SFIA 9 skills directory A–Z
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SFIA 9 change tracker
- We share the proposed updates and other actions on the website
- Some proposals are prototypes and may not be in the final release of SFIA 9
- Before publishing a new version - all proposed changes are made public for further comment using a beta release
Title | Tags | Skill code | Description | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Acceptance testing | Small change | BPTS | Validating systems, products, business processes or services to determine whether the acceptance criteria have been satisfied. | |
Accessibility and inclusion [prototype] | New skill | ACIN | Driving accessibility and inclusion in services and products. | |
AI and data ethics [prototype] | New skill | AIDE | Implementing and promoting ethical practices in the design, development, deployment, and use of AI and data technologies. | |
Analytical classification and coding | New skill | ANCC | Interpreting information and assigning classifications or labels based on domain-specific knowledge, standards, and guidelines to enable data analysis and use. | |
Animation development | Large change, New level | ADEV | Designing and developing animated and interactive systems such as games, simulations and virtual environments. | |
Application support | ASUP | Delivering management, technical and administrative services to support and maintain live applications. | ||
Asset management | ASMG | Managing the full life cycle of assets from acquisition, operation, maintenance to disposal. | ||
Audit | New level | AUDT | Delivering independent, risk-based assessments of the effectiveness of processes, the controls, and the compliance environment of an organisation. | |
Availability management | AVMT | Ensuring that services deliver agreed levels of availability to meet the current and future needs of the business. | ||
Benefits management | New level | BENM | Forecasting, planning and monitoring the emergence and effective realisation of anticipated benefits from projects and programmes. | |
Bid/proposal management | New skill | BIDM | Managing preparation and submission of bids and proposals for contracts, grants, projects, or services. | |
Brand management | New skill | BRMG | Developing and managing a brand strategy to establish, enhance, and sustain brand identity, positioning, and value aligned with organisational goals. | |
Budgeting and forecasting [prototype] | New skill | BUDF | Developing and managing financial budgets and forecasts to enable effective decision-making and resource allocation. | |
Business administration | ADMN | Managing and performing administrative services and tasks to enable individuals, teams and organisations to succeed in their objectives. | ||
Business intelligence | BINT | Developing, producing and delivering regular and one-off management information to provide insights and aid decision-making. | ||
Business modelling | BSMO | Producing abstract or distilled representations of real-world, business or gaming situations. | ||
Business process improvement | New level | BPRE | Creating new and potentially disruptive approaches to performing business activities. | |
Business situation analysis | New level | BUSA | Investigating business situations to define recommendations for improvement action. | |
Capacity management | New level, Small change | CPMG | Ensuring that service components have the capacity and performance to meet current and planned business needs. | |
Certification scheme operation | Small change | CSOP | Designing, developing and operating certification schemes, accreditations and credentials, including digital credentials or badges. | |
Change control | CHMG | Assessing risks associated with proposed changes and ensuring changes to products, services or systems are controlled and coordinated. | ||
Competency assessment | Small change, New level | LEDA | Assessing knowledge, skills, competency and behaviours by any means, whether formal or informal, against frameworks such as SFIA. | |
Configuration management | CFMG | Planning, identifying, controlling, accounting for and auditing of configuration items (CIs) and their interrelationships. | ||
Consultancy | CNSL | Providing advice and recommendations, based on expertise and experience, to address client needs. | ||
Content design and authoring | Guidance notes only | INCA | Planning, designing, and creating content that meets user-centred and organisational needs, encompassing textual information, graphical content, and multimedia elements. | |
Content publishing | ICPM | Managing and continually improving the processes that collect, assemble and publish content. | ||
Continuity management | Small change | COPL | Developing, implementing and testing a business continuity framework. | |
Contract management | New level | ITCM | Managing and operating formal contracts, addressing supplier and client needs in product and service provision. | |
Cost management [prototype] | New skill | COMG | Planning, controlling and analysing costs to enable the effective use of financial resources. | |
Customer engagement and loyalty | New skill | CELO | Developing and executing strategies to attract, engage, and retain customers through targeted communications, experiences, and loyalty initiatives. | |
Customer Experience | New skill | CEXP | Ensuring the delivery of high-quality interactions and experiences that meet customer expectations across all touchpoints and channels. | |
Customer service support | CSMG | Managing and operating customer service or service desk functions. | ||
Data analytics | New skill | DAAN | Enabling data-driven decision making by extracting, analysing and communicating insights from structured and unstructured data. | |
Data engineering | Small change | DENG | Designing, building, operationalising, securing and monitoring data pipelines and data stores. | |
