The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) is a model that has gained a lot of popularity all over the world as being a framework providing a clear understanding of Information Technology (IT) capability for career development, organisational improvement, resource planning, and recruitment.
Every IT professional understands how fast the industry changes. As a result, keeping up-to-date can be difficult and quite demanding. Luckily, SFIA is here to help industry professionals prepare for career roles, navigate tech changes and build their skills, discover future career possibilities, and identify areas for further development.
For those who aren’t familiar with the meaning of SFIA and why it is so important for the IT industry, the number one SFIA SaaS and Services provider – SkillsTX – has put together the below to help you understand everything you need to know about SFIA. So, read on to learn more.
What is SFIA Exactly?
The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) is a simple framework that links the IT operating model of an organization with people and skills. It features more than 100 individual skills divided into six categories including:
- Strategy and Architecture
- Delivery and Operation
- Development and Implementation
- Change and Transformation
- Relationships and Engagement, and
- Skills and Quality
Furthermore, there are 7 Levels of Responsibility for each skill described using generic attributes including autonomy, influence, complexity, knowledge, and business skills. Here’s a brief overview of the seven levels of responsibility:
- Follow – basic skills to do tasks under supervision
- Assist – wider circle of interaction, proactive personal development management
- Apply – complete work packages with milestone reviews, has some supervisory responsibility
- Enable – good operational business skills, works on complex tasks
- Ensure and advise – supervisory, responsibility setting, self-sufficient business skills
- Initiate and influence – have authority, objective setting, strategic work, initiating change
- Set strategy, inspire, and mobilise – setting policy, decision making, strategy leading, management, and leadership.
Why Use SFIA?
Organisations use this framework for general resource management, job descriptions, role profiles, corresponding mindsets, and training requirements. The SFIA framework is also very useful for recruitment to help employers describe exactly what they need. Education and professional bodies can map their offerings to SFIA and thus ensure that individuals select the most adequate certifications and courses.
In general, SFIA assists businesses create a foundation to increase the organisation’s value. The following is a brief list of some of the major SFIA benefits:
- Enable the IT sector and the business to work together toward similar goals
- Provide a clear understanding of IT skills
- Allow targeted training and identify skill gaps
- Improve IT recruitment
- Boost staff performance and sfia professional development.
For any other further information, don’t hesitate to contact SkillsTX. We have a pedigree with access to some of the most experienced SFIA consultants across the globe.
