Skills Framework for the Information Age
Encyclopedia
The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA, pronounced like the name Sophia) is a model for describing and managing competencies for ICT
professionals for the 21st century, and is intended to help match the skills of the workforce to the needs of the business . It maps out the range of skills as a two-dimensional table, by tagging each skill with a category and responsibility level.
These categories are divided into six main areas: Strategy and planning; Business change; Solutions development and implementation; Service management; Procurement and management support; and Client interface. Each of these is then further divided into sub-categories (see below), mapping out 86 separately identifiable skills. Each of these skills has a general description.
There are seven levels of responsibility, in ascending order: Follow; Assist; Apply; Enable; Ensure and advise; Initiate and influence; and Set strategy, inspire and mobilise. Each of these responsibility levels has a generic description showing the level of autonomy, influence, complexity, and business skills required.
From a Professional Services
perspective, responsibility levels 3-7 can be thought of as equivalent to seniority levels: Associate professional, Professional, Senior professional, Lead professional, and Principal professional.
Each level of responsibility within each skill has a brief description of the typical tasks expected of someone in that role, and as only one skill maps to all seven levels (Management and Operations, within the Service Provision category), this results in 263 detailed tasks defined.
This is still thought to be relatively complex by some , and a number of simpler complementary models have arisen which map onto the SFIA model, such as the Government IT Profession competency and skills framework.
These 263 tasks are further expanded within SFIAPlus
, which is described as a three-dimensional model and supplements the SFIA task descriptions with a detailed breakdown of what is required to be able to fulfil those tasks, e.g.: knowledge, training, qualifications, etc.
SFIA is owned and managed by the SFIA Foundation, a consortium formed in July 2003 by the Institution of Engineering and Technology
(IET), Institute for the Management of Information Systems
(IMIS), e-skills UK
, and the British Computer Society
(BCS). The itSMF subsequently joined the consortium in 2008.
The current published version of the SFIA model is version 4G, which was created to incorporate sustainability skills. Version 5 now under developement with a draft out for public commment.
1. Follow
2. Assist
3. Apply
4. Enable
5. Ensure and advise
6. Initiate and influence
7. Set strategy, inspire, and mobilise
Advice and guidance
Business/IT strategy and planning
Technical strategy and planning
Business change management
Relationship management
Human factors
Installation and integration
Service Design
Service transition
Service Operation
Quality Management
Resource management
Learning and development
Client Support
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
professionals for the 21st century, and is intended to help match the skills of the workforce to the needs of the business . It maps out the range of skills as a two-dimensional table, by tagging each skill with a category and responsibility level.
These categories are divided into six main areas: Strategy and planning; Business change; Solutions development and implementation; Service management; Procurement and management support; and Client interface. Each of these is then further divided into sub-categories (see below), mapping out 86 separately identifiable skills. Each of these skills has a general description.
There are seven levels of responsibility, in ascending order: Follow; Assist; Apply; Enable; Ensure and advise; Initiate and influence; and Set strategy, inspire and mobilise. Each of these responsibility levels has a generic description showing the level of autonomy, influence, complexity, and business skills required.
From a Professional Services
Professional services
Professional services is an industry of infrequent, technical, or unique functions performed by independent contractors or by consultants whose occupation is the rendering of such services....
perspective, responsibility levels 3-7 can be thought of as equivalent to seniority levels: Associate professional, Professional, Senior professional, Lead professional, and Principal professional.
Each level of responsibility within each skill has a brief description of the typical tasks expected of someone in that role, and as only one skill maps to all seven levels (Management and Operations, within the Service Provision category), this results in 263 detailed tasks defined.
This is still thought to be relatively complex by some , and a number of simpler complementary models have arisen which map onto the SFIA model, such as the Government IT Profession competency and skills framework.
These 263 tasks are further expanded within SFIAPlus
SFIAPlus
SFIAplus is the IT training and development model of the British Computer Society .Based on the original Industry Structure Model, first published by the BCS in July 1986, which was remapped to the Skills Framework for the Information Age and rebranded as SFIAPlus.-Background:Responding to the...