Data management | New level, Large change | DATM | Developing and implementing plans, policies, and practices that control, protect and optimise the value and governance of data assets. | |
Data modelling and design | Guidance notes only | DTAN | Developing models and diagrams to represent and communicate data requirements and data assets. | |
Data science | DATS | Applying mathematics, statistics, data mining and predictive modelling techniques to gain insights, predict behaviours and generate value from data. | ||
Data visualisation | New level, Small change | VISL | Facilitating understanding of data by displaying concepts, ideas, and facts using graphical representations. | |
Database administration | Large change | DBAD | Installing, configuring, monitoring, maintaining databases and data stores, ensuring performance and security while adapting to evolving technologies. | |
Database design | New level | DBDS | Specifying, designing and maintaining mechanisms for storing and accessing data. | |
Delivery management [prototype] | New skill | DEMG | Ensuring successful delivery of new or updated products and services through effective leadership and collaboration within defined delivery cycles. | |
Demand management | New level | DEMM | Analysing and proactively managing business demand for new services or modifications to existing service features or volumes. | |
Deployment | New skill, Split | DEPL | Transitioning software from development to live usage, managing risks and ensuring it works as intended. | |
Digital forensics | New level | DGFS | Recovering and investigating material found in digital devices. | |
Emerging technology monitoring | EMRG | Identifying and assessing new and emerging technologies, products, services, methods and techniques. | ||
Employee experience | EEXP | Enhancing employee engagement and ways of working, empowering employees and supporting their health and wellbeing. | ||
Enterprise and business architecture | Small change | STPL | Aligning an organisation's technology strategy with its business mission, strategy, and processes and documenting this using architectural models. | |
Facilities management | New level | DCMA | Planning, designing and managing the buildings, space and facilities which, collectively, make up the IT estate. | |
Feasibility assessment | New level | FEAS | Defining, evaluating and describing business change options for financial, technical and business feasibility, and strategic alignment. | |
Financial analysis [prototype] | New skill | FIAN | Conducting in-depth analysis of financial data to derive insights and support decision-making. | |
Financial management | Structural change | FMIT | Managing the effective use and control of financial resources to support business strategies, compliance, and risk mitigation. | |
Formal research | Re-named | RSCH | Systematically creating new knowledge by data gathering, innovation, experimentation, evaluation and dissemination. | |
Functional testing | TEST | Investigating products, systems and services to assess behaviour and whether this meets specified or unspecified functional requirements and characteristics. | ||
Governance | GOVN | Defining and operating a framework for making decisions, managing stakeholder relationships, and identifying legitimate authority. | ||
Hardware design | New level, Small change | HWDE | Specifying and designing hardware systems and components to meet defined requirements by following agreed design principles and standards. | |
High-performance computing | HPCC | Using advanced computer systems and special programming techniques to solve complex computational problems. | ||
Identity and access management | New skill | IAMT | Manages identity verification and access permissions within organizational systems and environments. | |
Incident management | USUP | Coordinating responses to incident reports, minimising negative impacts and restoring service as quickly as possible. | ||
Information and data compliance | Small change, New level | PEDP | Implementing and promoting compliance with information and data management legislation. | |
Information assurance | Small change, Guidance notes only, New level | INAS | Protecting against and managing risks related to the use, storage and transmission of data and information systems. | |
Information management | Large change | IRMG | Enabling the effective management and use of information assets. | |
Information security | New level | SCTY | Defining and operating a framework of security controls and security management strategies. | |
Information systems coordination | ISCO | Coordinating information and technology strategies where the adoption of a common approach would benefit the organisation. | ||
Infrastructure design [prototype] | New skill | IFDN | Designing and planning IT infrastructure systems to meet business requirements, ensuring scalability, reliability, security, and alignment with strategic objectives. | |
Innovation | INOV | Identifying, prioritising, incubating and exploiting opportunities provided by information, communication and digital technologies. | ||
Investment appraisal | INVA | Assessing the attractiveness of possible investments or projects. | ||
IT infrastructure operations | Large change | ITOP | Provisioning, deploying, configuring, operating, and optimising technology infrastructure across physical, virtual, and cloud-based environments. | |
Job analysis and design [prototype] | New skill | JADN | Planning, analysing, and designing job roles and structures to align with organisational goals and culture. | |
Knowledge management | KNOW | Managing vital knowledge to create value for the organisation. | ||
Learning and development management | New level | ETMG | Delivering management, advisory and administrative services to support the development of knowledge, skills and competencies. | |
