Skills
Description of all SFIA 6 skills
Sustainability management
The specification, planning and management of changes to assets, systems, processes or practices intended to reduce or constrain consumption and/or disposal of energy or materials, within the context of company strategy and policy, and regulatory and contractual requirements. The evaluation of changes to ensure that planned benefits have been obtained. The specification of remedial and process improvement actions in cases where planned benefits have not been obtained. The identification and planning of alternative sources of supply.
Network planning
The creation and maintenance of overall network plans, encompassing the communication of data, voice, text and image, in the support of an organisation's business strategy. This includes participation in the creation of service level agreements and the planning of all aspects of infrastructure necessary to ensure provision of network services to meet such agreements. Physical implementation may include copper wire, fibre-optic, wireless, or any other technology.
Solution architecture
The design and communication of high-level structures to enable and guide the design and development of integrated solutions that meet current and future business needs. In addition to technology components, solution architecture encompasses changes to service, process, organisation, and operating models. Architecture definition must demonstrate how requirements (such as automation of business processes) are met, any requirements which are not fully met, and any options or considerations which require a business decision. The provision of comprehensive guidance on the development of, and modifications to, solution components to ensure that they take account of relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices (including security) and that existing and planned solution components remain compatible.
Data management
The management of practices and processes to ensure the security, integrity, safety and availability of all forms of data and data structures that make up the organisation’s information. The management of data and information in all its forms and the analysis of information structure (including logical analysis of taxonomies, data and metadata). The development of innovative ways of managing the information assets of the organisation.
Methods and tools
Ensuring that appropriate methods and tools for the planning, development, testing, operation, management and maintenance of systems are adopted and used effectively throughout the organisation.
Portfolio management
The development and application of a systematic management framework to define and deliver a portfolio of programmes, projects and/or ongoing services, in support of specific business strategies and objectives. Includes the implementation of a strategic investment appraisal and decision making process based on a clear understanding of cost, risk, inter-dependencies, and impact on existing business activities, enabling measurement and objective evaluation of potential changes and the benefits to be realised. The prioritisation of resource utilisation and changes to be implemented. The regular review of portfolios. The management of the service pipeline (proposed or in development), service catalogue (live or available for deployment) and retired services.
Programme management
The identification, planning and coordination of a set of related projects within a programme of business change, to manage their interdependencies in support of specific business strategies and objectives. The maintenance of a strategic view over the set of projects, providing the framework for implementing business initiatives, or large-scale change, by conceiving, maintaining and communicating a vision of the outcome of the programme and associated benefits. (The vision, and the means of achieving it, may change as the programme progresses). Agreement of business requirements, and translation of requirements into operational plans. Determination, monitoring, and review of programme scope, costs, and schedule, programme resources, inter-dependencies and programme risk.
Project management
The management of projects, typically (but not exclusively) involving the development and implementation of business processes to meet identified business needs, acquiring and utilising the necessary resources and skills, within agreed parameters of cost, timescales, and quality.
Portfolio, programme and project support
The provision of support and guidance on portfolio, programme and project management processes, procedures, tools and techniques. Support includes definition of portfolios, programmes, and projects; advice on the development, production and maintenance of business cases; time, resource, cost and exception plans, and the use of related software tools. Tracking and reporting of programme/project progress and performance are also covered, as is the capability to facilitate all aspects of portfolio/ programme/ project meetings, workshops and documentation.
Business analysis
The methodical investigation, analysis, review and documentation of all or part of a business in terms of business functions and processes, the information used and the data on which the information is based. The definition of requirements for improving processes and systems, reducing their costs, enhancing their sustainability, and the quantification of potential business benefits. The collaborative creation and iteration of viable specifications and acceptance criteria in preparation for the deployment of information and communication systems.
Requirements definition and management
The definition and management of the business goals and scope of change initiatives. The specification of business requirements to a level that enables effective delivery of agreed changes.
Business process testing
The planning, design, management, execution and reporting of business process tests and usability evaluations. The application of evaluation skills to the assessment of the ergonomics, usability and fitness for purpose of defined processes. This includes the synthesis of test tasks to be performed (from statement of user needs and user interface specification), the design of an evaluation programme, the selection of user samples, the analysis of performance, and inputting results to the development team.
Change implementation planning and management
The definition and management of the process for deploying and integrating new digital capabilities into the business in a way that is sensitive to and fully compatible with business operations.
Organisation design and implementation
The design and implementation of an integrated organisation structure, role profiles, culture, performance measurements, competencies and skills, to facilitate strategies for change and for training to enable the change. The identification of key attributes of the culture and the key principles and factors for addressing location strategy.
Benefits management
Monitoring for the emergence and effective realisation of anticipated benefits (typically specified as part of the business case for a change programme or project). Action (typically by the programme management team) to optimise the business impact of individual and combined benefits.
Business modelling
The production of abstract or distilled representations of real world, business or gaming situations in traditional or trans-media applications, to aid the communication and understanding of existing, conceptual or proposed scenarios. Predominantly focused around the representation of processes, roles, data, organisation and time. Models may be used to represent a subject at varying levels of detail and decomposition.
Sustainability assessment
The evaluation of the sustainability of operational or planned services, devices and day-to-day operations such as travel. The establishment of a model or scheme to track changes in consumption over time and to generate feedback to enable improvements in energy or resource efficiency. The identification of areas requiring attention, and the initiation of actions to change or control the procurement of energy or other resources, so as to improve sustainability.
Systems development management
The management of resources in order to plan, estimate and carry out programmes of solution development work to time, budget and quality targets and in accordance with appropriate standards, methods and procedures (including secure software development).The facilitation of improvements by changing approaches and working practices, typically using recognised models, best practices, standards and methodologies. The provision of advice, assistance and leadership in improving the quality of software development, by focusing on process definition, management, repeatability and measurement.
Data analysis
The investigation, evaluation, interpretation and classification of data, in order to define and clarify information structures which describe the relationships between real world entities. Such structures facilitate the development of software systems, links between systems or retrieval activities.
Systems design
The specification and design of information systems to meet defined business needs in any public or private context, including commercial, industrial, scientific, gaming and entertainment. The identification of concepts and their translation into implementable design. The design or selection of components. The retention of compatibility with enterprise and solution architectures, and the adherence to corporate standards within constraints of cost, security and sustainability.