Jack Wilson Experience Design

Circle of Competence

Circle of Competence is the practice of knowing what you understand deeply and where your knowledge ends. It’s not just about what you’re good at; it’s about being honest with yourself about where you’re guessing.

This model reinforces the value of staying inside domains where you’ve earned your expertise, and it warns against the ego-driven impulse to speak or act beyond them.

HOW IT SHOWS UP

Strategy
Building go-to-market plans in unfamiliar markets based on assumptions, not insight
Overextending capabilities based on confidence rather than resourcing or proven capability
Neglecting the compounding risks of operating in unfamiliar competitive spaces

Product

PMs making roadmap decisions based on trends they don’t fully grasp, rather than validated data or domain expertise
Prioritizing features in areas unfamiliar to the team without consulting SMEs
Underestimating complexity when stepping into new verticals or technologies

Design

Designing for unfamiliar industries without stakeholder or user input
Making accessibility decisions without understanding compliance standards
Using patterns that “feel right” but aren’t grounded in behavioral research or usability testing

Leadership
Leading teams in domains you haven’t studied without deferring to expertise
Giving strong opinions on tools, tech, or tactics outside your functional background
Projecting confidence in boardrooms where humility and curiosity would be better received

Strategy

Building go-to-market plans in unfamiliar markets based on assumptions, not insight
Overextending capabilities based on confidence rather than resourcing or proven capability
Neglecting the compounding risks of operating in unfamiliar competitive spaces

Product

PMs making roadmap decisions based on trends they don’t fully grasp, rather than validated data or domain expertise
Prioritizing features in areas unfamiliar to the team without consulting SMEs
Underestimating complexity when stepping into new verticals or technologies

Design

Designing for unfamiliar industries without stakeholder or user input
Making accessibility decisions without understanding compliance standards
Using patterns that “feel right” but aren’t grounded in behavioral research or usability testing

Leadership

Leading teams in domains you haven’t studied without deferring to expertise
Giving strong opinions on tools, tech, or tactics outside your functional background
Projecting confidence in boardrooms where humility and curiosity would be better received

WHEN TO USE THIS MODEL

Sprint Planning
Before committing to a feature or fix, ask whether the team understands the problem space. If not, pull in someone who does. Don’t build on guesswork.

Discovery Work
During research or requirement gathering, use this model to frame what the team knows confidently and what needs further exploration.

Strategic Reviews
When mapping expansion or new initiatives, this model keeps teams grounded. Are you operating in known terrain, or wandering into unknowns without support?

Hiring and Delegation
Use it to spot where you need to hire or delegate. If a task falls outside your competence, the solution isn’t to fake expertise, it’s to bring in someone who has it.

HOW TO APPLY IT

Draw the Boundary
Clearly define what you do understand, and where your confidence comes from: data, repetition, or experience. Just “being smart” doesn’t count.

Stay Inside It… Until You Don't
Operate from your strengths first. When you’re outside your circle, treat it as a learning zone, not a leading zone.

Consult Before You Act
Don’t treat unknowns as guessable. Find the person who’s lived it. Listen more than you speak.

Expand the Edge
The goal isn’t to stay small. Learn intentionally. Add depth to what you already know. Over time, your circle grows, not because you fake it, but because you earn it.

More Mental Models

Second Order Thinking

Wisdom of Crowds

jackWILEST@GMAIL.com