Change requests

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Add and review requests to change SFIA definitions or coverage.

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Wherever possible please link your change request to the relevant part of SFIA during the 'add request' process.

If you have any problems creating a change request – please contact the SFIA Updates Manager – [email protected].

Change requests are reviewed by the SFIA Design Authority. You can review the current status of each change request below.

  • Accepted: change requests which will be incorporated into requirements and solutions for the next version of SFIA. They may be combined with other change requests and/or themes.
  • Declined: change requests which have been rejected. Reasons for rejection are given.
  • Deferred: change requests which have merit but which are not yet fully agreed. Deferred requests will be considered for the next-but-one revision of SFIA.

Pending change requests are awaiting a decision.

We welcome your comments on how we plan to meet the accepted change requests in the upgrade to SFIA 9.

Search change requests

  • Pending (49)

  • Accepted (3)

  • Declined (0)

  • Deferred (0)

  • Addition of bid writing in skills 0 #1465 30 May 2023

    Could bid writing or tender responses be of value as a skill?

  • Review whether we say enough about ethics 1 #1464 4 May 2023

    Review and consider whether we should say more about ethics in the Generic Attributes.

  • Provide a simple description of each SFIA Level 0 #1463 4 May 2023

    Some additional description of each level is necessary to make the Levels of Responsibility easier to understand.

  • Generic Attribute Structure same as for the Professional Skills 1 #1462 4 May 2023

    Apply the same 'rewrite' principles to the Generic Attributes as were applied to the Professional Skills in SFIA 8.

  • Behavioural Factors View 0 #1461 4 May 2023

    Create a Behavioural Factors View of the Levels of Responsibility.

  • 2 typos on VUAS skill at a level descriptions 0 #1460 27 Apr 2023

    Very small changes that don't impact the meaning of the sentences.

  • IT service experience skills 1 #1458 26 Dec 2022

    Given the increasing impact of IT services on people and their business, people involved in providing and consuming IT services should have skills for influencing how IT services are experienced. About half of the current SFIA 8 skills address areas related to IT service experience and could be enha…

  • New Skill - PCB Layout Design 0 #1457 21 Nov 2022

    A request of a new skill of PCB Layout Design . This is seen as more specific for hardware designers - requested.

  • Hardware Design Level 2 2 #1456 21 Nov 2022

    From a hardware/engineering company - it is felt that there should be a SFIA Level 2 for this skill - Behrouz Abdolali

  • Foreign language skills 0 #1455 19 Sep 2022

    Foreign language

  • Add FinOps to FMIT 3 #1454 16 Sep 2022

    FMIT lacks reference to Cloud Financial Operations, cost optimization, and resource attribution.

  • Add Fraud Prevention/Mitigation and Handling Skills (requested on behalf of UK Home Office Contact) 1 #1453 2 Aug 2022

    Details to follow ...

  • Short codes for the generic responsibility attributes 0 #1452 20 Aug 2021

    We have 4-letter codes for the professional skills. This proposal is to introduce short codes for the generic responsibility attributes.

    What we decided:

    Keep under active review 

  • Splitting PROD for Product Management and Product Ownership 0 #1450 29 Jul 2021

    Hi, could you please strongly consider splitting PROD to 2 competencies. One focused on Product Management and the other Product Ownership. these are very distinct roles with distinct competencies and having the two competencies joined under one will ultimately result in a need to split them later o…

    What we decided:

