I encountered a very useful new website called Criticue. It’s a way to get quick, unbiased feedback of your website. It is dead simple to get started, just enter your URL - no signup required. After that, provide at least one review of another site, and you’ll shortly get a review of your own. I’ve submitted two sites and have gotten feedback within 12 hours each time. At any point, you can create a username and password and return later to re-read reviews you’ve received. You can also submit additional reviews of others’ sites and get more feedback on your own site.

It’s much easier to turn a critical eye on someone else’s work. Looking at your own stuff, you’ll always have the reasoning that led you to the current state in the back of your mind. You’re seeing what you have imagined and envisioned, not only what actually exists. Web design is about communication - with your own stuff, you already know the information that the site attempts to communicate. Reviewing someone else’s work is a great way to exercise critical muscles that you can then use on your own material.

So check out Criticue – it’s win-win: get timely, unbiased feedback on your stuff and practice your own critical eye.