The tech industry is becoming dangerously splintered. As designers, we need to proactively rediscover skills that straddle different disciplines if we want to be effective.

1. Making
Mountains
How broad is your base?
Rory Macrae

2. www.forge.uk

3. Strategy
Expertise
Design Front-end
development
Back-end
development

4. PROCESSES!
😐 Documentation (better style guides etc.)
😐 Better communication (Slack?)
🤔 A broader base?

5. Strategy
Expertise
Design Front-end
development
Back-end
development

6. (Mountains)

7. 👍 Training
👍 ‘Sharing corner’
👍 Job swaps
👍 ‘Holistic’ projects

8. 2010: Web Designer
2018: User Experience Designer, User Interface
Designer, Visual Designer, Product Designer,
Front-end Designer, Interaction Designer, Motion
Designer, Behaviour Designer, Information
Architect, Illustrator, Virtual Interaction Designer,
Voice User Experience Designer, Design
Researcher, Design Thinker...

9. 1. Learning a new skill is quicker than refining an existing one
2. A wide base will make you a more effective designer
3. A broad base is essential for a lasting career

10. 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
7c
7b+
7b
7a+
7a
6c+
6c
6b+
6b
6a+
6a
5+
5
4+
4
1. Quicker?

11. 10000 Hours = Expert
1000 Hours = Good
100 Hours = Capable
10 Hours = Conversant

12. New skills can inform the ones
you have, in surprising ways

13. 2. More effective?
SEO Marketing Copywriting UX Visual Design
Branding Typography Development…

14. 3. A lasting career?
🌄 The bigger picture (overall delivery vs component parts)
🤖 The times they are a changin’ (robots & shit)

15. Enough to be
dangerous ”
“
— Marissa Mayer

16. Do something new!
Code something, create a brand identity, take
photographs, draw, design a font, learn about
economics, learn marketing, make something with
your hands, learn archery, write, speak!

17. Thanks!
Rory Macrae
rorymacrae.co.uk
@roryjmacrae