Developed at the DesignLab at UW–Madison, the acronym CAT represents three kinds or stages of design work.

• Conceptual
• Aesthetic
• Technical

• What kind of project are you making? What do you need to know about the particular medium/genre?
  • What is your project about? — What is the main idea, argument, or information you are trying to convey?
  • Who is your audience? — Is it your instructor? Your classmates? A community group? A high school class?
  • What are your goals or purpose? – To convince? To persuade? To inform? To call to action?

• What is the look or style or vibe of your work?
• Do the images, graphics, colors, contrast, and structure communicate your ideas and purpose?
• Are your design decisions consistent and coherent?
  • Or, when your decisions aren't consistent, why aren't they?
• Do your design decisions connect with your intended audience?
  • Are your decisions meaningful to your intended audience?

• If you used images — are they clear and properly scaled? (not pixelated, etc.)
• If you used text — is it written at the appropriate level for the intended audience? Is it legible (both size and font)? Does it contrast with any backgrounds?
• If you used sound — Is the audio clear and crisp? Are the sound levels balanced? Are the transitions unnoticeable?
• If you used video — Is the orientation appropriate for the venue/viewing device? Is the picture clear?