Last week, we talked about the key UX topics you need to educate your organization on. But education is just the foundation. Today we're diving into something equally crucial, boosting your influence and perception of UX within your organization.

Changing your organization's culture to be more user-centric isn't a sprint. It's a marathon. I've learned this the hard way more times than I'd like to admit.

When I first started trying to shift organizational thinking toward UX, I thought I could bulldoze through resistance with compelling presentations and undeniable data. That approach went about as well as trying to change the weather by shouting at clouds.

The reality is that cultural change in organizations is genuinely challenging, and there are solid reasons why.

Most organizations have what I call "change paralysis." The longer a company has existed, the more entrenched its current culture becomes. It's like trying to redirect a river that's been flowing the same way for decades. Possible, but requiring patience and strategy.

The existing culture often directly clashes with user-centric thinking. I've seen companies where the quarterly targets obsession makes it nearly impossible to talk about long-term benefits like customer lifetime value or loyalty. These benefits take months or years to materialize, but if your leadership team only thinks in 90-day cycles, you're fighting an uphill battle.

There's also a fundamental lack of understanding about UX value. Many organizations simply don't have a clear vision of how UX delivers business benefits. Without that foundation, any attempt at culture change feels like pushing against a wall.

What we're really doing is hacking the organization's culture, reshaping it to foster behaviors that align with user experience values. This isn't about being sneaky. It's about being smart.

Here's what I've learned works.

Be subtle, not forceful. While you could try to force change through authority (if you have it), it rarely sticks long-term. The more forcefully you push, the more resistance you'll encounter. Think gentle river, not battering ram.

Make incremental changes. If you're being subtle, you can't rush things. I constantly monitor what's working and what isn't, then adapt accordingly. Give people time to adopt changes before moving to the next thing. Otherwise, you'll overwhelm everyone and lose momentum.

Sustain the effort. I've seen too many organizations start cultural changes with great enthusiasm, only to watch them fizzle out. Consistent, incremental improvement over a prolonged period is what creates lasting impact.

Don't expect quick results, and don't despise small beginnings. At first, it feels like pushing a giant snowball. Exhausting and seemingly pointless. But once you build momentum, change happens faster and faster.

The challenging part is that you're likely doing this culture hacking work on top of your regular responsibilities. It's demanding, especially at the start. Sometimes you need to step back from individual projects to focus on building that crucial momentum for change.

Look at your organization this week and identify one small, subtle change you could make that nudges toward user-centric thinking. Maybe it's asking one different question in a meeting, sharing one customer insight in a team chat, or suggesting one small process tweak.

Start there. Culture change isn't about grand gestures. It's about consistent, thoughtful pressure applied in the right direction over time.

What's the smallest change you could make this week that would plant a seed for user-centric thinking?

Next week, we'll dive deeper into the specific techniques of culture hacking. The practical strategies for shaping a UX-friendly organization from within. I'll share the tactical approaches that actually work to create lasting cultural change.

If I had to pick one part of this new way of working that matters most, it would be education.

Education is what makes democratizing UX possible. It’s the lever that lets you scale your influence far beyond the handful of projects you can personally touch.

When you invest in education, two things happen.

First, you raise the profile of users across the organization. People begin to see what UX actually involves and why it matters. They notice the benefits of doing it right and the costs of ignoring it. The more you teach, the more people start thinking about users every day.

Second, you empower your colleagues. Training gives them confidence to try UX activities for themselves. Suddenly, user research or testing doesn’t feel mysterious or out of reach. With a little support, they can make user-centered decisions without waiting on you.

But the way you educate is just as important as the fact you’re doing it. Too many UX teams rely on just one approach (usually formal workshops) and miss the variety of ways people learn.

Let’s break down some of the educational options available to you.

Workshops are the backbone of most UX education efforts. Done in person, they create a sense of community. People ask questions, share ideas, and feel part of something bigger. That social energy makes the lessons stick.

Remote workshops can work well too, but they’re more draining. Anything beyond 90 minutes and people’s attention starts to fade. So if you’d normally run a six-hour workshop in person, break it into four 90-minute online sessions. Shorter chunks keep people engaged and give them time to process.

You can also turn workshops into self-learning experiences. That’s what you’re going through right now: a full-day session broken into smaller lessons you can dip into at your own pace. The trade-off is less interaction and community, but you gain flexibility. People can revisit the material whenever they need a refresher.

