How Workshops Build UX Maturity: Teaching Through Doing

In an era of AI hype, layoffs, and economic uncertainty, organizations risk sliding backwards on UX maturity. They mistake rituals for real user-centered progress. UX maturity means sustained investment in users, products, and services. It drives measurable bottom-line impact through better outcomes that endure economic pressures.

Lack of UX maturity can derail in-flight projects

I've seen this play out firsthand. On one project, my team delivered a user-tested product design. Executives nearly undid it at launch. Because they weren't involved throughout, they didn't understand the process or value of usability testing. This created huge risks despite stellar user results. Without early involvement, even the best work gets derailed when UX maturity is low.

Exposure to UX methods can elevate organizational maturity

Contrast that with a service redesign where weekly workshops kept key stakeholders involved throughout. Participants from across the country joined in. No UX experience required. No homework. They co-developed the new service model. I wove in UX methods like facilitated discussions, storyboarding, card sorting, and roadmapping. By the end, these non-designers saw the value and asked: "Can you help us do this for our own plans?"

Ditch evangelizing UX through training or "why UX matters" talks. They alienate and breed resistance. Instead, expose people to methods through doing. They learn UX by doing UX. They discover what's in it for them: how these approaches improve their daily work.

Try teaching through doing in your next workshop

• Invite skeptics: Bring non-designers (execs, program leads) to contribute frontline knowledge to journey maps. They gain shared ownership through co-design.

• Use their data: Start with familiar reports to kick off activities. Show how UX methods reveal new insights and clarify their existing work.

• Incorporate UX methods: Deploy card sorting (group priorities), brainwriting and storyboarding (visualize options), or scanning (analyze impacts). This exposes them to tools they'll want to reuse.

Including non-UXers sparks organic UX maturity growth. They become evangelists. They reuse artifacts and methods org-wide. This turns one-off workshops into lasting capability.

So consider: Who on your team needs to experience UX methods to champion them? What tactic might spark that pull and lift your organization's UX maturity?