The Wink Design Validation Framework helps teams evaluate design work with confidence, even without a design background.

Too often, design feedback is driven by personal taste: “I like this.” or “This doesn’t feel right.”

While natural, subjective reactions can unintentionally move conversations away from what matters most: whether a design actually achieves business goals and serves its intended audience.

This framework provides a structured, accessible way for leaders, clients, hiring managers, and cross-functional teams to review design solutions objectively.

Instead of judging aesthetics alone, reviewers are guided to evaluate:

• Alignment with business objectives

• Understanding of target audiences

• Balance between commercial needs and user experience

• Market and brand appropriateness

• Scalability and real-world viability

• The designer’s strategic reasoning and communication

The result is more productive feedback, stronger collaboration with designers, and decisions grounded in outcomes rather than opinion.

Created for use across UX, product, service, and brand design, this resource helps organizations shift from asking: “Do we like this design?” to: “Does this design work?”

Designers can also share this framework with clients or stakeholders to establish clearer expectations, reduce subjective feedback cycles, and support more effective design conversations.