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The Perpetual Novice

About the Talk

September 3, 2010 11:30 AM

Nashville, TN

Nashville, TN

It takes time to learn, to progress through stages from novice through competency and proficiency to expertise. But expertise can be a goal and a trap. The goal of expertise is a difficult, or at least time-consuming and involved one to achieve. It requires work and practice. Changing systems from underneath someone working at expertise delays them at best, and usually invalidates a huge chunk of work. Continually changing systems keeps people at the novice level indefinitely, unable to get enough of a grasp on anything stable to proceed. The trap of expertise is removing yourself from the mindset of the beginner, forgetting what it's like to not have full knowledge of a system. Creating a barrier to entry. Confusing newcomers who could otherwise pick up on the details and more quickly be on their way to productivity, being a helpful member of the team.

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