Elevance Health · Maya Project

Project scope and estimates

UX hour estimates by research and design phase, with low/high scenarios, buffer, and six-month burn-rate projections for internal and agency resourcing.

Project: Maya (Elevance + Lurie Children’s Hospital)
Duration: 24 weeks (planning horizon)
Buffer: 25% on hour estimates
Status: Historical reference

Planning assumptions

Internal UX hourly rate: $130
ScaleFocus agency hourly rate: $65
Estimates include a 25% buffer column for planning risk
Phase structure follows the Maya research plan: discovery, define & test, pilot monitoring, retrospective

Phase 1 — Understand & discovery

Phase 1 hours
Activity	Low	Low + buffer	High	High + buffer
Virtual observations	15	18.75	25	31.25
One-on-one interviews	12	15	24	30
Surveys	15	18.75	25	31.25
Persona refinement	2.5	3.125	5	6.25
Secondary sources	10	12.5	15	18.75
Phase 1 total	54.5	68.125	94	117.5

Phase 2 — Define & test

Phase 2 hours
Activity	Low	Low + buffer	High	High + buffer
Visual design	60	75	100	125
Initial usability testing	30	37.5	50	62.5
Phase 2 total	90	112.5	150	187.5

Phase 3 — Release pilot, test & monitor

Phase 3 hours
Activity	Low	Low + buffer	High	High + buffer
Post-release clinician interviews	60	75	80	100
Post-release diary study	70	87.5	90	112.5
Tracking key interaction metrics	35	43.75	45	56.25
Ongoing usability testing	70	87.5	100	125
Phase 3 total	130	162.5	170	212.5

Phase 4 — Retrospective

Phase 4 hours
Activity	Low	Low + buffer	High	High + buffer
Post-care retrospective	20	25	40	50
Phase 4 total	20	25	40	50

Summary

Total UX hours and burn rate
Metric	Low	Low + buffer	High	High + buffer
Total UX hours	294.5	368.13	454	567.5
Estimated resources per week	0.31	0.38	0.47	0.59
6-month burn (internal)	$38,285	$47,856	$59,020	$73,775
6-month burn (ScaleFocus)	$19,143	$23,928	$29,510	$36,888