Definition

Adjacent Capabilities

Adjacent capabilities are practical skills outside your core specialization that remove dependencies. A designer writing SQL queries. A PM prototyping interfaces with Cursor. A researcher building dashboards with AI assistance. Not at expert level. At good enough to unblock yourself level. The goal is eliminating waiting time, not replacing specialists.

This term is part of the Generalista glossary for UX and product professionals adapting to AI-accelerated workflows.

Related Terms

Strategic Breadth

Targeted adjacent capability expansion tied to real workflow blockers.

Workflow Bottleneck

A recurring dependency that slows delivery and decisions.

Learning Plan

A short execution sequence for building one capability in live work.