, which is described as a three-dimensional model and supplements the SFIA task descriptions with a detailed breakdown of what is required to be able to fulfil those tasks, e.g.: knowledge, training, qualifications, etc.
SFIA is owned and managed by the SFIA Foundation, a consortium formed in July 2003 by the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
(IET), Institute for the Management of Information Systems
Institute for the Management of Information Systems
The Institute for the Management of Information Systems is the leading international association promoting excellence in the field of Information Systems Management through professional association and education. Its headquarters is in the United Kingdom but the majority of its approximately...
(IMIS), e-skills UK
E-skills UK
e-skills UK is the UK's sector skills council for the IT industry, technically described as Business and Information Technology.-History:The UK IT industry is around 5% of the UK economy, and covers 5.7% of the working population...
, and the British Computer Society
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in Information Technology in the United Kingdom and internationally...
(BCS). The itSMF subsequently joined the consortium in 2008.
The current published version of the SFIA model is version 4G, which was created to incorporate sustainability skills. Version 5 now under developement with a draft out for public commment.
Levels of responsibility
Levels of responsibility run from level 1 (the most junior) to level 7 (the most senior):1. Follow
- Basic capability to complete tasks under close supervision. Not expected to use much initiative. Should be organised.
2. Assist
- Uses some discretion and has a wider circle of interaction than level 1, especially in speciality. Works on a range of tasks, and proactively manages personal development.
3. Apply
- Complete work packages with milestone reviews only. Escalates problems under own discretion. Works with suppliers and customers. May have some supervisory responsibility. Performs a broad range of tasks, takes initiative, and schedules own and others work.
4. Enable
- Works under general direction in a framework. Influence at account level, works on a broad range of complex activities. Good level of operational business skills.
5. Ensure and advise
- Broad direction, supervisory, objective setting responsibility. Influences organisation. Challenging and unpredictable work. Self sufficient in business skills.
6. Initiate and influence
- Authority for an area of work. Sets organisational objectives. Influences policy, significant part of organisation, and customers and suppliers at a high level. Highly complex and strategic work. Initiates and leads technical and business change.
7. Set strategy, inspire, and mobilise
- Authority includes setting policy. Makes decisions critical to organisation, influences key suppliers and customers at top level. Leads on strategy. Full range of management and leadership skills.
Skills
The competencies are grouped into categories and sub-categories, intended to be broadly in line with job functions. An overview has been provided below, please see the SFIA Foundation website for more information (note: you will need to register to gain access, but it is free for non-commercial uses).Strategy and architecture
Information strategy- Corporate governance of IT, Information managementInformation managementInformation management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
, Information systems co-ordination, Information policy formation, Information securityInformation securityInformation security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction....
, Information assuranceInformation AssuranceInformation assurance is the practice of managing risks related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of information or data and the systems and processes used for those purposes...
, Information analysis and Information content publishing
Advice and guidance
- Consultancy and Technical specialism
Business/IT strategy and planning
- ResearchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, InnovationInnovationInnovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
, Business process improvementBusiness process improvementBusiness Process Improvement is a systematic approach to help an organization optimize its underlying processes to achieve more efficient results. The methodology was first documented in H. James Harrington’s 1991 book Business Process Improvement. It is the methodology that both Process...
, Enterprise architectureEnterprise architectureAn enterprise architecture is a rigorous description of the structure of an enterprise, which comprises enterprise components , the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them...
, Business risk management and SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
Technical strategy and planning
- Solutions architecture, Emerging technology monitoring, Continuity management, Software development process improvement, Sustainability management for IT, Network planning, and Methods and tools
Business change
Business change implementation- Portfolio managementInvestment managementInvestment management is the professional management of various securities and assets in order to meet specified investment goals for the benefit of the investors...
, Programme management and Project managementProject managementProject management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
Business change management
- Business analysisBusiness AnalysisBusiness analysis is the discipline of identifying business needs and determining solutions to business problems. Solutions often include a systems development component, but may also consist of process improvement, organizational change or strategic planning and policy development...
, Business process testing, Change implementation planning and management, Organisation design and implementation, Benefits management, Business modelling and Sustainability assessment
Relationship management
- Stakeholder relationship managementStakeholder managementThe importance of stakeholder management is to support an organization in achieving its strategic objectives by interpreting and influencing both the external and internal environments and by creating positive relationships with stakeholders through the appropriate management of their expectations...
