This paper critically examines the role of the standard method of assessment for architectural students internationally, known as the ‘crit’. It examines the pedagogical theory underlying this approach whereby students pin up their work and make a presentation on it, and receive verbal feedback on it, in front of a room of their peers and academic staff. Recent critiques of this hundred-year old approach are also discussed, and the reality of the ‘crit’ is examined through analysis of practice. This leads into a discussion of a semester-long piece of action research in this academic year in which academic staff have piloted new methods of formative and summative student-centred assessment without a ‘crit’. Feedback from students and academic staff has been extremely positive, and is discussed along with the lessons learned from this pilot semester. The next steps in this ongoing piece of action research are also briefly outlined.