It's time to write my committments, which includes an execution plan (the how) and a set of accountabilities and success metrics (the why). As a designer, I struggle with defining good success metrics that contribute to our company's actual business strategies or that quantify an actual return on investment -- to tell you the truth, I have yet to see a designer come up with really clear metrics to determine how one's UX design contributions tie to business goals and directly impact profitability. Yet that is our goal with this committments writing exercise.

Quoted: So often, user-experience designers are held accountable for process objectives. A successful project is one that meets budgets, deadlines, and specifications.

Quoted: There’s a problem with measuring success this way — process-objective metrics don’t really tell you how good you are at developing a strong user experience, only whether you completed the job specifications efficiently.

Quoted: But what about the project itself? Was it chosen wisely? Was it grounded in user research and customer insight? What effect will it have on the business?

Quote: We take for granted that good user experience design will help a business succeed.

Quote: Once our field begins to calculate direct financial repercussions of its work, business leaders will understand that good design is not just an art; it is also a science worthy of strategic attention and investment dollars.