1

Research & Discovery

Quality and rigor of user research informing design decisions.

Exceeds

Research is systematic and produces actionable insights that directly change design direction. Methods are appropriate to the question.

Meets

Conducts regular user testing and interviews. Insights are incorporated into design decisions.

Below

Research is ad hoc or outputs are not translated into design decisions.

Example review phrases

  • "Ran a usability study that revealed 3 navigation patterns we'd assumed were correct were causing friction—redesign based on findings improved task completion 34%."
  • "Usability findings are documented and shared with the full product team, not just used once and forgotten."
2

Design Craft

Quality, consistency, and usability of design outputs.

Exceeds

Design work is best-in-class: clear hierarchy, purposeful interactions, accessible, and implementation-ready.

Meets

Design work is solid and shippable. Accessibility is considered. Interactions are clear.

Below

Design work requires significant revision before it can ship. Accessibility is often overlooked.

Example review phrases

  • "Designs hand off to engineering with zero ambiguity—specs are so complete that developers say they've never had a cleaner handoff."
  • "WCAG AA compliance built into every design, not added as an afterthought."
3

Cross-Functional Partnership

Quality of collaboration with PM, Engineering, and business stakeholders.

Exceeds

Shapes product direction, not just executes specs. PM and Engineering actively pull them into decisions early.

Meets

Works effectively with PM and Engineering. Advocates for the user in cross-functional discussions.

Below

Seen primarily as a spec-executor rather than a strategic partner.

Example review phrases

  • "PM team specifically requested them on the enterprise redesign because of their ability to translate complex workflows into simple interfaces."
🔮

Where do these examples come from in real reviews?

Most managers write performance reviews from memory—limited to what they personally observed. Confirm surfaces behavioral evidence from across the organization: who relied on this person, what they drove, how their impact extended beyond their direct manager's line of sight. Reviews written with Confirm's data are more accurate, more defensible, and faster to write.

See Confirm in action →