Broad or Deep in IT

Recently there was one red question on Red Canary that had me thinking. The question was, what advice would you give to a young graduate starting a tech career. More specifically though, I was intrigued by some of the answers. I’m in no position to give advice but I could use it. One answer that caught my eye suggested going deep, not broad, since “Being all-rounded actually sucks, because it means you aren’t really good at anything”.

Is that true though?

I choose positions based on opportunities and adding to my skill set, not because I consider myself a master at them already. In short, I intentionally go broad rather than deep. It has certainly made my career journey longer than I would’ve liked in the beginning. Then again, when I started out I wanted to be a veterinarian.

Even when I came to the IT world, I first earned a diploma in computer programming. I had done web development and design already, and thought I could love code. I’ve done design, I’ve done development, and I’ve done training. More recently I’ve been writing. For me it’s not whether things are broad or deep, its finding what I’m passionate about.

If I’m not ignited by what I can do and how I can help, I’m not giving 100% of me to anything. Sure, I could lope along and get the job done, but I’m not the type to sit still and satisfied with just satisfying requirements. That requires keeping broad familiarity and willingness to flexibly do whatever it takes. It’s not that I haven’t found something I like, it’s that I like it all. I see it all as a part of a holistic part of real quality user experience. The features that are coded aren’t going to get used if the interface is impossible to use. That gorgeous site won’t get visited if the content stinks and the important details are difficult to find.

User experience design is a great example where you have to stay broad, not deep. By having a basic understanding of trends and technologies as well as marketing, findability, making money but also meeting people’s needs and keeping up with what excites them, you meet the needs of both the company and your customers. Here information architecture, technical communication, interface design, and social trends such as social and online marketing, come together. Here the most important element is, in my opinion, a passion to help users to get there, and ensure companies make it happen. That necessitates a broad view, not a deep one.

Then again, I have to wonder, am I just not realizing that I’m “not really good at anything”? The truth is, I can’t specialize as deeply in some of the things I am very interested in. I admire developers, yet I know I can’t dedicate the time and effort needed to become an excellent programmer. There are technical communicators who I consider geniuses, and yet know I cannot compete with since I don’t give all of me to that field either. I can’t give 100% to interface design, information architecture, technical writing, or anything else, because I spread myself over all of these things.

As the user experience design field grows and changes, many are specializing in some of the integral elements, whether they focus on information architecture and good content, or interface design and graphics. Still, even if you carry the role of information architect (IA), you probably are aware of usability issues and how designs can be optimized to make that information findable. The interface designer in turn makes beautiful things, but ensures they meet business objectives and share necessary content as well.

Maybe the real answer is “go deep… but not TOO deep.”

Maybe I should finally admit I need to go deep, and carry a periscope just so I can keep an eye above water.

This business of choosing opportunities I know will challenge me isn’t always all its cracked up to be.