1. Study the organization’s strategic plan

and identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These are important metrics that need to align with the strategic plan. This will help the UX designer effectively communicate and get stakeholders on board with the UX process.
For instance, if reaching international students is part of the school’s strategic plan for this project, it is essential to include it in the KPIs. By understanding the organization’s strategy, we can strategize and establish effective KPIs accordingly.

2. Evaluate your resources 

Determine UX Maturity: Understand your client and stakeholders, as not everyone prioritizes the design process. They are more focused on outcomes and results. Often, people tend to overlook the research phase, which can result in solving the wrong problem. Read the room, adapt the most suitable research method, finish the task, and move on to the next project.

From Dr. Jeff Sauro and Dr James R. Lewis of measuringu.com

Research Phase

1. Understanding and defining the company Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
2. Assessing your organizations UX maturity.
3. Benchmarking perceptions of the user experience.
4. Associating UX measures to KPIs.
5. Identifying and tracking top tasks by product areas.
6. Benchmarking the user experience.

Design Phase

1. Planning improvements.
2. Finding the right mix of methods.
3. Understanding how changes in designs improve the KPIs.
4. Computing the Return on Investment (ROI).
5. Performing a periodic UX audit.Other resources

   https://measuringux.com/