How I run a teardown

A teardown is a short, rude look at a flow that already exists. I give it one hour and one printout per screen.

1. Print it

Paper makes you stop scrolling. Every screen gets a number and a red pen.

2. Mark every decision

Circle anything someone chose on purpose: a label, a default, a position. Then write down who gains from it, the user or the business.

3. Count the steps

Count taps, fields and words to the goal. The count is the baseline. If the redesign does not beat it, it is a reskin.