    Keep under active review.
    The industry does use the terms Product Manager, Product Owner inconsistently.
    • SFIA position is to reflect the industry and
    • SFIA define skills and skill levels not roles  
    So currently...
    1. there is a Product management skill in SFIA 
    2. Organisations who have role/job called Product Manager - need to review what the role requires. It will need more than a single SFIA skill.
    3. Same for Product Owner
    4. Same for any other roles involved in product development, agile development - SFIA provides the building blocks to be configured into what jobs/roles require
    5. You find the other SFIA skills by looking at job responsibilities
    6. SFIA doesn't tell organisations how to split up Product Manager / Product Owner roles - that's in 
    This is a great video (quite old) but you can tick off the relevant SFIA skills as he describes the key concepts - REQM is the main SFIA skill for the Product Owner
    There is a discussion for those who have concerns about Project management versus Product management
    I think the Product Owner is likely to apply PRMG skills
    • they are just (very) small, timeboxed projects (aligned with the sprint cycle)
    • small projects are a good thing for Product owners as it reduces the risk of deliverable the wrong stuff
    One issue for SFIA is naming - calling the skill Project Management may put Product people off ("we don't do Project management we do Product management") - calling Project management something else or splitting it causes other (probably bigger) issues
     
    Currently with PROD - we have a mix of stuff - not all of it would be done by either a pure Product Manager or a pure Product Owner role. 
    • It needs careful application and mixing and matching between PROD, PRMG, REQM, DEMM etc. 
    • I'm not sure there is a simple solution e.g. splitting PROD into 2 skills causes other issues. Not least that the titles Product Manager and Product Owner are not uniformly defined in the industry

  • Enhancements to SCTY-3 from Cyber Security Technologist Apprenticeship Standard 0 #1427 16 May 2021

    Enhancements to SCTY-3 from Cyber Security Technologist Apprenticeship Standard Reference ST0124

    What we decided:

    Skills have been updated and added for security including - INAS, SCTY, VUAS, THIN, PENT, SCAD. 

    These statements should be checked against the proposed SFIA-8 skill descriptions.

  • Enhancements to ITOP-3 from Network Eningeer Apprenticeship Standard 0 #1426 16 May 2021

    Enhancements to ITOP-3 from Network Eningeer Apprenticeship Standard (Reference ST0127)

    What we decided:

    Network support and Network design have been refreshed for SFIA 8

    Propose that they are reviewed for coverage against these statements. 

  • Enhancements to SLMO Generic from Software Development Apprenticeship Standard 0 #1423 15 May 2021

    Enhancements to SLMO from Software Development Apprenticeship Standard (Reference ST0116)

    What we decided:

    Check whether this could be part of PROG or is it a generic attribute. Not sure we would expect a s/w developer to be using SLMO as a skill.

  • Enhancements to TEST-2 from Software Development Apprenticeship Standard 0 #1421 15 May 2021

    Enhancements to TEST-2 from Software Development Apprenticeship Standard (Reference ST0116)

    What we decided:

    For SFIA 8 - Testing TEST has been rewritten for readability.  This Change Request lists a large number of detailed statements which provides too much content for SFIA skill description. These these statements should be reviewed to see whether SFIA 8 level descriptions and/or guidance notes can incorporate these.

  • Enhance TEST-3 0 #1411 3 May 2021

    The Software Tester (Level 4, Standard Reference ST0129) defines a wider set of competencies for a level 3 software testing which should be considered to enhance the TEST-3 definition.

    What we decided:

    For SFIA 8 - Testing TEST has been rewritten for readability.  This Change Request lists a large number of detailed statements which provides too much content for SFIA skill description. These these statements should be reviewed to see whether SFIA 8 level descriptions and/or guidance notes can incorporate these.

  • Enhancements to SCTY-3 from Cyber Security Technician Apprenticeship Standard 0 #1398 3 May 2021

    The Cyber Security Technician Apprenticeship standard (Level 3, Standard Reference ST085) enhances the definition of security at Level 3.

    What we decided:

    Skills have been updated and added for security including - INAS, SCTY, VUAS, THIN, PENT, SCAD. 

    These statements should be checked against the proposed SFIA-8 skill descriptions.

  • Smart Systems 2 #1389 12 Mar 2021

    Include 'Smart Systems' in the SFIA theme, 'Artificial intelligence and machine learning skills'.

    What we decided:

    RESD for SFIA 8 references intelligent systems.

    We will retain this change request (as deferred) so that we can keep smart systems under review and decide if additional skills, guidance notes etc are required.

    • Can fit with the review of Systems engineering also.

