This document has been created as a reference for senior management in product groups who wish to learn more about incorporating user centered design practices into product ideation, design, and development processes. The terms ‘user experience’ and ‘user-centered design’ are used interchangeably in this document.

The four main sections of this document provide the following information:

• An overview of user centered design methods and techniques, and how they are incorporated into UX teams’ processes
• A description of how the team fits into the development lifecycle
• A detailed breakdown of what it costs to implement and UX/UCD team in a single product organization
• The UX team engagement mode – that is, what services the team provides, to whom, and when
• Descriptions of the difficulties typically encountered when a product organization decides to build a UX team.
• A reference section that provides descriptions of and access to user centered design tools and templates, deliverable samples, and recommended readings.

The User Experience Team Kit: How to Hire a UX Team and Incorporate User-Centered Design Methods into Your Software Development Lifecycle Process (PDF, 390 kb)