I’ve had Matthew Butterick’s _Practical Typography_ website/ebook bookmarked since I discovered it over ten years ago. It’s making the rounds again, and I think it’s a good reminder that we are all “professional writers” as he describes…

Scary words for the UX profession: “Digital systems, not people, will do much of the craft of (screen-level) interaction design.” But here’s the truth—this isn’t the first time we’ve faced a shift like this. Just as we adapted from print to digital, and from CD-ROMs to the web, designers will evolve again. The tools may change, but the purpose of design remains constant. And that’s what makes our craft enduring.

Just as casual dating helps you figure out what you want in a relationship, working at agencies early in your design career lets you explore different styles, clients, and problems before settling down in-house. Drawing from my nearly three decades of experience on both sides, I've learned there's real value in starting broad before going deep.