April 16, 2021
Reader question from David Dickson re Maps and Compasses
Fellow list member David Dickson wrote in a while back to ask a question about how to package his expertise (shared with permission):
Given that I don’t have an LFPS, but that I write cross-platform mobile apps, how could I translate that to a map and compass?
(David’s question is in reference to this message which you should probably read first in order to grok the context.)
Okay so here’s the thing...
The key to figuring out how to package your expertise in novel ways is to shift your professional identity from “I do X” to “I know how to do X”.
So in David’s case, his stated professional identity is:
“I build cross-platform mobile apps”
This identity is very limiting in terms of what he has to offer.
If David changed his identity to:
“I know how to build cross-platform mobile apps”
...it would allow him to package his expertise in a variety of new ways, for example:
“Map” options
- Cross-Platform Mobile Application System Architecture
- Cross-Platform Mobile Application Specification Docs
- Cross-Platform Mobile Application Pitch Deck
“Compass” options
- Cross-Platform Mobile Application Usability Checklist
- Cross-Platform Mobile Application UX/UI Testing Procedure
- Cross-Platform Mobile Application Ad Hoc Design Review
None of these options involve David personally building cross-platform mobile applications.
And none of them involve trading time for money.
He would “merely” be making his expert advice and tools available to his clients in order to help increase their chances of success.
These sorts of things are very valuable to the right clients.
Yours,
—J