  • Types and levels of testing 1 #1386 8 Mar 2021

    Include distinctions between types of testing, the point in the lifecycle and scope of test

    What we decided:

    review as part of SFIA 8 beta release

  • Overlap of TEST with CORE - re Services 0 #1382 8 Mar 2021

    Suggested that services are removed from scope of TEST to focus this skill more directly on product (hardware, software, etc) rather than activity.

    What we decided:

    review as part of SFIA 8 beta

  • DGFS level 7 - for development? 1 #1380 8 Mar 2021

    more senior Digital Forensics skills that provide an external commentary, policy making or expert witness role.

    What we decided:

    "An expert witness, particularly in common law countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, is a person whose opinion by virtue of education, training, certification, skills or experience, is accepted by the judge as an expert. The judge may consider the witness's specialized (scientific, technical or other) opinion about evidence or about facts before the court within the expert's area of expertise, to be referred to as an "expert opinion". Expert witnesses may also deliver "expert evidence" within the area of their expertise. Their testimony may be rebutted by testimony from other experts or by other evidence or facts. "

    Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_witness

    This does imply something beyond a SFIA level 5 - it implies the expertise is recognised outside the organisation and in fact enough to influence/determine legal proceedings.

    Defer to see if there is industry demand for this level of expertise to be reflected in SFIA descriptions.

  • Add a new skill “DevSecOps Engineering” at levels 4, 5 and 6 0 #1356 2 Feb 2021

    With the adoption of cloud computing services the traditional functions and roles of Software Engineers, Cyber Security Experts and Operations/Information Technology (Ops/IT) Specialists are blurring, and a new discipline known as Development Security Operations (DevSecOps) Engineering has emerged. …

    What we decided:

    • SFIA has good coverage of the skills that practitioners working in DevOps roles/teams need
    • This change request and the IEEE/ISO DevOps standard highlight a gap around developing and improving the collaborative & technical environment associated with DevOps
    • “In practice, DevOps is a full life cycle endeavor which gives equal consideration to each stage. DevOps is a set of principles and practices which enable better communication and collaboration between relevant stakeholders for the purpose of specifying, developing, continuously improving, and operating software and systems products and services. It is not just a matter of technical practices affecting other life cycle processes. ”
    • Agile needs DevOps to fulfil full potential, DevOps does not need agile
    • There was a skill in SFIA called Software process improvement
      • The provision of advice, assistance and leadership in improving the quality of software development, by focusing on process definition, management, repeatability and measurement.
    • So .. We have an opportunity to update the concept of SPIM for modern software engineering and operations - and in the same spirit focussing on business value and practitioners establishing and improving their own practices - not just providing advice and assistance

  • Add a new skill “Cloud Engineering” at levels 4,5 and 6 0 #1355 2 Feb 2021

    Over the last years Cloud engineering emerged as a new field of engineering that focuses on cloud services, such as "software as a service", "platform as a service", and "infrastructure as a service". The term of cloud engineering is at least ten years old. Extensive research has been conducted on s…

    What we decided:

    Currently cloud is referred explicitly or implicitly in a number of SFIA skills - such as Solution architecture, Systems design, IT infrastructure. There maybe opportunities to increase references in relevant skills. 

    For SFIA 8 - the design choice was between...

    1. adding new cloud-named skills versus 
    2. cloud being a specific application of a number of SFIA  8 skill

    Option 2 was chosen for SFIA 8 - but this CR is being kept in the deferred list to be re-visited for future SFIA updates.

  • Role of embedded systems and edge processing design 0 #1344 30 Nov 2020

    Embedded systems design and peculiarities of edge processing must reflect at level 5 at least.

    What we decided:

    Retain this CR so we can monitor developments to see whether this justifies a separate SFIA skill or additional guidance notes.

  • Role for edge processing system design and development 0 #1342 30 Nov 2020

    Skills related to design of edge processing systems should be part of embedded systems design.