Learning delivery | ETDL | Transferring knowledge, developing skills and changing behaviours using a range of techniques, resources and media. | ||
Learning design and development | New level | TMCR | Designing and developing resources to transfer knowledge, develop skills and change behaviours. | |
Machine learning | Guidance notes only | MLNG | Developing systems that learn from data and experience, with the capability to improve performance over time. | |
Market research | New skill | MRCH | Gathering, analysing, and interpreting data about markets, customers, and competitors to inform business decisions and strategies. | |
Marketing campaign management | New skill | MKCM | Executing, monitoring, and optimising marketing campaigns across various channels to engage target audiences and achieve desired outcomes. | |
Marketing management | Large change, Structural change | MKTG | Developing, implementing, and managing marketing strategies and plans to achieve organisational objectives and optimise marketing effectiveness. | |
Measurement | Guidance notes only, New level | MEAS | Developing and operating a measurement capability to support agreed organisational information needs. | |
Methods and tools | New level | METL | Ensuring methods and tools are adopted and used effectively throughout the organisation. | |
Network design | Small change, New level | NTDS | Designing communication networks to support strategic and operational requirements and producing network strategies, architectures, policies and related documentation. | |
Network support | Large change | NTAS | Providing maintenance and support services for communications networks. | |
Non-functional testing | NFTS | Investigating products, systems and services to assess behaviour and whether this meets specified or unspecified non-functional requirements and characteristics | ||
Numerical analysis | NUAN | Creating, analysing, implementing, testing and improving algorithms for numerically solving mathematical problems. | ||
Organisation design and implementation | ORDI | Planning, designing and implementing an integrated organisation structure and culture. | ||
Organisational capability development | OCDV | Providing leadership, advice and implementation support to assess organisational capabilities and to identify, prioritise and implement improvements. | ||
Organisational change enablement [prototype] | New skill | OCEN | Facilitates cultural and behavioural change by enabling individuals and teams to embed new ways of working and adapt to changes. | |
Organisational change management | New level | CIPM | Planning, designing and implementing activities to transition the organisation and people to the required future state. | |
Organisational facilitation | OFCL | Supporting workgroups to implement principles and practices for effective teamwork across organisational boundaries and professional specialisms. | ||
Penetration testing | Small change, Guidance notes only, New level | PENT | Testing the effectiveness of security controls by emulating the tools and techniques of likely attackers. | |
Performance management | PEMT | Improving organisational performance by developing the performance of individuals and workgroups to meet agreed objectives with measurable results. | ||
Portfolio management | POMG | Developing and applying a management framework to define and deliver a portfolio of programmes, projects and/or ongoing services. | ||
Portfolio, programme and project support | PROF | Providing support and guidance on portfolio, programme and project management processes, procedures, tools and techniques. | ||
Problem management | New level | PBMG | Managing the life cycle of all problems that have occurred or could occur in delivering a service. | |
Process testing | New skill | PRTS | Investigating software and systems implementations to validate and verify that they meet business needs. | |
Product management | New level, Structural change | PROD | Managing and developing products or services through their full life cycle from inception, growth, maturity, decline to retirement. | |
Professional development | PDSV | Facilitating the professional development of individuals in line with their career goals and organisational requirements. | ||
Programme management | PGMG | Identifying, planning and coordinating a set of related projects and activities in support of specific business strategies and objectives. | ||
Programming/software development | PROG | Developing software components to deliver value to stakeholders. | ||
Project management | PRMG | Delivering agreed outcomes from projects using appropriate management techniques, collaboration, leadership and governance. | ||
Quality assurance | New level | QUAS | Assuring, through ongoing and periodic assessments and reviews, that the organisation’s quality objectives are being met. | |
Quality management | New level | QUMG | Defining and operating a management framework of processes and working practices to deliver the organisation's quality objectives. | |
Radio frequency engineering | RFEN | Designing, installing and maintaining radio frequency based devices and software. | ||
Real-time/embedded systems development | RESD | Designing and developing reliable real-time software typically within embedded systems. | ||
Records management | New skill | RMGT | Planning, implementing and managing the full life cycle of organisational records. | |
Release management | Large change, Split, New level | RELM | Managing the release of new and updated services into production, ensuring alignment with business objectives and compliance standards. | |
Requirements definition and management | REQM | Managing requirements through the entire delivery and operational life cycle. | ||
Resourcing | New level | RESC | Acquiring, deploying and onboarding resources. | |
