Who’s a T-shaped UX designer and how can you become one?

In the modern landscape of cross-functional agile teams, UX designers are encouraged to develop a T-shaped skill set, which means possessing deep expertise in core areas like UX research, wireframing, UI design, and prototyping while also cultivating a broad understanding of adjacent disciplines, known as wing skills. These wing skills, which can include product strategy, data analysis, positioning, design operations, communication, collaboration, and team leadership, enhance a designer's ability to apply their core skills more effectively and make them more versatile and valuable in the job market. While there's no one-size-fits-all approach to balancing depth and breadth, designers early in their careers should focus on building solid core skills, while those with more experience can benefit from expanding their skill set to include these additional competencies. As designers gain seniority, evolving from T-shaped to M-shaped specialists—who possess expertise in multiple areas—can further enhance their professional growth and marketability.