← Approach to Work

Approach · Method

UX Architecture

A framework for treating UX as infrastructure: strategy + operations, sitting between business goals and the day-to-day design practice.

UX Architecture is a blueprint for UX infrastructure — the connective tissue between business goals and the design practice that serves them. My framework has two components: Strategy and Operations.

Strategy is the Why, What and When. Operations is the How and Who.

UX Architecture framework — Strategy and Operations as the two halves of UX infrastructure

UX Strategy

UX Strategy is the why, what and when of your UX infrastructure plan. It covers:

  • Alignment with business strategy
  • Installation of a research infrastructure
  • Application of UX methods for value innovation
  • Seamless end-to-end journeys
  • Vision, goals, and plans

I combine Lean and Systems thinking, drawing on four industry-standard methodologies: UX Strategy (O'Reilly); UX Strategy: Definitions & Concepts (Nielsen Norman Group); the Double Diamond Design Process (Design Council); and Product Led Growth principles.

For more on how I measure progress, see my UX Maturity framework.

UX Operations

UX Operations — sometimes called Design Operations — is the people, process, and tooling infrastructure that makes the strategic vision achievable.

  • People, processes & practice
  • Tooling & standards

My reference for people operations is Org Design for Design Orgs (O'Reilly).

For organisations looking to build or mature their UX Architecture: be prepared for the long haul. This is not a quick win or low-hanging fruit. The teams that benefit most are the ones that commit to it as a continuous infrastructure investment, not a one-time project.