Run a transcript to see how a design review actually worked. This page shows how to apply the SIGNAL system to a real conversation. You can take a design review call, run it through a structured process, and see how decisions formed.
Instead of relying on memory or gut feel after the call, you can see:
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where the conversation was strong
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where it lost clarity
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where decisions started to form
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what needs to improve next time
The goal is to make the conversation easier to learn from.
Why this matters
Most teams run design reviews, but few have a consistent way to learn from them. After a call, people often leave with different versions of what happened:
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what problem was actually discussed
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what success was supposed to mean
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what evidence shaped the direction
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why a decision felt weak
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who owned the next step
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whether anything was truly locked
Running a transcript makes that visible. It turns a conversation into something the team can review, score, and improve. You are looking at how the conversation worked, where it held together, and where it lost strength.
This helps improve the next review, not just evaluate the last one.
What you need before you start
Start with one design review transcript. The transcript works best when it includes:
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speaker names
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the full discussion
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the design problem being reviewed
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any signals, data, or feedback mentioned
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the closing conversation around ownership and next steps
You do not need a perfect transcript. You need enough of the conversation to see how the review moved from problem to action.
How the transcript is reviewed
The transcript is reviewed through the SIGNAL flow:
Surface → Identify → Ground → Navigate → Align → Lock
Each step looks for a different part of the conversation.
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Surface: Was the real problem made clear?
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Identify: Did the group define what success should look like?
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Ground: Were signals used to shape the discussion?
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Navigate: Did a clear direction start to form?
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Align: Was ownership made clear?
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Lock: Were next steps confirmed?
The review shows where the conversation created clarity and where it broke down.
3 Ways to Run a Transcript
You have three ways to apply the system, depending on how you want to work.
1. Use the Skill
Best for fast, repeatable analysis using your AI tool of choice. The Skill allows you to run the SIGNAL framework directly on a transcript using AI. It applies the rubric automatically and gives you structured feedback across all six sections.
Use this when you want:
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quick analysis
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consistent output
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repeatable results across multiple calls
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a faster way to review design conversations
How to use it:
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Copy your transcript
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Run the SIGNAL Skill
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Review the output across Surface → Lock
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Choose one area to improve in the next review
👉 Download the Skill
2. Use the AI Prompt
Best for quick learning and understanding. The prompt gives you a guided way to run the rubric yourself. It walks through each section and helps you evaluate the conversation step by step.
Use this when you want:
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to understand the SIGNAL system more deeply
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to train your thinking
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to review an important call manually
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to see how the rubric works before using it at scale
How to use it:
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Download the prompt PDF
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Paste your transcript into your preferred AI tool
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Follow the structure across each SIGNAL section
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Review where the conversation gained or lost strength
👉 Download the Prompt
3. Use our Ray Application
Best for team workflows and ongoing analysis. Ray is in the Glare app for uploading transcripts, running SIGNAL analysis, and tracking patterns across calls. Use Ray when you want to review more than one conversation and see where the team keeps getting stuck.
Use this when you want:
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team-level insight
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ongoing review of calls
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consistent evaluation across projects
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patterns across multiple design reviews
How to use it:
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Upload your transcript
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Run the SIGNAL analysis
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Review patterns and results across calls
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Use the results to improve future reviews
👉 Upload to Ray
SIGNAL Call Rubric Outputs
After running a transcript, you should have a clearer view of how the design review performed. The output should show:
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how each SIGNAL step showed up
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where the conversation created clarity
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where the review lost strength
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how decisions formed
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what weak point needs attention next
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what to improve in the next review
Use the output to find where clarity first dropped. That is usually the best place to improve before the next call.
How to use the results
Once the transcript is reviewed, look for the step that needs the most help.
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If Surface is weak, clarify the real problem earlier.
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If Identify is weak, define success before debating the design.
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If Ground is weak, bring stronger signals into the review.
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If Navigate is weak, make tradeoffs and recommendations clearer.
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If Align is weak, confirm who owns the next move.
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If Lock is weak, close with clearer actions and timing.
You do not need every call to be perfect. You need a clear read on where the conversation lost strength and what to improve next.
Running a transcript brings the Design Review system together.
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The rubric shows what to look for.
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The scoring model shows where the conversation gained or lost strength.
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The techniques show what to improve next time.
Take one real conversation and run it through the system. Find where the flow broke down. Use that step to improve the next review. Over time, this creates clearer conversations, stronger decisions, and design reviews that keep moving forward.
