Inspired by a Peter Merholz lecture at IA Summit 2015:
To deliver great user experiences, it’s not just about getting the best design out the door. It starts with getting the organization right.
There are different organizational models to deliver great UX. Each has strengths and weaknesses.
The most common organization model is a decentralized and embedded model. This allows each team (commerce, social, marketing, etc) to have a designer and developer and allows the designer to be included throughout the entire lifecycle. They are involved in decisions and part of the team. However, this causes a fractured user experience throughout the site and can be lonely for a designer to not be with other designers/developers.
Eric Davis 