Creating value where it’s needed most
I’m a designer.
Plain and simple, I design things in hopes of creating delightful and meaningful experiences for people.
Sometimes, being just a designer feels a little bit lonely. Compared to everyone else with their long and descriptive job titles, saying that “I’m just a designer” feels a little bit inadequate most of the time. Usually when I give that answer, most people follow up with something along the lines of, “Yeah, but what kind,” or “What do you design?”
The truth is, I work on a lot of things. I’m the kind of person that enjoys variety and doesn’t focus well on a single project for too long. Although being a generalist designer doesn’t have the best reputation in the industry, there’s a good reason why I’ve crafted my skill set in the way that I have.
Creating value goes beyond your job title
Businesses, especially tech companies, grow fast. Their needs are constantly shifting, resources are usually scarce (or are to be used in the most scrappy way possible), and roles are always changing.
Maybe you’ve completed the project you were brought on to do, or your company has shifted its focus into a new area — your original role might have become irrelevant, but you’re still expected to learn quickly, fail fast, and add value where your company needs it most.
Your original role might have become irrelevant, but you’re still expected to learn quickly, fail fast, and add value where your company needs it most.
Specializing in one area creates depth in skills, offering expertise in a given area. However, focus can sometimes limit vision, and can prevent from seeing the organization beyond the scope of what you were hired to do.
Diversifying your skill set offers you the ability to quickly adapt to the most current needs of your company. This is important in making yourself an indispensable team member. The ability to quickly take on new projects and anticipate where your team needs it most helps others realize that 1) you have a deep understanding and appreciation of the team’s goals and are dedicated to achieving them, and 2) that you can always be counted on to get the job done, even if it’s something you’ve never done before.
I strongly believe that cultivating breadth in your skill set nurtures your ability to create value in any organization for several reasons. For one, simply showing the willingness to learn new skills and explore different areas makes it easier to switch gears from project to project. Second, you turn yourself into a go-to, one stop shop for any projects that might not have a clear owner.
And of course, the more projects that your team knows they can trust you to do, the better.
Make something your bread and butter, and add toppings where appropriate
Unfortunately, the job market isn’t so hot for generalist designers all the time — most job posts advertise need for specialist designers that are focused on a given area, like product design, or UX. And if you’re lucky enough to get an interview, many companies believe that generalist designers don’t have the depth needed to get things done at the highest level possible.
That’s why it’s key to continuously expand your skill set, but dedicate one area as your bread and butter. Select an area at the intersection of what you’re good at and enjoy doing, and really cultivate that. Practice in this area until your skills are considered top-notch, so you can compete with the specialists, and when the opportunity arises, show that you can offer more skills than you were originally asked to.
Over time, your responsibilities will increase, and people will learn more of what you’re capable of. At times, it can be extremely tiring — the amount of responsibility a general designer might take on can become quite demanding, especially if everyone knows they can come to you to get something done. But keeping yourself at top of mind amongst your organization and being willing to put in the work will accelerate your success.