SFIA updateSFIA update

What’s Good?What’s Good? Focus on skills rather than Role (i.e. Job Title)Focus on skills rather than Role (i.e. Job Title) Consistent definition of Levels – commonality Consistent definition of Levels – commonality

throughout the industry.throughout the industry. Ability to “plug in” more detail to the frameworkAbility to “plug in” more detail to the framework Logical summary descriptions of LevelsLogical summary descriptions of Levels Buy-in from major IT stakeholdersBuy-in from major IT stakeholders Good basis for recruitment and managing Good basis for recruitment and managing

expectationsexpectations Maps exactly to (some) grade structures (BFPO Maps exactly to (some) grade structures (BFPO

was the example) and training requirementswas the example) and training requirements Good basis for CPD, target setting and Good basis for CPD, target setting and

Performance reviews.Performance reviews. Allows mapping of all individual skills at Allows mapping of all individual skills at

different levelsdifferent levels Clarity of language Clarity of language

DriversDrivers

Best practiceBest practice Define role of SFIA within a meta-Define role of SFIA within a meta-

frameworkframework interface with other frameworksinterface with other frameworks AdoptabiityAdoptabiity Don’t make it more complicatedDon’t make it more complicated

Main IssuesMain Issues

Delete “Role”Delete “Role” Framework, not a standard (can link Framework, not a standard (can link

to other standards)to other standards) MigrationMigration Hooks to other frameworksHooks to other frameworks Define terms up frontDefine terms up front User skills (high and low levels)User skills (high and low levels)

Main IssuesMain Issues

Closer alignment between SFIA and Closer alignment between SFIA and User Skills FrameworkUser Skills Framework

Is the name right? – there is a mis-Is the name right? – there is a mis-match between name and content, match between name and content, which only covers IT Practitionerswhich only covers IT Practitioners

Broaden coverage. Main focus is Broaden coverage. Main focus is currently on “MIS” – should also currently on “MIS” – should also include other IT areas, such as include other IT areas, such as safety-critical systems, etcsafety-critical systems, etc

Main IssuesMain Issues

Add “creative design” – this is not Add “creative design” – this is not about web design (necessarily) but about web design (necessarily) but about the creative skills necessary to about the creative skills necessary to develop innovative IT products develop innovative IT products (strategic (strategic useuse of IT) of IT)

SFIA should SFIA should reflectreflect (not (not leadlead) good ) good practice.practice.

Add outsourcing skillsAdd outsourcing skills Develop Security further Develop Security further

““Getting to Grips with Getting to Grips with Career Developer”Career Developer”

(in the Public Sector?)(in the Public Sector?)

FormatFormat

Interactive WorkshopInteractive Workshop Share experiencesShare experiences There are no “experts” - we’re all still There are no “experts” - we’re all still

learning learning

How are you using it?How are you using it?

To set up a skills database?To set up a skills database? To plan individual development?To plan individual development? To create consistent Job To create consistent Job

Descriptions?Descriptions? To model organisation structures or To model organisation structures or

create new ones?create new ones? What else?What else?

ExperiencesExperiences

Strengths Strengths WeaknessesWeaknesses Perceived ProblemsPerceived Problems

Analysis of “Perceived Analysis of “Perceived Problems”Problems”

Problems Problems Management IssuesManagement Issues ConstraintsConstraints RequirementsRequirements

Experiences, hints and tips Experiences, hints and tips

Team Structures and User Team Structures and User AccountsAccounts

Ensure that local coordinators/ Ensure that local coordinators/ supervisors/ team managers can see supervisors/ team managers can see the right sub-teams, and have the the right sub-teams, and have the right authorities.right authorities.• needs careful planning needs careful planning

User Accounts – to be created User Accounts – to be created centrally or locally?centrally or locally?

Finalise structure early Finalise structure early • messy to “undo” once it is populatedmessy to “undo” once it is populated

Access AuthoritiesAccess Authorities Data sensitivity – access control etc (esp. Data sensitivity – access control etc (esp.

access to “my details”)access to “my details”) Problem – Team manager can see Problem – Team manager can see

everything below them.everything below them. Create several “administrators” to set up Create several “administrators” to set up

Corporate Job Descriptions and Specialisms Corporate Job Descriptions and Specialisms then move them to lower level, to remove then move them to lower level, to remove global privileges.global privileges.

Restrict access as far as possible, to ensure Restrict access as far as possible, to ensure confidentiality of information is maintained. confidentiality of information is maintained. • E.g. Overseers should be set up for BCS E.g. Overseers should be set up for BCS

Inspectors, then deleted after Inspection.Inspectors, then deleted after Inspection.

Specialisms & Corporate Specialisms & Corporate Components – Components –

Give guidance on how to construct Give guidance on how to construct Specialisms and Corporate Components Specialisms and Corporate Components • use description box to show name of use description box to show name of

originator, etc, so admin can consult before originator, etc, so admin can consult before amending.amending.

Populate Specialisms before Corporate Populate Specialisms before Corporate JDs are createdJDs are created

Who will allocate Corporate Job Who will allocate Corporate Job Descriptions?Descriptions?

