Contents
What is the T-shaped approach?
The T-shaped approach is a concept for developing professional skills where an employee becomes an expert in one area while simultaneously broadening their knowledge in related fields. Visually, the skills of a specialist can be represented as a graph, where the vertical axis reflects the depth of expertise, and the horizontal axis reflects the breadth of knowledge in various directions. Thus, if an employee has basic knowledge in several areas and deep expertise in one, their graph will resemble the letter “T”.
Examples of T-shaped specialists include marketers with programming skills, front-end developers learning design basics, and UX designers with knowledge in marketing. For instance, a graphic designer who can create animations, develop web designs, and do product photography has key expertise in graphic design while having basic knowledge in marketing.
Comparison of T-shaped and I-shaped approaches
The opposite of the T-shaped approach is the I-shaped model, where a specialist develops deep skills only in one area. For example, an email marketer who excels at email promotion may have no idea about pricing or branding. When an employee with deep knowledge in one area starts to develop additional skills, they become a T-shaped specialist.
Generalists or versatile specialists possess a wide range of skills and can tackle various tasks, but there will always be someone who can do the job better. A versatile marketer may engage in email marketing, SMM, conduct basic research, and launch advertising. To become T-shaped, they need to deepen their knowledge in one of the areas.
Advantages of the T-shaped approach for business
The T-shaped approach proves particularly effective in teamwork. Although a single T-shaped employee may not be as effective as a group of narrow specialists, having several such employees in a team significantly enhances productivity. Let’s consider several key advantages of this approach for business:
- Creation of flexible teams: Employees with additional skills can take on each other's tasks, maintaining workflow even in the absence of key employees.
- Increased task resolution speed: Involving T-shaped specialists helps avoid delays by redistributing tasks within the team.
- Improved communication efficiency: Team members with basic knowledge in related fields can better understand each other and articulate assignments.
- Formation of a comprehensive view of the product: Specialists with diverse knowledge see more opportunities to solve problems and can work on the project as a whole.
- Cost savings: Training current employees in new skills is often cheaper than hiring external contractors to perform tasks.
Benefits of T-shaped for workers
Developing T-shaped skills brings a number of advantages for the specialists themselves:
- Market demand: A wide range of skills makes a candidate more attractive to employers.
- Burnout prevention: A variety of tasks helps maintain interest in work and develop professional skills.
- Development of adaptability: The ability to adjust to market changes and learn new technologies becomes an important advantage.
How to develop T-shaped employees
Finding a ready-made T-shaped specialist is a real stroke of luck. Therefore, many companies invest in the development of their employees, supporting their participation in training and various projects. There are several ways to develop T-shaped employees:
- Hire a narrow-profile specialist and help them acquire additional skills.
- Hire a generalist and deepen their knowledge in one of the areas.
Often, T-shaped specialists are formed by chance when there is a need to solve a specific task, and the company trains one of the employees in the necessary skills. For effective training, follow this plan:
- Identify current tasks that need to be solved in the near future.
- Create a list of necessary knowledge and skills.
- Identify employees interested in development.
- Select training programs and plans.