In 2023, I conducted the first UX maturity assessment at my organization. Based on the Nielsen Norman Group’s UX Maturity Model, I conducted structured interviews with my team – asking each member to evaluate our current state, identify opportunities for growth, and set priorities. This process gave me clarity I wouldn’t have reached otherwise.
I repeated the assessment in 2025. This time, I expanded it to include the broader Product Development organization – Chief Product Owners, Product Owners, Tribe Leads, Team Leads, and Business Developers. Repeating it revealed something a single measurement never could – progress.
What repeated measurement reveals
The method combines quantitative ratings with qualitative, action-oriented feedback. This means I can assess not just what changed but also why it happened. Some changes happened surprisingly fast. Some resulted from my own decisions. Others were influenced by factors I hadn’t expected. Seeing all of this in one place is a different kind of insight.
The most revealing signal was how the feedback itself changed over time. Years ago, it was general – we need more designers. Now it is specific: usability tests are taking longer than expected, and UX designers are blocked waiting for results. This change shows several things at once: colleagues understand our processes and different roles; teams have learned to include research time in their planning; estimates of research and design activities have improved. Even when a current project has issues, I can see that the team has moved from a narrow, UI-centric approach to a more mature and structured level. Three areas in particular catalyzed this shift.
One thing worth noting: in organizations with lower maturity levels, this assessment should be taken with caution. Vocabulary around design is not yet developed, and feedback often focuses on solutions rather than root problems. Developing that language takes time and deliberate effort – and that is part of the journey.
If you have never measured UX maturity in your organization, this is your signal to start. If you measured once and stopped, now is the time to restart.
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