How we learn a skill: The journey from novice to master

This is front of mind for me because becoming a great researcher or a great human-centred designer takes more than learning theory and reading books. It takes years of practice – years of practical experience.

My challenge is to help pinpoint where a practitioner is on their journey towards mastery and then to create an environment that supports them to grow. Learning by doing will eventually produce mastery – but how might we consciously accelerate and support this journey for practitioners? The techniques I've found most effective are mentorship, reflective practice and peer observation.