Mary Ann Lewis 8/8/25 Mary Ann Lewis 8/8/25

Mapping UX Core Competencies: A Practical Framework for Design Leaders

As design leaders, we can’t rely on gut instinct alone to understand our team’s capabilities. This post shares the UX Core Competency Matrix I built to map strengths, identify growth opportunities, and align skills with both business goals and user needs. Inside, you’ll find the eight core competencies every UX team should master, how to measure them with a clear 0–5 scale, and a free downloadable toolkit with definitions, a matrix chart, and a fillable rating grid you can start using today.

As a design leader, one of my biggest priorities is understanding the real strengths on my team — not just based on project outcomes, but through a clear lens of skills, capabilities, and growth potential.

Early in my leadership journey, I found that annual reviews and general feedback sessions weren’t enough. They often gave me high-level impressions like “strong collaborator” or “solid with IA,” but they didn’t show the full picture or where to focus development.

That’s when I built our UX Core Competency Matrix — a simple but powerful framework for evaluating, discussing, and growing the skills that matter most in product design.

Why a Competency Matrix Works

In UX, we often talk about mapping user journeys.
This is the same idea — but for our people.

Here’s what it’s helped us do:

Bring clarity — Designers know exactly what’s expected at each stage of their career.
Focus growth — We can target mentorship, training, and stretch projects based on clear needs.
Align with business goals — Skills directly connect to impact on users and the business.
Streamline hiring — It doubles as a benchmark for evaluating candidates.

The Eight Core Competencies

I broke our framework into eight categories:

Business Alignment – Translating company strategy into actionable UX direction.
Research & Data – Using qualitative and quantitative insights to inform design.
UX Design Execution – Information architecture, interaction design, UX copy, and prototyping.
Collaboration – Working effectively with PMs, BAs, engineers, and other designers.
Process Mastery – Adapting Agile, Lean UX, or Design Thinking methods to fit the problem.
Leadership – Guiding projects, setting expectations, and building team culture.
Design Systems & Governance – Scaling standards, components, and patterns across platforms.
AI & Emerging Practices – Integrating new tools (like AI) into research, design, and delivery.

How It’s Measured

We use a 0–5 scale for each competency:

0 – No understanding
1 – Basic awareness
2 – Can apply with guidance
3 – Can apply independently
4 – Can mentor others
5 – Innovates & sets new standards

The important part:
Every category has specific, observable behaviors. For example, in Research & Data, a Level 3 designer might independently run usability tests and synthesize unbiased findings, while a Level 5 designer creates new research methods or frameworks.

What’s Changed Since Using It

Since adopting the competency matrix, I’ve noticed three big shifts:

More focused 1:1s – Instead of vague “how’s it going” chats, we talk about targeted skill areas.
Smarter project staffing – I can match designers to projects that fit their strengths while stretching them in the right ways.
Self-awareness and ownership – Designers can see exactly where they stand and choose their growth areas for the next cycle.

Not a Ranking — A Roadmap

This framework isn’t about putting people in boxes.
It’s about giving them a shared language for growth.

In fast-paced product environments, it’s easy to get caught up in delivery and overlook development. But a skill map ensures that while we’re designing better products, we’re also building better designers.

If you’d like to put this framework into action, I’ve created a complete UX Core Competency Evaluation Toolkit — the same one I use with my own team.
It includes: