Activities that are deeply collaborative can be challenging to execute in educational settings where students are evaluated individually both in out of the classroom.

In a design firm or studio setting a designer seldom works a job from inception to completion independently. You may be generating ideas and sketches and then hand off your work to someone else to complete or vice versa. It is important that you know what your colleagues are working on, what they are thinking about, and be able to step in and support as needed. To that end, a group critique can be built around the notion of being aware of your peers work.

Students are made aware that during one of the critiques throughout the semester they will be required to present and defend the work of a random fellow student. Students are not allowed to comment on their own work. Students are not aware of the work they are presenting until the day of the critique.The format is otherwise identical to other the standard critique guidelines.This style of presentation creates a pretense for them to be at least marginally engaged with their peers (with the bonus of providing an excuse for students who are less social to engage) during the term and encourages them to think along multiple design paths simultaneously.

Students practicing awareness of their peers and presenting and describing work that is not their own will pay dividends in professional situations.