Understanding where UX fits in your company’s structure is not always a simple question to answer. There are many factors to consider such as the maturity of the business, its growth phase and anticipated evolution which may mean that the structure itself will change with time.
The three common models are:
– Centralised UX team
– Within the Product team
– A hybrid of the two
Of course, each of these comes with its pros and cons. For example, having a centralised team will mean that UX will have a manager championing the team and its work, offer clear career path opportunities for the team etc. but on the other hand as the UX wouldn’t be incorporated into the product and project teams,lines of communication can be blurred between each other making the overall value proposition of UX less effective than it might be.
Equally, placing UX within the product team may give UX a direct voice within a project’s development but if outnumbered by the developers that voice can often be lost when differences of opinion occur especially if the manager comes from a product or development background.
Does hybrid solve the puzzle….of course the answer is….well, yes and no!! For sure, in theory the matrix model allows for a true partnership, but can lead to confusion for the UX staffer as to which manager has ultimate decision making and can get pulled in two directions.
Within the vernacular of UX specialists one of the key aspects for management to understand when forming the correct org structure for their business is what UX experts term “UX maturity” and as mentioned, this my well evolve over time.
At Carson Harris Associates we are fully aware of how each client’s org structure works and therefore when they are recruiting UX professionals we only provide candidates who will culturally fit their business model.
For more information on how we work and provide value to our clients, please visit www.carsonharris.co.uk or contact us here.
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