Having support as you’re developing professionally is hardly a new idea, especially in what’s considered creative or craft fields. For thousands of years, going back all the way to the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi or to the 13th century European Craft Guilds, people have been codifying ways of spreading knowledge from those experienced to newcomers. Hammurabi might not have cared about Framer, but he certainly cared about how young apprentices could learn from well-trained masters.

Why did people feel the need to set principles, and even make laws about this? If you zoom out enough, the answer becomes intuitive. Creating systems at scale for developing mentorship relationships can positively impact knowledge transfer, thus increasing progress velocity.

But what’s even more interesting to me is what motivates people at an individual level. What makes a person seek repeated professional guidance? Even less clear, why would someone commit to giving that guidance?

As a mentee, this kind of relationship can be incredibly useful. The most tangible benefit is having support in developing hard skills, like prototyping, visual or interaction design. But there’s so much more to mentorship. A great mentor can help clarify long-term goals and develop plans for advancing your career, or train you on soft skills.

As a mentor, this relationship can be rewarding, too. Humans are hard-wired to work together, so supporting someone can be intrinsically fulfilling. Mentoring, therefore, is as much a selfless act as it is self-serving. Through mentorship, mentors can develop critical skills, like providing guidance and teaching, or grow close professional relationships with more people.

So creating a good setup for mentorship simply makes sense (Turns out Hammurabi knew a thing or two!).