About SFIA 6

SFIA version 6, the sixth major version of the Skills Framework for the Information Age.

The SFIA Framework is updated by a process of open consultation drawing on the expertise and experience of the global user community. This process ensures that the Framework is kept relevant to industry and business because it is industry and business that drives, defines, and reviews the updates prior to their incorporation into a new release.

To reflect changes from around the world, most of the existing skills have been updated in some way; some wording has been improved, some skills have merged and several new skills have been introduced. The user community came together to address developments in digital, cyber security, agile, information management and big data, cloud, and a number of other areas. While these changes have been incorporated, the underlying principles and broad structure has remained the same – 6 categories and a 7-level structure – with generic levels of responsibility and skills described at one or more of the 7 levels.

The SFIA Framework continues to be available for the vast majority of its users under a free-of-charge licence.

Without registering, you can browse the SFIA Framework online and organisations may link to the SFIA content for their own use.

You are, however, encouraged to register on the SFIA website as this will enable you to receive important information about the Framework, be consulted on future updates and it enables you to access other SFIA resources.

Ian Seward

Operations Manager

Copyright

The Skills Framework for the Information Age - SFIA version 6

SFIA, the Skills Framework for the Information Age, describes skills required by professionals in roles involving information and communications technology.

What is it?

SFIA is a practical resource for people who manage or work in information systems-related roles of any type. It provides a common reference model in a two-dimensional framework consisting of skills on one axis and seven levels of responsibility on the other. It describes professional skills at various levels of competence. It also describes generic levels of responsibility, in terms of Autonomy, Influence, Complexity and Business Skills.

Why use it?

SFIA fits in with your way of doing things. It does not define organisational structures, roles or jobs; it provides clear descriptions of skills and levels of responsibility. The very structure of SFIA makes it a flexible resource which can be adopted and adapted to work in a range of HR systems and people-management processes.

Who is it for?

A summary of the different users and use cases for SFIA.

Staying relevant

SFIA has previously been through four revision cycles to keep up with the changes in the modern information and communications technology landscape.

More than the sum of its parts

Without a set of standards and a common approach to skills and competencies, we end up with a range of differing perspectives from which we view an organisation or an individual and where alignment between the needs of the organisation and the capabilities of its team does or does not exist.