Regardless of company size, team maturity, or context, a new UX manager’s first priority is:

Identify the most critical focus area.

This is done by:

✅ Assessing the current state of UX (team structure, processes, influence, and challenges).

✅ Understanding expectations from leadership, stakeholders, and the team.

✅ Identifying the biggest bottleneck or gap that needs immediate attention.

Truth Check

Before making changes, a new UX design team manager needs a clear and accurate picture of the team’s current state. Without this, any decision could be based on assumptions rather than real challenges.

Having a structured question list and conducting 1:1s with team members and stakeholders is the best way to get an honest, unfiltered reality check. It helps discover what’s really happening beneath the surface instead of relying on assumptions.

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1:1 Question list & notes

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Once this primary focus area is clear, the manager should:

1️⃣ Make a plan to address it .

2️⃣ Work on solving it while balancing ongoing projects.

Now you should have a general idea about