Institutionalization of Usability

Institutionalization Self Rating Scorecard

How does your organization rate on institutionalizing user experience (UX)?

Answer the 14 questions below and we'll give you an overall score, and suggestions for improvement based on your answers.

Section 1 — Executive Champion

Do you have an Executive Champion?

Definition of an Executive Champion: Person in a high place in the organization who champions the needs, existence and work of UX and the UX team. Someone who is at a VP, Director, or C-level so that they can be persuasive in the organization.

Which of the following best describes your organization?

	We have an Executive Champion for UX and all critical players under that person are on board.
	We have an Executive Champion for UX and some critical players under that person are on board, but some are not.
	We have an Executive Champion for UX, but his or her initiatives are routinely blocked by one or more people under him.
	We don't have an Executive Champion.
	Don't know.

Does the Executive Champion have a written strategy for how to infuse UX through the organization?

	There is a written strategy.
	There is a strategy, but I don't know if it's written.
	He/she does not have a particular strategy.
	We don't have an Executive Champion.
	Don't know.

Section 2 — Staffing

Do you have UX staff (whether centralized or de-centralized)? In other words, are there people in the organization whose job is to focus on the user experience (as opposed to people who spend just a small part of their time on UX)?

	We have UX staff.
	We have some people who do UX some of the time.
	We do not have anyone with the role of UX, either full or part time.
	Don't know.

How much training has your user experience staff received?
(Check all that apply)

	We have some people on staff who have advanced degrees, such as a Masters in HCI.
	We have some people on staff who have completed certification in usability or user experience.
	User experience staff regularly go to training courses, conferences, and seminars (at least one per year).

Section 3 — Culture and Maturity

Are employees in the organization familiar with user experience and what the UX initiatives are in your organization?

	Everyone has heard of user experience, and knows at least at a high level, what user experience is about for our organization.
	Some people have heard of user experience, and know at least at a high level, what user experience is about for our organization.
	Only a small handful of people have heard of UX, and know at least at a high level, what UX is about for our organization.
	No one at our organization (besides me) knows what UX is.

Have you worked with an outside vendor who provides UX services?

	We have so much UX work going on that we regularly use outside vendors for those services.
	We sometimes use outside vendors UX services, but we aren't doing that much, so we are able to handle most requests internally.
	We rarely use outside vendors for UX services. There just aren't that many requests.
	We never use outside vendors for UX services.
	Don't know.

Is User Experience part of the culture of your entire organization?

	Definitely part of the culture.
	Somewhat part of the culture.
	Not at all part of the culture.

Which of the following best describes your organization?

	All user experience groups are collected in one place in the organization, in other words, people who do product ideation, user centered design, and usability work are all together.
	Different groups are separated and reside in different places in the organization, but there is someone that coordinates their activities.
	Different groups are separate and reside in different places in the organization, but there is no one who coordinates them.
	No one is doing UX work in the organization.

Which of these best describes your organization?

	The organization is essentially stable. We have had two or fewer re-orgs in the last 3 years.
	The organization is/ has been going through some changes. We've had at least one re-org each year for the past 3 years.
	The organization is in constant flux. We've had multiple re-orgs (more than 3 in the last three years).

10.

Which of the following best describes your organization?

	The quality of our UX work depends on a few star players.
	We rely on standard processes to ensure the quality of our UX work, or example, standards, templates, and training of staff. We have some great staff, but the quality of our work does not depend on a few key people being involved.
	Our UX work is piecemeal. Sometimes we do it, sometimes we don't. Sometimes it works out great and other times not so good.

11.

What UX training have you provided staff who are outside of the official UX group? (Check all that apply)

	Education/awareness training for programmers and developers.
	Education/awareness for Management.
	Education/awareness for other staff.

Section 4 — Methodologies and Practices

12.

Do you have interface design standards in place for your products? Websites? Web apps, software? Pick the statement that best describes your organization.

	We have clear standards and templates in place for interface design for all projects and products.
	We have standards and templates in place for interface design for some projects.
	One or two projects have had standards or templates for interface design.
	We don't use standards or templates for interface design.

13.

Are user-centered design methodologies and processes integrated into your product design and development processes so that UCD is routinely done in your organization for every major project?

	Always.
	Sometimes.
	Rarely.
	Never.

14.

Which of the following best describes your organization?

	We have a fully-defined UX practice that is integrated with the IT development process.
	Some of the UX work we do is coordinated with the IT development process, but some is not.
	Our UX work is not coordinated with the IT development process.