I lead design as a business discipline first, craft second, and a cultural force always.
At enterprise scale, UX becomes influential only when it is treated as an organisational risk, not a discretionary aspiration. That framing changes how decisions are made, how teams are trusted, and how creative work survives under pressure.
Philosophy
Shifting the Frame from “Preference” to “Risk”
Most organisations treat UX as optional, something added if time allows. This makes the design fragile, something that can easily be dismissed. I deliberately shift that frame.
I position poor or incoherent UX as operational risk. When complexity is pushed onto people rather than absorbed by the system, the organisation becomes fragile.
- Operational Risk = Errors, workarounds, and support costs.
- Delivery Risk = Late-stage rework and scope thrash.
- Reputational Risk = Inconsistent interactions that erode trust.
By speaking the language of risk, I move design from a debate over aesthetics to decisions about stability. This doesn’t constrain creativity; it protects it.
Application
Diagnostic Framework
I don’t just lead with theory; I measure exposure. I use a 7-point risk framework to audit the design operating model. This allows me to move beyond “subjective quality” and pinpoint precisely where the business is exposed to high-severity issues.
| Risk Category | Identified Exposure | Business Impact | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experience Quality Risk | No quality gates or review processes | Inconsistent UX shipped to customers; brand erosion | High |
| Delivery Risk | Unclear handoffs, no RACI, ad-hoc processes | Rework, missed deadlines, cost overruns | High |
| Brand Coherence Risk | Fragmented design system governance | Visual inconsistency across 52 Sub-PODs; customer confusion | Medium |
| Compliance Risk | No accessibility oversight or checkpoints | Regulatory exposure, exclusion of users | High |
| Knowledge Risk | Tribal knowledge, undocumented practices | Single points of failure, onboarding friction, attrition impact | Medium |
| Talent Risk | No career pathways, limited mentorship | Designer attrition, capability gaps, recruitment challenges | Medium |
| Velocity Risk | No capacity planning, reactive resourcing | Burnout, quality degradation under pressure | Medium |
Outcome
Stability Creates Creativity
Strong creative cultures don’t emerge from chaos. They emerge from confidence in the system.
When we reduce Delivery Risk and Velocity Risk, we stop teams from “fighting the system.” By clarifying accountability and embedding governance, I create the space for creativity to be deliberate rather than reactive.
What I believe: UX is not a layer you add. It is part of the operating model.
When experience decisions carry the same weight as technical or financial ones, organisations become calmer, teams become braver, and creativity stops being fragile.
Nural Choudhury, Product & Experience Leader