UXinsight’s UX Research Maturity Framework

Where does UXR stand today?

UX research is evolving at high speed. We’re all talking about trends, challenges, and the future of our field. But let’s take a step back. Where do we actually stand? What’s working? What’s not? And most importantly, how do we grow?

At UXinsight, we wanted to cut through the noise. That’s why, in the final months of 2024, we ran the UX Research Maturity Benchmark, with input from 455 UX research professionals. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the framework we used to assess where UXR teams are today.

The six areas of user research maturity

Our framework breaks UX research maturity down into six key areas:

1. Buy-in & Resources – Is leadership actively supporting UX research? Or is it still a fight for every budget?
2. UXR Strategy – Does the organisation have a clear vision and plan for research? Or is it just ‘something we do when there’s time’?
3. Methods & Operations – How is research structured? What methods are used?
4. Standards & Compliance – Are there defined best practices? Or is it all a bit ad-hoc?
5. Capacity Building – How does the organisation invest in growing research expertise?
6. Impact of Research – Does research influence business and design decisions? Or does it end up in a ‘nice-to-know’ folder?

For each of these, we identified specific factors that contribute to maturity. Take leadership buy-in, for example. We looked at how research is prioritised by leadership and how a budget is allocated. UXR strategy? We checked whether teams had a clear vision but also a plan to make it happen.

Of course, these 20 factors don’t capture everything, UX research is complex. But to keep the framework practical, we focused on what matters most.

The four (or five) maturity levels

For each factor, we identified four levels of maturity:

• Emerging – UX research is in its early stages, often informal and inconsistent.
• Developing – Research is becoming more structured, with dedicated researchers or teams conducting studies.
• Established – Research is recognised and integrated into decision-making processes.
• Pioneering – Research is deeply embedded and drives strategic decision-making across the organisation.

Wait… aren’t there actually five levels?

Yes, before ‘Emerging,’ there’s ‘Non-existent’ (no user research at all). However, since companies that don’t do research probably didn’t fill out our survey, we left that one out of the official model.

How can you apply the framework?

Step 1 – Assess where your team stands

Evaluate your organisation across the six areas. Be honest! It’s common to see teams that are Established in one area (e.g., research buy-in) but still Emerging in another (e.g., measuring impact). Our tip? Do this assessment together with your research team and key stakeholders.

Step 2 – Define what ‘next level’ looks like

Let’s say your team is at the Developing stage in ‘Methods & Operations’:

• You use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods.
• There’s some diversity in approaches, but you’re not fully leveraging advanced methods yet.

What’s next? Maybe it’s time to tailor research methods to project needs more effectively. Or to expand the team’s expertise in underused methodologies. Identify the gaps!

Step 3 – Prioritise

You can’t improve everything at once. Identify where your team is falling behind and what the risks are. Check the benchmark results to see where other organisations are, and where you want to be.

Step 4 – Plan your next steps

Create a roadmap for the next year (or whatever timeframe makes sense for your organisation). How will your team level up in research maturity?

Maturing isn’t always fun, but it’s worth it

Growing a UX research practice isn’t easy. It takes time, effort, and investment. But the payoff? Happier users, better products, and a seat at the table.

Curious to see where your organisation stands compared to others? Check out the UXR Maturity Benchmark 2024 Report for insights, challenges, and real-world examples.

Why did we need a new UXR maturity model?

Good question. Why not just use an existing model? Here’s why:

We needed a framework that was:
✅ Easy to understand, but detailed enough to be useful
✅ Applicable across industries, company sizes, and research setups
✅ Focused on HOW to grow, not just where you stand today

We explored existing models (see resources below). The NN/g maturity model is well-known, but it focuses on UX as a whole rather than research. The dscout model is great for tracking progress, but it assumes teams always evolve in a set direction (e.g., from agency-style to embedded). We weren’t convinced that’s always true.

So, we mixed and matched. We borrowed insights from existing UXR models and even from procurement maturity models (yes, really). The result? A practical framework that helps UX research teams take real steps forward.

💡 Huge thanks to the experts who contributed!

Resources

• Moves to Modern Research: A New Maturity Model for User-Centric Organizations – dscout
• The organization’s design research maturity model – Chris Avore, Nasdaq
• The 6 Levels of UX Maturity – NN/g
• The Eight Pillars of User Research – by Emma Boulton
• UXR Maturity: move to a more advanced level in your org – Nikki Anderson, Dovetail