The T-Shaped Person. Deep in one area, useful in many.
Front
The T-Shaped Person
Deep in one area, useful in many
Deep knowledge in one field, working knowledge across several.
Back
The vertical bar is deep knowledge in one field. The horizontal bar is working knowledge across several. A person who knows software engineering deeply and also understands design, writing, and project management is more useful to a team than someone who knows only one of those. The combination is rarer and therefore more valued.
- Employers call this a T-shaped skill set. The depth gives you authority. The breadth gives you range.
- Pick one subject to go deep in. Then learn the basics of two or three related subjects. That is the shape.
IDEO design methodology
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The oldest fear and the simplest fix
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