Find the Weak Points in Your Project Before Your Professor Does.
The DOK Critic Checklist is a tool built by architects and educators to help you prepare.
It’s a systematic way to pressure-test your own work, identify gaps in your logic, and strengthen your narrative before you step into the crit room.
Stop hoping your reviewers won’t notice the problems. Know that you’ve already fixed them.
The DOK Critic Checklist
Tool to find weak points in your argument before your professor does.
Score each item honestly: 0 = Missing, 1 = Partial, 2 = Strong. A low score isn’t a failure; it’s a to‑do list.
Your total score is a measure of your project’s current clarity and resolution.
| CRITERIA | SCORE (0–2) |
|---|---|
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A) Context & Intent The core problem, users, and constraints are explicitly stated. The project’s one‑sentence promise is clear and testable. | |
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B) Site & Program Key site drivers (climate, access, context) are addressed. The program is logically organized and fits the user needs. | |
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C) Plan, Section, Massing The plan has a clear structural and spatial logic. Sections explain height, light, and human experience. The overall form responds to both site and program. | |
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D) Circulation & Wayfinding Routes are legible, efficient, and accessible. Thresholds, entries, and exits are deliberate and well‑defined. | |
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E) Light, Air, & Climate The daylighting strategy is justified. Natural ventilation is considered. The design demonstrates a passive response to the climate before relying on machinery. | |
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F) Structure & Systems The structural grid is rational and integrated with the plan. Space for mechanical systems (MEP) is considered and allocated, not ignored. | |
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G) Materials & Detail Material choices are appropriate for the context, budget, and lifespan. Key construction details support the design intent. | |
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H) Accessibility & Life Safety The design provides clear, equitable access for all users. Core life safety strategies (e.g., egress routes) are resolved. | |
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I) Sustainability & Lifecycle Embodied carbon and operational energy are considered. The design allows for future adaptation, repair, and eventual disassembly. | |
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J) Representation & Narrative The drawings are clear, truthful, and effectively communicate the project’s core ideas. The verbal pitch connects the design moves back to the original problem. | |
| TOTAL SCORE: | 0 / 20 |
Post‑Crit Debrief: Turn Feedback Into Action
Your review isn’t over when you leave the room. It’s over when you have a plan. Answer these three questions immediately after every crit.
1) What was the single most critical piece of feedback I received?
2) What is the ONE drawing or model that will most effectively address that feedback?
3) What is my primary, measurable objective for the next 48 hours?
How to Use This Checklist
Use this checklist before every major review or submission. Be brutally honest with your scoring.
- 0 = Missing: The criteria is not addressed or is fundamentally flawed.
- 1 = Partial: The criteria is attempted but is underdeveloped or unclear.
- 2 = Strong: The criteria is clearly and convincingly resolved.
Your total score isn’t a grade; it’s a diagnostic tool. A low score isn’t a failure but a clear and actionable to-do list for making your project stronger, more resilient, and more articulate.
Your Review Isn’t Over When You Leave the Room
A critique is only valuable if you act on it.
Use this simple debrief framework immediately after every review to turn feedback into a concrete plan.
Post-Crit Debrief: Turn Feedback Into Action
- What was the single most critical piece of feedback I received?
- Be specific. “My circulation is confusing” is better than “They didn’t like the plan.”
- What is the ONE drawing or model that will most effectively address that feedback?
- Force yourself to choose one. A new section? A 1:20 detail model? An updated program diagram?
- What is my primary, measurable objective for the next 48 hours?
- e.g., “Redraw the ground floor plan to create a clear public/private separation” not “Work on the project.”
About This Framework
The DOK Critic Checklist is a free resource from DOK Architecture Magazine.
Our goal is to provide tools and insights that help architects and students build wiser.
Visit us at dokmimarlik.com or dokarch.com for more.