Scaling UX maturity for a global brand: citizenM hotels
Hospitality | Enterprise design
citizenM is known for its bold brand and innovative hospitality model—but its digital experience needed to catch up. To match the digital experience to the physical one, the company needed a UX function that could scale and mature alongside its growth. Within a year, UX evolved from a fragmented capability into a strategic driver of product delivery, guest satisfaction, and cross-functional alignment.
As the first full-time Head of UX, I was responsible for team development, DesignOps, UX strategy, and organizational alignment across product, engineering, and leadership—scaling UX maturity to support long-term innovation.
CLIENT
citizenM hotels
01. Situation
Before my arrival, citizenM’s UX capability was fragmented:
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Inconsistent design across platforms, with no shared principles or systems
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Limited customer insight in product decision-making
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UX viewed narrowly as surface-level design
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No structured mentorship, growth paths, or VOC feedback loop
A shift was needed to move UX from execution to strategy—enabling consistent, insight-driven, and scalable guest experiences.
02. Task
Build a scalable UX function that could:
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Increase UX maturity across tools, team, and culture
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Establish a high-performing, user-centered team
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Launch DesignOps systems and UX research integration
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Position UX as a business enabler, not just a design layer
03. Action
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Strategy: Created a long-term UX roadmap with maturity benchmarks and KPIs
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Team Building: Doubled team size, introduced structured roles, career growth, and mentorship
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DesignOps: Developed a design system, UX principles, and a documentation repository
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Research: Hired the first UX researcher, launched a VOC program, and introduced continuous feedback loops
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Org Alignment: Integrated UX into agile processes, led cross-functional workshops, and partnered with leadership to embed UX into decision-making
04. Result
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UX maturity advanced from Level 3 to Level 5 in under a year
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10% increase in key customer metrics (CPS, CLV, NPS)
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Fully formed UX function with DesignOps, research, and cross-functional credibility
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Executive adoption of UX as a strategic capability
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Sustained systems in place for scaling insights and quality
Illustrating the process
Key moments from the transformation—spanning UX strategy, team development, DesignOps, and research integration.
Defining a UX Strategy
Created a company-wide UX vision with clear goals, KPIs, and maturity benchmarks—positioning UX as a strategic pillar for growth.
Our strategy centered on the integration of Design, Research, and Strategy—anchored by a strong, collaborative team at the core.
Gaining leadership alignment
Secured buy-in to prioritize UX maturity—embedding it into product strategy, executive roadmaps, and performance goals.
UX maturity advanced from Level 3 to Level 5 through structured team and systems transformation.
Team building & development
Scaled from a lean design function to a structured UX team—doubling in size within six months and launching growth paths and mentorship.
From a dispersed, execution-focused design team to a structured, high-performing UX function with clear roles, growth tracks, and strategic ownership
Implementing DesignOps
Established a scalable design system, unified visual language, and centralized documentation—curbing design fragmentation across products.
Before the strategy, fragmented UI patterns across teams underscored the need for a unified design system.
Launching the research function
Hired the first dedicated UX researcher and introduced continuous VOC integration—making user insight a core part of product development.
Built a functioning research infrastructure that turned user feedback into strategic input.
Key takeaway
This case demonstrates how structured UX investment—across team, research, and design operations—can accelerate product maturity and business alignment. It highlights how reframing UX as a strategic function unlocks long-term value across guest experience, product delivery, and cross-functional collaboration.
It also deepened my understanding that scaling UX maturity requires more than frameworks—it’s about shaping how teams think, work, and make decisions together.
Navigator methods & frameworks used
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Design Thinking
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Strategic UX roadmapping
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NN/g UX Maturity framework
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Cross-functional workshop facilitation
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DesignOps implementation framework
Focusing on our UX maturity has really transformed how we work and connect with our guests. It's been a game-changer for our growth and success.
– Director of Product, citizenM hotels