Go Spelunking!
Use this overlooked tip to level up your knowledge quickly in a new role and look like a rock star.
Hi! This is where Jeanine and I share tips from the Design Career Handbook for you to chart and navigate a successful career path. I also share perspectives on what’s happening in technology and design. If you are looking for assistance on your journey, you can book a session on ADPList or reach out to discuss 1:1 coaching. - Kevin F
I know it’s been (more than) a minute, but I hope you’re enjoying your summer, too! ☀️
I first wrote about the following overlooked tip in the first chapter of Part 4: Succeed in Your Job from the Design Career Handbook. I mention typical onboarding activities, such as learning about a company and its mission, meeting your team, and discovering the specifics of your direct responsibilities. I recommend asking lots of questions. The chapter ends with a short paragraph about what I call spelunking. (Although I didn’t call it that in the book because then I’d have to explain that it means “cave exploring”, and that it’s just a metaphor. 😛)
A portion of the following appeared in my guest post for ADPList’s Newsletter: Proven guide to a long career in design: Three frameworks to maximize your personal growth in every role.
Go Spelunking
If you’ve joined a company, you’ll learn plenty through training or informal meetings with your manager, an onboarding buddy, or new colleagues. Don’t be afraid to ask, “What else is important for me to know?” Asking plenty of questions demonstrates your eagerness to learn—the oft-referred-to growth mindset. Everyone expects questions. A new teammate is exciting for the team dynamic, as topics you initiate with curiosity stimulate discussion.
Particularly at established organizations, you’ll get access to resources and project libraries where you’ll find a wealth of references. Ask your onboarding buddy or a new colleague what would be helpful for you to review and which are a priority. Be a sleuth. Don’t be shy about poking around information that you have access to. You’ll pick up valuable tips and likely answer some of your own questions. Reviewing past documents and files should reveal many insights about existing processes, designers, and cross-functional partners. I refer to this as spelunking.
This is precisely what I did when I joined 23andMe during its rise to peak popularity. Although I was hired to build and lead the product design team, this tip is helpful for any stage of one’s career and any role, really. 23andMe, like many companies, had servers full of documentation from product roadmaps, development specifications, release notes, analytics from A/B and multivariate tests, marketing plans, customer research, design files, and even meeting notes.
By poring over this information and data treasure trove, I quickly gained a comprehensive understanding of the marketing landscape and detailed insights into our customers, products, teams, and internal processes. Importantly, what I learned equipped me with specific questions I could ask immediately in strategy and roadmap sessions. This happened in my first couple of weeks.
I also identified the power players in the company and scheduled meetings with them. Those are the people you want in your corner. They were either the authors of documentation or frequent commenters and providers of feedback. I invited influential cross-functional movers and shakers to my first design sprints. Because they had fun and truly participated in the product ideas we generated and collaborative decisions on what to explore first, I could bypass common roadblocks. The output of that work resulted in many quick wins that increased product engagement and revenue. The aspirational ideas informed the product roadmap for a year.
By digging in early, you’ll demonstrate the hustle valued by all and be seen as a rock star collaborator immediately. This practice is an effective way to establish yourself early in a new environment. At the very least, it will help you develop a clear point of view in your product or service space, especially if it’s an industry new to you.
Since last time:
I discussed spelunking and a bunch of other topics with the multi-faceted talent, Johanna Salazar, on her podcast, The Media Machine. Thanks, Johanna, for recommending that I circulate this tip again!
Listen to the audio podcast on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon Music 🎧
Watch the full video interview 📺
We could always use your help spreading the word about our book. It would make an excellent gift for a recent design grad! Besides everything related to job searching and portfolios, it also contains plenty of advice, tips, and stories for working designers looking to advance their careers.
If you already have it, thank you! We’d be grateful for your review on Amazon. ✏️
Don’t have it yet? The Design Career Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Get a Job and Be Successful is available in paperback and ebook formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online!