattered feedback in software design reviews?
Use zipBoard to centralize input, track versions, and collaborate seamlessly across teams.
This review process ensures product packaging is functional, visually appealing, sustainable, and compliant with industry regulations. A thorough review process helps avoid costly redesigns and improves customer experience.
How to Set Up A Packaging Design Review Process
1. Define Packaging Goals & Materials
2. Create Initial Design Concepts
3. Assemble the Review Team
4. Conduct Branding & Usability Testing
5. Analyze Environmental & Regulatory Compliance
6. Iterate Based on Market Feedback
7. Final Approval & Production
Struggling with packaging feedback from multiple teams?
Streamline your packaging design reviews with zipBoard’s centralized collaboration tools.
💡 While the design review process differs across industries, the fundamental steps remain the same: defining scope, gathering assets, conducting reviews, documenting feedback, iterating designs, and finalizing approvals.
Design reviews often involve multiple stakeholders, scattered feedback, and version control challenges. zipBoard simplifies this by providing a centralized, structured workflow for reviewing, annotating, and approving designs efficiently.
Upload, review, and approve files in various formats, including PDFs, images, UI mockups, videos, and web pages. With zipBoard’s cloud- and browser-based approach, team members and clients can access and review designs from anywhere, ensuring faster approvals without bottlenecks.
No more vague email feedback. Stakeholders can leave precise comments, highlight specific areas, and use annotation tools directly on design files. This ensures clearer communication, reduces misinterpretations, and speeds up revisions.
Instead of manually transferring comments into another system, zipBoard lets teams convert feedback into tasks, assign them to the right team members, set deadlines, and track progress—all within one platform using Kanban or table views.
Keep track of multiple iterations in one place. Designers and reviewers can compare different versions, ensuring changes align with feedback before final approval.
Clients, vendors, and other external stakeholders can review and provide feedback without needing an account. This removes onboarding friction and makes collaboration seamless.
No need to chase emails—zipBoard keeps all discussions, tasks, and approvals in one place. Instant notifications ensure that team members stay updated on feedback, assigned tasks, and approval statuses.
Sync your design review process with tools like Slack, MS Teams, Outlook, Jira, and other project management platforms. Keep discussions and updates connected across different systems to avoid silos.
Need a tailored workflow? zipBoard offers APIs for custom integrations, ensuring a smooth connection with your document management systems, ERPs, and cloud stores.
Reduce manual effort with AI-driven features such as auto-tagging for files and tasks and automatically generated task types and statuses based on industry standards. This ensures structured workflows and better organization without extra manual work.
Gain visibility into your design review process with automated reports, progress tracking, and analytics dashboards. Monitor feedback trends, review completion rates, and task resolutions to keep projects on schedule.
Try zipBoard for free today or book a demo to see it in action!
Book DemoStart Free TrialA well-structured design review process ensures efficiency, minimizes revisions, and leads to higher-quality outcomes. Here are some best practices to optimize your design reviews:
Standardizing review processes with templates and checklists helps maintain consistency across projects. It ensures that all key aspects are reviewed systematically and nothing is overlooked.
Explore our industry-specific review checklists to streamline your process. [Link to checklists]
Define objective quality benchmarks and approval standards for every project. This helps reviewers focus on key elements such as functionality, compliance, and design alignment with project goals.
Assign specific roles to ensure accountability. Design reviews often involve multiple stakeholders—designers, engineers, project managers, and clients—so it’s essential to clarify responsibilities for feedback and approvals.
Disorganized feedback, scattered emails, and conflicting revisions can slow down the design process. Use a centralized platform like zipBoard to keep all discussions, comments, and changes in one place.
A structured feedback loop ensures that comments are not just noted but acted upon. Iterative review cycles help refine the design progressively while keeping everyone aligned.
zipBoard helps teams centralize design feedback, track iterations, and streamline approvals—eliminating scattered emails and manual tracking. With annotations, task tracking, and version control, teams can collaborate more efficiently.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming design reviews, making feedback collection, version control, and approvals more efficient. zipBoard integrates AI-driven automation to reduce manual effort while ensuring structured workflows.
AI automatically categorizes files and tasks, assigning relevant tags based on content type and industry standards. Feedback is grouped intelligently to eliminate redundancy, prioritize key issues, and streamline task management.
Related: Streamline Your Workflows with Auto-tagging – zipBoard
Reduce administrative work with auto-generated task types, statuses, and workflow updates based on review patterns. This keeps projects moving without manual intervention, ensuring a structured and consistent process.
Related:
Transforming Project Management: The Power of AI-Powered and Custom Task Types – zipBoard
Streamline Your Project Workflow with zipBoard’s AI-Powered Statuses
Design reviews don’t have to be slow, scattered, or frustrating. With zipBoard, teams can streamline feedback, improve collaboration, and accelerate approvals—all in one place.
Book DemoStart Free TrialThe design review process is a structured evaluation of a design’s functionality, feasibility, and compliance before it moves to the next stage of development. It helps teams identify issues early, incorporate feedback, and ensure alignment with project goals.
A typical design review follows these steps:
A comprehensive design review should include:
A design review checklist is a structured guide that helps teams systematically evaluate designs. It ensures all critical aspects—such as usability, safety, compliance, and performance—are assessed. You can use pre-built checklists for different industries or customize your own based on project needs.
Check out our design review checklists for different industries.
zipBoard simplifies design reviews by offering:
Try zipBoard for free or Book a Demo to streamline your design review process.
Author’s bio:
Dorcas Kpabitey is a Content Marketing Specialist at zipBoard. She began her content marketing journey alongside her BA in Political Science and Spanish at the University of Ghana. If she’s not tapping away at her keyboard or spending time on Twitter and LinkedIn, she spends her day reading articles, newsletters and books.
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