Not every learning opportunity needs to be deep. Sometimes, the goal is to spark interest and build momentum. Think TED Talk-style lunch-and-learns. Twenty minutes, some food, and a clear takeaway.

You don’t have to be the only speaker either. Bringing in external experts adds credibility. People often pay more attention when the message comes from a known author or outside voice.

Internal conferences can raise the stakes even further. I’ve run whole-day events with guest speakers and colleagues sharing UX success stories. The highlight was always group brainstorming: getting people to come up with ways to improve the user experience in their own areas of the business. It builds energy and creates advocates across the organization.

The third piece of the puzzle is self-learning. Colleagues need practical guides they can turn to in the moment.

• Quick reference sheets on how to run a five-second test.
• Step-by-step instructions for creating a persona.
• Short videos showing how to use a research tool.
• Even simple checklists to make sure nothing important is missed.

These resources remove friction. They stop people from giving up when they can’t remember how to do something. And they help embed UX into everyday practice.

When you combine in-depth workshops, inspirational events, and self-learning materials, you create an ecosystem of education. Some people will dive deep, others will take small steps, but all will start to see UX as part of their work. That’s how you shift culture and make UX sustainable at scale.

If you run a freelance practice or agency, think about clients instead of colleagues. Education can be a huge differentiator. Offer training sessions as part of your projects. Share simple guides they can use once you’ve wrapped up. Run short webinars to keep them engaged between engagements. The more you teach, the more you’re seen as a trusted advisor rather than a pair of hands.

Pick one education format you’re not currently using. Maybe it’s a short reference guide, a 20-minute lunch-and-learn, or a recorded walkthrough of a tool. Create it this month. Don’t overthink it. Even something small can kick-start momentum and prove the value of making education part of your role.

In the next lesson, we’ll look at what content to include in these formats so your education efforts really stick.

Talk soon,

Paul

P.S. You can learn more about how I approach education and training here.

As I said in the last lesson, shifting responsibility for user research, testing, and prototyping onto colleagues won’t land smoothly with everyone. It’s a big ask. To make progress, you need to get ahead of objections: both the ones people voice and the ones they keep to themselves.

When I coach teams through this transition, I encourage them to start conversations by acknowledging concerns upfront. A simple line like, “I know some of you might have concerns about this approach, so let me share a few thoughts before we dive in” takes the sting out of resistance.

It is tempting to avoid focusing on the objections for fear that you will plant them in people's minds. However, in my experience, you're better off getting ahead of these things. Because once somebody expresses an objection, they tend not to back down. However, if you raise the issue first, then they can choose not to pursue it further.

Here are the most common objections you’re likely to face and a few hints on how to address them. This isn’t an exhaustive list and you will need to customize your responses to suit your audience and situation. However, they should point you in the right direction.

Lightweight UX techniques save time by catching issues early and reducing endless revisions later. A five-minute sketch or quick test can prevent weeks of rework.

UX is everyone’s responsibility. Just as safety isn’t only the job of the health and safety team, user experience can’t sit in one silo. Your team provides guidance and oversight, but the workload must be shared if projects are to succeed.

Point out that creating a good user experience is baked into every role that shapes products and services. It’s not an add-on. Instead, it’s a fundamental part of doing any job well.

Right now, many projects get little or no UX attention because your team is overstretched. Equipping colleagues to do the basics raises the overall standard. You’ll still be there to provide coaching and set guardrails.

In fact, the opposite is true. Without UX input, teams burn time in debates and rework. Suggest piloting the approach on one project, if it doesn’t help, they don’t need to continue.

User expectations have shifted dramatically. As IBM notes, “A user’s last best experience becomes their minimum expectation.” The old way can’t keep up with rising standards.

You’ll provide templates, tools, and training. The only added resource is a little attention, which quickly pays for itself in smoother delivery.

Reassure colleagues that the UX team retains overall responsibility. Their role is to contribute, not to carry the full weight. You remain the safety net.

Objections are normal. Treat them as signals of what colleagues need to feel safe trying something new. Anticipate them, respond clearly, and keep the tone supportive rather than defensive.

In the next lesson, we’ll explore the resources, support services, and educational materials that make this shift stick.

Talk soon,

Paul