In the field of design, maturity isn't just about creating visually appealing interfaces or well-crafted user experiences. It involves the level of influence a design team has—not only on the products they create but also on defining the problems worth solving. In this post, we explore the stages of design maturity using the metaphor of a ladder, and explain how understanding these stages can help your design team achieve more impactful outcomes.
What is Design Maturity?
Design maturity refers to the growth of a design team's impact within an organization. At lower levels of maturity, design is often limited to execution—making things look polished or solving specific, well-defined issues. As a team matures, its role expands to having a strategic influence—helping drive decisions that shape the future of products and business directions. Climbing the ladder of design maturity means transitioning design from a tactical problem-solving role to a strategic partner in identifying opportunities.
The Ladder of Design Maturity
Design maturity can be visualized as a ladder, with each rung representing a different level of influence. The three key stages on this ladder are solution quality, solution definition, and opportunity definition. Let’s explore each of these stages and how they contribute to the overall impact of design.
Design maturity can be visualized as a ladder, with each rung representing a different level of influence. The three key stages on this ladder are solution quality, solution definition, and opportunity definition. Let’s explore each of these stages and how they contribute to the overall impact of design.
Stage 1: Solution Quality
The first stage of design maturity is solution quality. At this level, the primary focus is on delivering high-quality solutions to predefined problems. Designers ensure that products are functional, visually appealing, and meet user needs effectively. The emphasis is on craft and execution—ensuring that the solution is as refined as possible.
The first stage of design maturity is solution quality. At this level, the primary focus is on delivering high-quality solutions to predefined problems. Designers ensure that products are functional, visually appealing, and meet user needs effectively. The emphasis is on craft and execution—ensuring that the solution is as refined as possible.
While solution quality is important, it represents the lowest level of influence. Designers at this stage are often brought in after the problem has already been identified and defined by others. This limits their impact to the execution phase, which means they miss the chance to shape what problems are being solved in the first place.
Stage 2: Solution Definition
The next stage is solution definition. At this level, designers are involved in shaping the solution itself, not just executing it. This involves understanding user needs more deeply, exploring multiple ways to address those needs, and working collaboratively with other teams to determine the best approach.
Solution definition is a significant step forward in design maturity. Designers begin to influence the direction of the product by determining how to solve problems, not just implementing solutions. The work here involves ideation, prototyping, and validation—ensuring that the chosen solution is the right one before moving on to perfecting its details. Teams operating at this stage are expanding their influence beyond aesthetics to shape the user experience and product strategy.
Stage 3: Opportunity Definition
The highest level of design maturity is opportunity definition. Here, designers are involved in identifying which opportunities are worth pursuing. They help define the right problems to solve, using research, user insights, and an understanding of the business context to shape the strategic direction of the product.
Opportunity definition has the most significant impact because it shapes what gets built in the first place. By being involved at this early stage, designers become proactive contributors to the strategic vision rather than reactive problem-solvers. This level of influence enables designers to be true partners in value creation, guiding the team toward opportunities that have the greatest potential to benefit both users and the business.
Why Opportunity Definition Matters Most
Opportunity definition is the most critical aspect of design maturity because it marks the shift from being reactive to proactive. When designers are involved in opportunity definition, they help decide which problems are worth solving, rather than just improving existing solutions. This shift allows design to drive strategic business outcomes, positioning it as a core part of decision-making rather than an afterthought.
Moving Up the Ladder: Tips for Designers and Organizations
If your team is primarily focused on solution quality, how can you progress toward greater maturity? Here are some steps you can take:
- Invest in Research: Develop a deep understanding of your users and their needs. The more insight you have, the better you can contribute to identifying meaningful opportunities.
- Advocate for Early Involvement: Make a case for including design at the earliest stages of the process, such as during discovery sessions and strategic planning.
- Frame Problems, Not Just Solutions: Shift your perspective from "how do we solve this?" to "is this the right problem to solve?" Encourage your team to question problem statements and explore whether better opportunities exist. Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to understand the broader context and define opportunities that align with business goals and user needs.
TL;DR
Design maturity is about more than delivering polished user interfaces. It's about moving up the ladder—from solution quality to opportunity definition—expanding the influence of design to shape the what, how, and why of product development. By advancing on this ladder, design teams can become true strategic partners, driving meaningful outcomes that create lasting value for both users and businesses.
Take a moment to reflect: where is your team on this ladder? What steps can you take to climb higher, and how can you advocate for design’s involvement at the most impactful stages of product development?