Hypotheses about the new type of ideal worker. Rather than a T-Shaped individual (deep knowledge in one category, wide knowledge across categories), what if the new ideal type of worker (or manager) is M-shaped? Individuals that have a wide breadth of knowledge on various topics, but shallower knowledge where appropriate. Think of each prong as a vertical.

1. Let’s talk about work

2. I
In the beginning, everyone
could be an I-shaped
person.
You only had to be good at
one thing.

3. It’s was like this for a very long time,
everyone had their own specialisation or
vertical, but there was rarely any overlap.
And organisations didn’t really scale to a
point where they needed to…

4. Prehistory 1600’s early 1900’s
Hunter
Gatherer
Merchant
Farmer
Baker
Smith
Craftsmen
Factory
Workers
So, for a good portion of our history, everyone was an i-shaped worker…

5. then things started to change…
The Internet GlobalisationComplexity/Systems
1980’s 1980’s1940’s

6. T
Breadth of Knowledge
Depth of
Expertise
So the answer to this
rapidly changing shift
was the t-shaped
person, one with broad
understanding of
contexts, but a deep
understanding of a
single field.

7. This was highly
popularised first by the
CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown,
and subsequently lauded
by companies like IBM and
McKinsey.
But these are all large
companies, does it work
for smaller ones?

8. I have a notion on what
the future worker could
be.
If we take the same
spectrum, but consider
it for an organisation
that requires true
multidisciplinary people.
Breadth of Knowledge
Depth of
Expertise

9. What if the new sort of
worker was the m-
shaped person?
Where they have a
wide breadth of
knowledge on various
topics, but shallower
knowledge where
appropriate.
Breadth of Knowledge
Depth of
Expertise
m

10. At Made by Many, this
works because we see
ourselves as an
organisation that sits
between disciplines.
Everyone has to know
a little bit of
everything.
BUSINESS STRATEGY
SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCT & SERVICE
DESIGN

11. I’m not saying this is a solution. Here are some questions I have for myself…
Does it scale beyond a studio?
Can m-shaped people be the ‘connective tissue’ between specialists?
How can you encourage this thinking?
Can you inspire confidence to explore those new depths of field?
How do you build a work environment that supports them?