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Why T-shaped UXers are the most successful in their careers
A popular notion … is to foster the development of “T-shaped” individuals, who have good breadth in broad domains … combined with deep subject-matter expertise in one of its highly specialized sub-disciplines. The construction of this … [individual], like the creation of fine wine, takes time. It cannot be rushed. In fact, it could and should be considered a lifetime journey.
- Dan Rosenberg (Educating for HCI at Scale)
While the entire act of trying to define your skills in a shape, bar graph, (or otherwise quantifying amorphous skills in a visual way) has become sort of passé, I believe that it is still a worthy exercise when trying to make decisions about your skills and your career for one reason: It can be really difficult to understand your current skills, and what skills you want to improve upon to make it to your next goal.
A lot of people espouse that life is really about the journey, and I also ascribe to this notion — but when you have no red marker on the map grounding you to where you currently are, the whole road ahead can feel more like aimless meandering. Rather than feeling like a sow snuffling for treasured truffles blindly in the peat, I’d rather have an idea of where I am now, and where I want to go. This is far more conducive to supporting good mental health and great…
