Professional Ignorance FTW

This idea came up three times this week. Is there something in the water supply? Here’s the principle again:

Curators base their careers on knowledge of the subject.

Everyone else should base their careers on ignorance of the subject.

Defend your professional ignorance.

Audiences know little about the subject. Even if they are budding connoisseurs, they might be more focused on where to get a hot dog with ketchup on one half and mustard on one half and cut into eight pieces for a finicky five-year-old.

Your ignorance of the subject parallels what visitors will feel. The more you can feel that, the more useful you are, because the project is for them. You can help those who know too much communicate to those who know too little.

Sometimes, the team reads up and goes down the rabbit hole. They lose that instinctive sympathy. I'm not saying don't read up. Just not too much, at first.

Here’s the thing:
Your lack of knowledge of the subject is actually an asset to the teams you work with.

Defend your professional ignorance.

Warmly,
Jonathan