Lately I’ve been going through Designers portfolios and social media presence more so than I’ve done in the past. I always like to check on a daily basis what is happening in terms of Interaction Design and Design trends, by going to sites and portals such as SiteInspire and Awwwards, WebDesigner News and even the classic TheFWA. This constant perusal and observation is a way to not only be inspired by others virtuosic work, but also understand how professionals with different years of seniority navigate their careers and how they present themselves to the market. From all these observations and reflections, I’ve come to realize that for all the quality and obvious layer of effort professionals in the Design field put into their portfolios and showcases, there’s something that not many typically talk about, which is the maturity level of the Product Design/UX discipline in the companies/organizations they’ve worked with. These days, when one looks through all the standardized case study format so many professionals put forth, there’s typically an omission in terms of explaining the context of the Design practice in which the product or feature is derived from. And that context in itself influences the roles Designers are asked to play, not to mention the quantity and quality of tasks they’re responsible for. For those wanting to know more about the different levels of UX Maturity within Organizations, you can read more about it on this article from the Nielsen Norman Group. But they’re essentially: Absent, Emergent, Limited, Structured, Integrated and Design Driven. I’m going to briefly distill some of my experiences with some of these particular cases, and recount some of my own strategies to navigate the challenges of such environments.

Absent (UX is ignored or nonexistent). This type of maturity isn’t reserved solely for Startups, as many may be inclined to think so. That being said, in my professional experience I was able to work with an organization where the Product Design discipline was nearly much absent. And it was indeed in a startup, then trying to establish itself as a deliverer of a SaaS type of product. The most rewarding aspect of working on an environment such as this, is the opportunity to build bridges, educate, and also as just as importantly, learn about the business itself, the industry and the teams powering the existence of the organization. In situations very much like this one, Designers have the opportunity to be catalysts and evangelists, but also structurally define how the Design practice is going to exist. This definition always starts from an atomic level perspective, by understanding the DNA of the Organization. Grasping the DNA of an organization typically entails comprehending it’s footprint on the market, its inner workings, logistics, business acumen and constraints, not to mention of course aspects such as its ambitions when it comes to market and brand perception, volume of sales, roadmap establishment, partnerships, global footprint, among many other topics. Some of the challenges I personally faced, and that one typically faces, is of course tied with scalability and education. And these items typically walk hand in hand. Many Designers join Startups just as they’re starting out, or as they’re about to solidify into something grander, which means these professionals have to wear multiple hats, engage with all parts of the business, and jumpstart a series of initiatives typically associated with the Product Design discipline (hello research, hello design systems, hello content writing, and the list goes on). And in order to do so, one has to be strategic about time devoted to certain tasks which fulfill immediate needs felt by the teams, while also defining and preparing for what lies ahead. Therefore, educating peers on Human Centered Design processes, scaling design deliverability, integrating with other teams from the get go, is something Designers have to spend time clarifying, executing and demonstrating. However challenging this may be, it’s also a tremendously rewarding endeavor, particularly if it’s something that the Organization embraces, and sees value in. Showcasing the value of Design is still something that Designers should do, even if the ROI for these initiatives has become somewhat of a commonly perceived fact in the market.

Limited (UX work is rare, done superficially, and lacking impact). Another experience that has shaped me as a professional is tied with this type of maturity. I joined a Technology Organization going through a digital transformation cycle, one where software building wasn’t necessarily part of their deliverables. However this organization was already familiar with some software implementation and customization, mostly from using tools from other providers. The challenge here was, very much like the ones described in point 1, educating, scaling and learning. In situations such as these, and even as the maturity levels increase, there is always a need for Designers to understand the needs that are felt by the participants of the ecosystem in which a particular organization operates on. This isn’t circumspect to only clients, or internal product teams. This actually means looking at the circles of influence, the different users that come into that ecosystem, both internally and externally, understanding partners roles, and more vastly, comprehending everyone’s roles. Only then can Designers strategically support the endeavors that are already in motion, while also devising a strategy for the scaling and education of those ecosystem participants. Again it’s a challenging process, because this is the type of maturity which can be found in a startup, but also in a well established Organization, with the latter type containing many operational layers to navigate through, at times making the roles of Designers that much more challenging. In situations such as these, gathering the support of team members, clarifying one’s position and goals is tremendously important. Mostly because the operational gears, which translates into habits and expected behaviors are already in place, therefore the role of the Designer is also tied with shifting paradigms and evolving that previously crafted perception of the role Product Design plays in the whole journey.

