How do you work with areas outside of your expertise?

Do you approach it methodically or just plunge it?

There will always be limits to your knowledge going about it by rote learning all of the ins and outs of the area will take time and effort you might not have the time for. The secret is to brush into the area and learn what you need not what is there.  If your interest takes off remember that you are only visiting it and not becoming the expert on the subject.

Plunging and and making assumptions before you learn more on the subject has an advantage. experts in the field are limited by their perceptions of what is possible and what has been done. Coming into the area without any of that baggage means you don’t have any of those problems. You also don’t have enough knowledge to know the perils and pitfalls of it. Take your assumptions into the area and explore with the intent of finding out if your assumptions are right. You will learn more if you are focused on problem than just reading info.

The difference in how you learn best determines which method you use. Be flexible don’t be stuck in either approach. Keep expanding and the world will be brighter.