Solution development and implementation
Systems development- Systems development management, Data analysisData analysisAnalysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making...
, Requirements definition and managementRequirements analysisRequirements analysis in systems engineering and software engineering, encompasses those tasks that go into determining the needs or conditions to meet for a new or altered product, taking account of the possibly conflicting requirements of the various stakeholders, such as beneficiaries or users...
, Systems designSystems designSystems design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements. One could see it as the application of systems theory to product development...
, Network design, Database/repository designDatabase designDatabase design is the process of producing a detailed data model of a database. This logical data model contains all the needed logical and physical design choices and physical storage parameters needed to generate a design in a Data Definition Language, which can then be used to create a database...
, Programming/software developmentComputer programmingComputer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
, Safety engineeringSafety engineeringSafety engineering is an applied science strongly related to systems engineering / industrial engineering and the subset System Safety Engineering...
, Sustainability engineering, Information Content authoring and Software testingSoftware testingSoftware testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the product or service under test. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to appreciate and understand the risks of software...
Human factors
- Systems ergonomics, Usability requirements analysis, Usability evaluation and Human factors integrationHuman factors integrationHuman Factors Integration is the process adopted by a number of key industries in Europe to integrate human factors elements into the systems engineering process...
Installation and integration
- Systems integration, Porting/software integration and Systems installation/decommissioning
Service Management
Service Stratagy- IT management and Finance management of IT
Service Design
- Capacity managementCapacity managementCapacity Management is a process used to manage information technology . Its primary goal is to ensure that IT capacity meets current and future business requirements in a cost-effective manner. One common interpretation of Capacity Management is described in the ITIL framework...
, Availability management and Service level management
Service transition
- Configuration managementConfiguration managementConfiguration management is a field of management that focuses on establishing and maintaining consistency of a system or product's performance and its functional and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life.For information assurance, CM...
, Change managementChange managementChange management is a structured approach to shifting/transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state. It is an organizational process aimed at helping employees to accept and embrace changes in their current business environment....
and Release managementRelease managementThe release management process is a relatively new but rapidly growing discipline within software engineering of managing software releases....
Service Operation
- Systems software, Security administration, Radio frequency engineeringRadio frequency engineeringRadio frequency engineering is the analysis and design of circuits at frequencies where transmission lines are comparable to the wavelength. It includes the study of amplifiers, oscillators, mixers, demodulators and antennas. This is relevant to RFID, broadcasting, radar, wireless computer...
, Application support, IT operations, Network control and operation, Database administration, Network support, Problem managementProblem managementThis article is about Problem Management Process, as defined by ITIL.ITIL defines a problem as the cause of one or more incidents.Problem Management is the process responsible for managing the lifecycle of all problems...
and Service desk and incident management
Procurement and management support
Supply management- ProcurementProcurementProcurement is the acquisition of goods or services. It is favourable that the goods/services are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the purchaser in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location...
and Supplier relationship managementSupplier relationship management“SRM is a discipline of working collaboratively with those suppliers that are vital to the success of your organisation to maximise the potential value of those relationships.” - Reference - Overview :...
Quality Management
- Quality managementQuality managementThe term Quality management has a specific meaning within many business sectors. This specific definition, which does not aim to assure 'good quality' by the more general definition , can be considered to have four main components: quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality...
, Quality assuranceQuality AssuranceQuality assurance, or QA for short, is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to maximize the probability that minimum standards of quality are being attained by the production process...
, Quality standards, Compliance review, Safety assessment and Technology audit
Resource management
- Programme and project support office, Asset management, Client services management, Professional developmentProfessional developmentProfessional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
and Resourcing
Learning and development
- Learning and development management, Learning resource creation and maintenance and Education and training delivery
Client Interface
Sales and marketing- MarketingMarketingMarketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and SellingSellingSelling is offering to exchange something of value for something else. The something of value being offered may be tangible or intangible. The something else, usually money, is most often seen by the seller as being of equal or greater value than that being offered for sale.Another person or...
Client Support
- Account management and Sales support