The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Skills

These are all the skills

Enterprise IT governance

The establishment and oversight of an organisation's approach to the use of Information systems and digital services, and associated technology, in line with the needs of the principal stakeholders of the organisation and overall organisational corporate governance requirements. The determination and accountability for evaluation of current and future needs; directing the planning for both supply and demand of these services; the quality, characteristics, and level of IT services; and for monitoring the conformance to obligations (including regulatory, legislation, control, and other standards) to ensure positive contribution of IT to the organisation's goals and objectives.

Strategic planning

The creation, iteration and maintenance of a strategy in order to align organisational actions, plans and resources with business objectives and the development of plans to drive forward and execute that strategy. Working with stakeholders to communicate and embed strategic management via objectives, accountabilities and monitoring of progress.

Information governance

The overall governance of how all types of information, structured and unstructured, whether produced internally or externally, are used to support decision-making, business processes and digital services. Encompasses development and promotion of the strategy and policies covering the design of information structures and taxonomies, the setting of policies for the sourcing and maintenance of the data content, and the development of policies, procedures, working practices and training to promote compliance with legislation regulating all aspects of holding, use and disclosure of data.

Information systems coordination

Typically within a large organisation in which the information strategy function is devolved to autonomous units, or within a collaborative enterprise of otherwise independent organisations, the coordination of information strategy matters where the adoption of a common approach (such as shared services) would benefit the organisation.

Information security

The selection, design, justification, implementation and operation of controls and management strategies to maintain the security, confidentiality, integrity, availability, accountability and relevant compliance of information systems with legislation, regulation and relevant standards.

Information assurance

The protection of integrity, availability, authenticity, non-repudiation and confidentiality of information and data in storage and in transit. The management of risk in a pragmatic and cost effective manner to ensure stakeholder confidence.

Analytics

The application of mathematics, statistics, predictive modeling and machine-learning techniques to discover meaningful patterns and knowledge in recorded data. Analysis of data with high volumes, velocities and variety (numbers, symbols, text, sound and image). Development of forward-looking, predictive, real-time, model-based insights to create value and drive effective decision-making. The identification, validation and exploitation of internal and external data sets generated from a diverse range of processes.

Data visualisation

The process of interpreting concepts, ideas, and facts by using graphical representations. Condensing and encapsulating the characteristics of data, making it easier to surface opportunities, identify risks, analyse trends, to drive effective decision-making. Presenting findings and data insights in creative ways to facilitate the understanding of data across a range of technical and non-technical audiences.

Information content publishing

The evaluation and application of different publishing methods and options, recognising key features, including open source and proprietary options. The management and tuning of the processes that collect, assemble and publish information, including in unstructured and semi-structured forms, for delivery to the user. The management of copyright, data protection and other legal issues associated with publishing and re-use of published information and data.

Consultancy

The provision of advice and recommendations, based on expertise and experience, to address client needs. May deal with one specialist subject area, or can be wide ranging and address strategic business issues. May also include support for the implementation of any agreed solutions.

Specialist advice

The development and exploitation of expertise in any specific area of information or communications technology, digital working, specific techniques, methodologies, products or application areas, for the purposes of providing specialist advice.

Demand management

The analysis and proactive management of business demand for new services or modifications to existing service features or volumes. Collaborating with the business to prioritise demand in order to improve business value. Developing and communicating insights into patterns of demand. Proposing responses to meet both short-term and long-term demand and facilitating decision making and planning. Integrating demand analysis and planning with complementary strategic, operational and change planning processes.

IT management

The management of the IT infrastructure and resources required to plan for, develop, deliver and support IT services and products to meet the needs of a business. The preparation for new or changed services, management of the change process and the maintenance of regulatory, legal and professional standards. The management of performance of systems and services in terms of their contribution to business performance and their financial costs and sustainability. The management of bought-in services. The development of continual service improvement plans to ensure the IT infrastructure adequately supports business needs.

Financial management

The overall financial management, control and stewardship of the IT assets and resources used in the provision of IT services, including the identification of materials and energy costs, ensuring compliance with all governance, legal and regulatory requirements.

Innovation

The capability to identify, prioritise, incubate and exploit opportunities provided by information, communication and digital technologies. To develop and implement processes, tools and infrastructures to support innovation. To involve internal and external communities, employees, commercial partners, customers, users and other stakeholders in the innovation process. To provide governance, monitoring to, and reporting on, the innovation process.

Research

The systematic creation of new knowledge by data gathering, innovation, experimentation, evaluation and dissemination. The determination of research goals and the method by which the research will be conducted. The active participation in a community of researchers; communicating formally and informally through digital media, conferences, journals, books and seminars.

Business process improvement

The creation of new and potentially disruptive approaches to performing business activities in order to create business opportunities; deliver new or improved products/services; or to improve supply chains. The identification and implementation of improvements to business operations, services and models. The assessment of the costs and potential benefits of the new approaches. The analysis and design of business processes in order to adopt and exploit technologies to improve business performance. The development of enterprise process management capabilities to increase organisational agility and responsiveness to change.

Knowledge management

The systematic management of vital knowledge to create value for the organisation by capturing, sharing, developing and exploiting the collective knowledge of the organisation to improve performance, support decision making and mitigate risks. The development of a supportive and collaborative knowledge sharing culture to drive the successful adoption of technology solutions for knowledge management. Providing access to informal, tacit knowledge as well as formal, documented, explicit knowledge by facilitating internal and external collaboration and communications.

Enterprise and business architecture

The creation, iteration, and maintenance of structures such as enterprise and business architectures embodying the key principles, methods and models that describe the organisation's future state, and that enable its evolution. This typically involves the interpretation of business goals and drivers; the translation of business strategy and objectives into an “operating model”; the strategic assessment of current capabilities; the identification of required changes in capabilities; and the description of inter-relationships between people, organisation, service, process, data, information, technology and the external environment. The architecture development process supports the formation of the constraints, standards and guiding principles necessary to define, assure and govern the required evolution; this facilitates change in the organisation's structure, business processes, systems and infrastructure in order to achieve predictable transition to the intended state.

Business risk management

The planning and implementation of organisation-wide processes and procedures for the management of risk to the success or integrity of the business, especially those arising from the use of information technology, reduction or non-availability of energy supply or inappropriate disposal of materials, hardware or data.