Senior Designer: being just a “specialist” is not enough.

I believe it is a big mistake for designers to seek specialization in just one aspect [of the design process].

I mean, specializing is crucial to stand out in a world that is so ordinary and uninspiring, but not when everything else is neglected.

A horse is not a specialist just because it sees only one path ahead with the help of blinders. It has merely limited its choices. Its rider, on the other hand, can be a specialist if they know the alternative paths and can choose the one they know best.

A designer who claims to be strategic cannot be so if they are unaware of the gears of business; a marketing professional is not a true expert in growth if they don’t know the basics of sales psychology and customer behavior; likewise, a developer will fail if they specialize in engineering without knowing the minimum impact of their code on the human experience of using the product.

Years ago, I was persistently rejected by companies when they found out that I was also a programmer, a graphic designer, and studying business management and user psychology. But I never believed them, and that’s exactly what made me stronger.

I strongly argue that in order to be a specialist in something, one must have enough knowledge of everything else; otherwise, they may be like an ostrich that knows a hole deeply but doesn’t know what happens outside.

A specialist is someone who, based on broad knowledge, can fit pieces from different places together and discover answers and solutions that others cannot.

Less LinkedIn-Seniors and more who-can-handle-a-little-bit-of-everything Juniors.