Nobody Teaches This

Principles of Practice

Professional practice is about more than technical knowledge.

It's about the habits and behaviours that help people do good work together: judgement, reflection, collaboration and communication.

We spend years learning technical skills. Far less time learning how to develop professional practice.

These principles are my attempt to articulate some of the things I wish someone had taught me. I hope they prove useful as you develop your own practice.

1. Develop judgement.
Knowledge can be found. Judgement must be earned.

2. Stay a beginner.
Curiosity is a professional skill.

3. Grow with every project.
Reflection turns experience into learning.

4. Work with purpose.
Know why you're doing it.

5. Make your thinking visible.
Good work leaves traces.

6. Build people, not just projects.
Your greatest work may be someone else's career.

7. Ask better questions.
Better questions lead to better thinking.

8. Learn together.
Don’t underestimate the power of the collective.

9. Welcome critique.
Challenge the work. Respect the person.

10. Explore beyond your discipline.
Other people can see what you can’t.

11. Share what you learn.
Teaching deepens understanding.

12. Pursue mastery.
Expertise is never complete.

13. Value what works.
Technology changes. Good practice doesn’t.

14. Leave things better than you found them.
Projects end. Impact doesn't.

15. Build something.
Just start.