Risk management | New level | BURM | Planning and implementing organisation-wide processes and procedures for the management of risk to the success or integrity of the enterprise. | |
Safety assessment | SFAS | Assessing safety-related software and hardware systems to determine compliance with standards and required levels of safety integrity. | ||
Safety engineering | New level | SFEN | Applying appropriate methods to assure safety during all life cycle phases of safety-related systems developments. | |
Sales support | SSUP | Providing advice and support to the sales force, customers and sales partners. | ||
Scientific modelling | SCMO | Applying computer simulation and other forms of computation to solve real-world problems in scientific disciplines. | ||
Security operations | Large change, Split | SCAD | Manages and administers security measures, leveraging tools and intelligence to protect assets, ensuring compliance and operational integrity. | |
Selling | SALE | Finding prospective customers and working with them to identify needs, influence purchase decisions and enhance future business opportunities. | ||
Service acceptance | New level | SEAC | Managing the process to obtain formal confirmation that service acceptance criteria have been met. | |
Service catalogue management | New level | SCMG | Providing a source of consistent information about available services and products to customers and users. | |
Service level management | SLMO | Agreeing targets for service levels and assessing, monitoring, and managing the delivery of services against the targets. | ||
Software configuration | New level | PORT | Designing and deploying software product configurations into software environments or platforms. | |
Software design | SWDN | Specifying, architecting and designing software to meet defined requirements by following agreed standards and principles. | ||
Solution architecture | ARCH | Developing and communicating a multi-dimensional solution architecture to deliver agreed business outcomes. | ||
Sourcing | SORC | Managing, or providing advice on, the procurement or commissioning of products and services. | ||
Specialist advice | Small change | TECH | Providing authoritative, professional advice and direction in a specialist area. | |
Stakeholder relationship management | RLMT | Influencing stakeholder attitudes, decisions, and actions for mutual benefit. | ||
Storage management | Small change, New level | STMG | Provisioning, configuring, and optimising on-premises and cloud-based storage solutions, ensuring data availability, security, and alignment with business objectives. | |
Strategic planning | ITSP | Creating and maintaining organisational-level strategies to align overall business plans, actions, and resources with high-level business objectives. | ||
Subject formation | SUBF | Specifying, designing and developing curricula within a structured and systematic education environment. | ||
Supplier management | SUPP | Aligning the organisation’s supplier performance objectives and activities with sourcing strategies and plans, balancing costs, efficiencies and service quality. | ||
Sustainability | SUST | Providing advice, assistance and leadership to enable the organisation to minimise negative environmental impact. | ||
System software administration | Small change, New level | SYSP | Installing, managing, and maintaining operating systems, data management, office automation, and utility software across various infrastructure environments. | |
Systems and software life cycle engineering | SLEN | Establishing and deploying an environment for developing, continually improving, and securely operating software and systems products and services. | ||
Systems design | Small change, New level | DESN | Designing systems to meet specified requirements and agreed systems architectures. | |
Systems development management | New level | DLMG | Planning, estimating and executing systems development work to time, budget and quality targets. | |
Systems installation and removal | HSIN | Installing and testing, or decommissioning and removing, systems or system components. | ||
Systems integration and build | SINT | Planning, implementing and controlling activities to integrate system elements, subsystems and interfaces to create operational systems, products or services. | ||
Teaching | TEAC | Delivering and assessing curricula in a structured and systematic education environment. | ||
Technology service management | ITMG | Managing the provision of technology-based services to meet defined organisational needs. | ||
Threat intelligence | THIN | Developing and sharing actionable insights on current and potential security threats to the success or integrity of an organisation. | ||
User experience analysis | New level | UNAN | Understanding the context of use for systems, products and services and specifying user experience requirements and design goals. | |
User experience design | New level | HCEV | Producing design concepts and prototypes for user interactions with and experiences of a product, system or service. | |
User experience evaluation | USEV | Validating systems, products or services against user experience goals, metrics and targets. | ||
User research | New level | URCH | Identifying users' behaviours, needs and motivations using observational research methods. | |
Vulnerability assessment | VUAS | Identifying and classifying security vulnerabilities in networks, systems and applications and mitigating or eliminating their impact. | ||
Vulnerability research | Small change, Guidance notes only, New level | VURE | Conducting applied research to discover, evaluate and mitigate new or unknown security vulnerabilities and weaknesses. | |
Workforce planning | WFPL | Strategically projecting the demand for people and skills and proactively planning the workforce supply to meet organisational needs. |