RulesRules Create internal standards/ procedures Create internal standards/ procedures

• rules for managing Professional Development rules for managing Professional Development using Career Developerusing Career Developer

• especially how to set objectives and run the especially how to set objectives and run the “cycle”“cycle”

Include any aspects of data capture which Include any aspects of data capture which are necessary for Skills Database elementare necessary for Skills Database element

To achieve potential benefits of a Skills To achieve potential benefits of a Skills registerregister• all who have IT skills must be included in the all who have IT skills must be included in the

databasedatabase• even if they are not using the CareerDeveloper even if they are not using the CareerDeveloper

facilitiesfacilities

RulesRules

Apply constraints (or clear Apply constraints (or clear guidelines). E.g. One Primary Task, guidelines). E.g. One Primary Task, and max two othersand max two others

Though the software will allow users Though the software will allow users to add more than one Template – this to add more than one Template – this is NOT advisedis NOT advised

Management & AdministrationManagement & Administration

Enforcement of rules – how and who? Enforcement of rules – how and who? How to control “moves” (from one How to control “moves” (from one

team to another)? – designated team team to another)? – designated team manager can only do this for sub-manager can only do this for sub-teams below his team.teams below his team.

Clarify admin responsibilities– who will Clarify admin responsibilities– who will be responsible for on-going be responsible for on-going administration (site by site)administration (site by site)

Quality assurance/uniformity of use – Quality assurance/uniformity of use – how and who?how and who?

Local SupportLocal Support

Who will be the help desk? (e.g. for Who will be the help desk? (e.g. for forgotten passwords!)forgotten passwords!)

Local “super-users” – who, how to Local “super-users” – who, how to publicise? What do they need to be publicise? What do they need to be able to do?able to do?

Supervisor Training – esp. Supervisor Training – esp. Supervisors who are not ParticipantsSupervisors who are not Participants

Project ManagementProject Management

Implementation is a project!Implementation is a project! Agree deliverables and estimate resourcesAgree deliverables and estimate resources Avoid duplication of effortAvoid duplication of effort Communication – ensure all affected staff Communication – ensure all affected staff

are aware of what is happening, and the are aware of what is happening, and the potential benefits. Presentation to potential benefits. Presentation to staff/unionsstaff/unions

Project plan. Who will do what and when?Project plan. Who will do what and when? Issue log. Risk Log.Issue log. Risk Log.

ReportingReporting

What reports are needed? What is What reports are needed? What is available? How to create the former available? How to create the former from the latter?!from the latter?!

Who will do it, and how often? Who will do it, and how often? Training tips (see separate list of Training tips (see separate list of

points to be emphasised at short points to be emphasised at short training sessions)training sessions)

Some training tipsSome training tips

For Participants, use most time on the For Participants, use most time on the CareerDeveloper part, rather than the CareerDeveloper part, rather than the SkillsManager. (quick overview for SkillsManager. (quick overview for context, including team structures etc)context, including team structures etc)

What tabs/buttons to selectWhat tabs/buttons to select 1-2 page handout1-2 page handout It’s a live system – ensure that It’s a live system – ensure that

participants are made aware of this at participants are made aware of this at training sessions.training sessions.

Some training tipsSome training tips

Stress Supervisor /Manager role Stress Supervisor /Manager role Advise participants to go and look at Advise participants to go and look at

the system, then set up assessment the system, then set up assessment and first cycle with their Supervisor, and first cycle with their Supervisor, after their last PDS cycle is signed off. after their last PDS cycle is signed off.

Tell them when clinics will be run, to Tell them when clinics will be run, to cover issues cover issues

Admin – advise who will Admin – advise who will provide/change passwords provide/change passwords

Other (potential) issuesOther (potential) issues

Mismatch between SFIA Work Activities Mismatch between SFIA Work Activities and actual Jobs. and actual Jobs.

Minor adjustments to JDs for individualsMinor adjustments to JDs for individuals Ownership of Specialisms (team leaders?)Ownership of Specialisms (team leaders?) Document experience, so that other staff Document experience, so that other staff

can be got up to speed as quickly as can be got up to speed as quickly as possible. possible.

Involve HR Involve HR

More questions/issues/additionsMore questions/issues/additions Administrator – requirement for Administrator – requirement for

“more “more routine admin facilitiesroutine admin facilities”” Report requirementsReport requirements – e.g. who – e.g. who

has finished the first cycle?has finished the first cycle? How can we How can we extract dataextract data from the from the

system, both for reporting, and for system, both for reporting, and for further manipulation further manipulation

OverseerOverseer – is the place in the – is the place in the structure significant?structure significant?

More questions/issues/additionsMore questions/issues/additions Cycle Summary reportCycle Summary report – doesn’t show – doesn’t show

““end-cycleend-cycle” or “” or “VerifierVerifier” comments ” comments How can we close a cycle How can we close a cycle earlyearly, and start , and start

a new one (e.g. on job change) – CD a new one (e.g. on job change) – CD seems to constrain us to a start date seems to constrain us to a start date afterafter the previous cycle’s the previous cycle’s originaloriginal end date end date

PerformancePerformance Issues (esp. NHSnet) Issues (esp. NHSnet) Agenda for Change???Agenda for Change???

Any more….Any more….

Questions?Questions? Suggestions?Suggestions? Hints?Hints? Tips?Tips? ………………..

ThankThank youyou