At organisations of all shapes and sizes, design is a priority. Your designers might be working on software products, marketing messages, or a physical product. In all cases, you need to be able to measure your UX process maturity.
UX maturity is used to give you an idea of how effective your design team is, how your design strategy is or isn’t meeting your goals and how much agency your design team actually has.
In this post, we’re going to be covering the five stages of measuring your UX process maturity. That way, you can get an idea of whether you’re giving your team the tools they need to be effective.
What is the UX design process? The stages of measuring your UX process maturity
Stage 1: Inception
Inception is the first step of a UX design process measuring your UX process maturity. Businesses at this stage will have little to no design process in place and possibly not even a team. You may only have an idea to have a stronger UX presence.
That’s where the name “Inception” comes from.
You know you need a design strategy, but currently don’t have anything else to show for that need.
If this is you, then you want to take steps towards Stage 2. To do this, start introducing UX deliverables and tools into your process. You’ll also want to bring the voice of your customers to the table, too, which your marketing and research teams can help with.
Stage 2: Awareness
At Stage 2 of UX process maturity, you’ll have a general awareness of why UX design matters. This awareness, however, is limited.
To businesses at this stage, UX design is largely viewed as being aesthetic rather than being actually functional or tied to ROI. You might also have limited investment in research and tools for your team.
To graduate to Stage 3, you’ll want to start adding testing, research, design sprints and more resources to your UX process.
Stage 3: Adopting
At this third stage, your business will have a foothold, albeit minimal, in the world of UX design. You’re investing in research and resources for your team, have made the UX process generative rather than aesthetic and your team has a say in how your products turn out.
To move forward, you’re going to want to start expanding the influence your design team has on the rest of your development process.
Stage 4: Maturing
Once your UX process has reached the Maturing stage, you’ve found a way to make it a key driver behind your product strategy. At Stage 4, you and your design team are working together to scale up your design resources and methodology.
This allows your design team to be more effective without necessarily needing to hire additional designers.
Stage 5: Integrated
The last stage of UX process maturity is Integrated. If your business is at this stage, then UX design has completely permeated your organisation.
Throughout your business, teams are working with the data, research, and strategies developed by your design team. You’ve developed a user-centred culture and are allowing designers at your workplace to advocate for design practices at an executive level.
Start embracing UX process maturity with Thunk
Looking to fast-track your way to UX process maturity? Partner with the design experts at Thunk today.