However, within "what is the ROI of UX?" hides a different, very real question: "does this company have a reality-based business model?"
If yes, then UX is probably the most important function. User research, problem framing, experimentation, iteration are the best process to make a useful thing.
If you do not have a reality-based business model, then it is entirely possible that UX has no value. Lying to customers about the value of the product (because the choosers aren't the users, like in B2B) or playing games with VC funding don't require UX. They just need a fancy UI slapped on top.
Jan 6, 2026 13:39