[The Ecosystem of IT Workplaces] Survival Strategies in the Balance Between "Personalization" and "Multiskilling"

In an office as quiet as a server room in the middle of the night, there is one person sitting alone, chanting spells at their screen.
When they strike the keyboard, logistics that had ground to a halt begin to move, and payments that had stopped come back to life.
While those around them worship them as a "guardian deity," they are secretly terrified, thinking, "If they collapse, the company is finished."

In the IT workplace, this is called "personalization" (zokkunjika).

On the other hand, a state where everyone can perform the same tasks so that no one is missed if they leave is called "multiskilling."

These two terms are constantly engaged in a turf war within the ecosystem of the IT workplace.

A curse, or an art form?

The word "personalization" has a somewhat ominous ring to it.
A black box that only a specific person understands.
However, to those who know the feel of the workplace, it is also a form of "art."

For example, consider a veteran engineer who supports a long-standing core system.
The code they write has unique quirks that are no longer found in the latest textbooks. Yet, when that system screams, they are the only one who knows where to apply the oil to soothe it.
This is not merely a monopoly on information, but something closer to a "physical sense" developed through years of dialogue with the system.

In contrast, multiskilling is the image of a "clean factory."
Whoever is in charge, the quality, time, and results remain the same. Manuals are perfected, and individual personality is thoroughly erased.
Even if trouble occurs, it can be solved by pressing buttons according to the procedure manual.
For management, there is no state that allows them to sleep more soundly.

The balance of the ecosystem, and its fluctuations

So, if everything were to be multiskilled, would it become a paradise?
Reality is not that simple.

In one team, after pursuing thorough standardization, the reason for the members' own existence seemed to vanish.
When only work that anyone could do remained, the most talented people were the first to leave for places with more "personalized excitement."
What remained was a lifeless plain where no one could step even an inch outside the manual.

Finding the balance is like seasoning a dish.

Foundational infrastructure and daily routine work should be thoroughly multiskilled.
Allowing these to become personalized is nothing more than "laziness" or a "reign of terror."

On the other hand, for designing new services or fundamentally solving complex problems, it is necessary to intentionally leave a "margin for personalization."
That is because the individual's sensibility and their obsessive attention to detail shape the system's character.

Turning being robbed into a joy

What we should keep in mind on a daily basis might be surprisingly simple.

It is to unsparingly let go of the knowledge you possess by turning it into a "system." You could also rephrase this as letting others rob you of your work.
The more of a veteran you become, the more you want to protect your "sanctuary," but unless you multiskill and open that up, you will remain tied to that place yourself.

"Since anyone can do this now, next I will do something more difficult and interesting that only I can do."

Perhaps the secret to maintaining a healthy ecosystem lies in the attitude of constantly 'updating' one's own personalization.
When you teach skills to a junior colleague, it is not merely education; it is a ritual to win your own freedom.

Conclusion

A world that has completely eliminated personalization would surely be dull.
However, a workplace drowned in personalization will inevitably collapse one day.

What is important is to solidify the foundation with the 'cold logic' of systems, while creating a stage above it where the 'warm irrationality' of people can dance.

Think of the colleague working silently next to you right now. May the work that only they can do become a guidepost for someone else someday. And may they themselves be able to step into new, unknown territories.

I believe that a place where such a cycle is born is what we call a 'good workplace'.

[Random Notes] Organizing the Balance Between 'Personalization' and 'Multi-skilling'

The balance between 'personalization' (relying too much on one person) and 'multi-skilling' (making it so anyone can do it) in an IT workplace is the very survival strategy of the site.
If you lean too far in either direction, the team will fall into dysfunction.

I have organized this balance by dividing it into four categories.

1. Knowledge and Skill Management

This is the phase of how to dismantle the state where 'only a specific person knows' and turn it into shared property.

・ Risks of personalization
'Black-boxing.' If the person in charge takes time off or resigns, it leads to a decrease in the 'Bus Factor,' where the system stops completely.

・ Benefits of multi-skilling
Leveling of skills through 'pair programming' and 'code reviews.' Anyone can perform maintenance and operations.

・ How to strike a balance
・Specialization in core areas
Leave high-difficulty architectural design to experts (allow for personalization).
・Sharing routine tasks
Thoroughly document tasks that anyone can do if they have a procedure manual, and make them multi-skilled.

2. Operational Efficiency and Productivity

This is the perspective of whether to prioritize speed or sustainability.

・ Benefits of personalization
'Tacit understanding.' Having one skilled person handle it is overwhelmingly faster in the short term because it requires less communication cost.

・ Disadvantages of multi-skilling
Increased learning costs. If everyone tries to learn everything, it takes time away from education and carries the risk of diluting individual expertise (jack of all trades, master of none).

・ How to strike a balance
・ Cultivating T-shaped talent
The ideal approach is to aim for a "T-shaped" skill set, where individuals possess deep expertise in specific areas while also being able to cover peripheral tasks.

3. Psychological Safety and Motivation

This relates to an engineer's sense of "fulfillment" and "responsibility."

・ The aspect of personalization
The feeling that "only I can do this" gives engineers a strong sense of self-affirmation and responsibility. However, if it becomes excessive, the pressure of "if I'm not here, it won't get done" can lead to burnout.

・ The aspect of multi-skilling
It becomes easier to take time off, reducing psychological burden. On the other hand, if individuals feel that their unique personality is not reflected in their work, their motivation may decrease.

・ How to strike a balance
・ Rotation system
By periodically rotating responsibilities, you can maintain freshness while preventing psychological and physical "hoarding" of tasks.

4. Risk Management (BCP)

This is the "defensive strength" of the workplace to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

・ The fatal flaw of personalization
If the person in charge cannot be reached when a failure occurs, it can cause significant damage to the business.

・ The defense of multi-skilling
Ensures "redundancy" so that even if someone is absent, the entire team can cover the work.

・ How to strike a balance
・ Mechanisms to "avoid relying on one person"
Important tasks should always be performed in pairs, or automation tools should be introduced to build an environment that "does not depend on individuals."

Summary: The Ideal Ecosystem

In an IT workplace, the most beautiful balance is to "standardize mechanisms through multi-skilling, and personalize value-added tasks."

What should be personalized (Expertise)
・ Target
High-level decision-making, creative design
・ Purpose
Differentiation and innovation

What should be multi-skilled (Standardization)
・ Target
Routine operations, release tasks, testing
・ Purpose
Stable operation and risk avoidance

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Book Introductions

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