Expert Generalists

Those of us following unorthodox, non-linear professional development pathways, might have developed into what philosopher Jonathan Rawson calls expert generalists. This concept describes someone who develops deep knowledge in one specific area and then uses that expertise as a foundation to make connections across other domains. This approach allows for a more holistic understanding of complex issues and an improved ability to navigate uncertainty.

The idea of an expert generalist is paradoxical but not oxymoronic. In theory, our very best philosophers, civil servants, political leaders, and writers are expert generalists — their defining skill is inclusive synthesis and their defining qualities are epistemic acumen and agility: know-how with knowledge, having enough expertise in one domain to value different forms of understanding, and knowing how to integrate them while retaining curiosity towards whatever which remains unfamiliar.¹

Communication design, in the broader sense articulated by Pieraccini, also requires epistemic acumen and agility, (the ability to adapt and learn across disciplines) and crucially a capacity for inclusive synthesis, whether through words or symbols.

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