Emergent (the UX work is functional and aspirational but has inconsistencies and inefficiencies). This type of experience, much like all of these associated with different levels of maturity, has a particular set of challenges. These can be at times quite herculean because they involve not only education, but also shifting habits, or at least refining them. I’ve worked in two professional experiences that are very much in this environment. This type of engagement involved, much like the previous one indicates, understanding the ecosystem in which the Organization operates, and subsequently also drilling into the inner workings of an emerging practice. Which that means, understanding how processes are being devised and tackled, understand how communications and relationships are being established and nurtured, expectations between different players, and the list goes on. The key aspect to highlight in situations such as these, is to always understand the dynamics that exist between all the players in the ecosystem in general, and in the Design practice in particular. Clarifying relationships is also an opportunity to seek out reflections, which translate into opportunities. One of the big tasks for Designers in situations such as these is crafting relationships, and once more, clarify roles and expectations, educating the participants of the ecosystem, of what lies ahead, and what the roles actually are, even if there is pushback. And there will be pushback. While most organizational environments will always pontificate on the need for flexibility and agility (as well as they should), some of the changes and growth spurts that occur, particularly when there’s an Emerging Design Practice, force a change of habits. And that is not as easy as it may seem.

Structured (the organization has a UX oriented methodology that is widespread, but with varying degrees of effectiveness and efficiency). In situations such as these, the roles of Designers are somewhat facilitated, since there is a practice in place, one that hopefully contemplates an effective onboarding process, and that trickles into various aspects pertaining to the roles performed by Designers. This type of maturity will also typically translates into aspects such as an effective inventory and clarification of the players (and their roles) in the ecosystem, and how Designers can relate to these personas, in what capacity, and with expectations clearly defined. The challenges that I’ve personally experienced in environments such as these, are tied to understanding the intricacies of the Organization and the Design Practice itself, married with building trusting relationships across the diverse teams, and just as importantly, understanding people’s aspirations, ambitions and pain points. Building an effective strategy in scenarios such as these require identifying which elements can benefit of improvement, crafting partnerships that enable it, and making sure this process is both collaborative and owned by all participants of the ecosystem.

Integrated (UX work is comprehensive, effective, and pervasive). Scenarios such as these allow for Designers to not only clearly understand what they’re stepping into, but they can also rapidly understand the process being implemented, the ecosystem in which they operate, and how the Design practice manifests itself across all its ramifications, including relationships, strategy, deliverability, education, growth. There’s a solidly built process, which typically allows for a flourishing HCD/HCI philosophy to continue playing its role, while also contemplating a layer of flexibility, adaptability and consistency to the process, which in turn can manifest itself in such qualities as innovation, evolution and growth. Once more, the challenges on this type of environment are deeply tied with establishing relationships, and making sure one understands the ecosystem in which one operates on. That also means the contributions are more heartily felt, witnessed as are the lessons learnt.

User Driven (Dedication to UX at all levels leads to deep insights and exceptional user-centered–design outcomes). Ideally all Organizations are walking towards this goal, where Product Design and UX are a legitimate partner in the process, where they’re a peer to their counterparts in Product, Development, Sales, among other crucial/fundamental departments of an organization. Typically many organizations have a long journey ahead to reach this phase. For the most part, many start with crafting a Design practice to serve a very specific need, very much like a service type approach (I’ve written about that here). However and as Organizations mature, and so do their ecosystems, and the roles of the different participants, the goal is for the general direction to go headed to this level of maturity, where the collaboration/partnership, integration, sapience and efficiency all converge, with demonstrable results across the board.

I’ll conclude with a quote from Henry David Thoreau on the topic of Maturity:

“Maturity is when all of your mirrors turn into windows.”