T-Shaped people
A T-shaped person is someone who combines deep expertise in a specific discipline (the vertical bar of the "T") with a broad understanding of other areas (the horizontal bar). They possess strong core skills that make them highly competent in their domain—be it engineering, design, data, or another speciality—while also demonstrating the ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines.
This breadth enables them to communicate, empathise, and integrate their work within cross-functional teams, which is essential in complex, fast-moving environments. The depth ensures they bring substantial value through specialised knowledge and problem-solving capability.
The concept is particularly useful when building high-performing teams, as T-shaped individuals help bridge silos and drive holistic product or system thinking without sacrificing technical depth.