    What we decided:

    Keep a watching brief to see whether edge systems are a specific type of system and so - for example - can be addressed by knowledge of edge systems used in combination with skills such as Solution architecture, Systems design, Systems installation, Hardware design, IT infrastructure,. Network design

  • Software Engineering Economics 0 #1320 8 Oct 2020

    Introduction of an additional skill covering economics and estimation at levels 2 to 6, separate from Systems Development Management (DLMG) and considering SWEBOK 3.0 Chapter 12

    What we decided:

    Retain this CR so we can monitor developments to see whether this justifies a separate SFIA skill.

  • Sustainability – Software Engineering 0 #1319 8 Oct 2020

    Expand the scope of this skill to embody the software engineering related aspects of energy consumption, expanding the descriptions for application at Levels 2 and 3

    What we decided:

    Retain this CR so we can monitor developments to see whether this justifies a separate SFIA skill or additional guidance notes.

  • Consider splitting skills descriptions (and level descriptions) into atomic sentences 0 #1317 30 Sep 2020

    Some approaches to assessment of competence against SFIA look for evidence of repeated, successful application of a proportion of the facets of a skill. However, some skill / level descriptions are single paragraphs. It would support such assessment approaches if the skill descriptions published i…

    What we decided:

    include in review  of SFIA document/web page design for SFIA 8.

  • Alignment with ISCO-08 1 #1313 14 Jul 2020

    Consideration should be given to the relationship between SFIA and ISCO-08. the International Standard Classification of Occupations.

    What we decided:

    A mapping to ISCO-08 for SFIA 7 skills has been posted as a community resource. 

  • software/systems engineering professionals - alignment to ISO/IEC 24773 0 #1312 25 Jun 2020

    ISO/IEC 24773 references some standards that can be used to define tasks. As SFIA skills descriptions are activity based, perhaps we should check these standards to ensure that we have covered all the tasks.

    What we decided:

    Revisit as part of mapping of SFIA to ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2015 Systems and software engineering — System life cycle processes

  • Need to cater for Service Integration and Management (SIAM) 1 #1307 2 Jun 2020

    Service Integration and Management (SIAM) is being increasingly used to improve end-to-end service quality and value in complex multi-vendor environments.

    What we decided:

    Proposal is that SIAM can be catered for by application of existing skills. This CR is retained in the deferred list to monitor developments and whether a separate SFIA skill is required. 

    SINT is a technical skill rather than the management skills implied by SIAM.

  • A-Z skills lists - add the relevant skill levels 0 #1295 14 Jan 2020

    The A-Z is a popular way of viewing the framework and the addition of the applicable skill levels will enhance its usability and value to people browsing the framework online.

    What we decided:

    Review as part of SFIA document and web page design for SFIA 8.

  • Compatibility with COBIT 2019 and KING IV 0 #1294 27 Nov 2019

    KING IV and COBIT 2019 have changed the definition of the term "IT" in line with the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution. SFIA should also align with them.

    What we decided:

    Note that COBIT refers to I&T (Information and technology).

    This naming is not widespread in the industry yet - so is one to monitor.

  • Digital Signal Processing (DSP) 1 #1287 26 Sep 2019

    We should review whether DSP is sufficiently covered in SFIA

    What we decided:

    This analysis suggest that DSP is a specific technology which can have application in a number of SFIA skill areas.

    If there is sufficient demand this could be added to guidance notes for relevant skills to make the coverage explicit.

  • New Skill - Coaching/Mentoring 1 #85 30 Dec 2017

    Transfer of skills and knowledge through hands-on mentoring/coaching is an important part of the professional environment. At present this kind of skills/knowledge transfer is not well articulated by a skill in SFIA.

    What we decided:

    Changes have been made to the generic attributes and levels of responsibilities.

    Employee experience and professional development provide some coverage. 

    We can keep under review to see if they address the need.

  • Create a glossary of SFIA terminology 0 #79 15 Dec 2017

    It may be helpful to new or inexperienced SFIA users if we create and publish a glossary of SFIA related terms.

    What we decided:

    Consider as potential for development post SFIA7.

    The guidance notes can provide some of the solutions for a glossary of terms.

  • Review Skills from an IT Supplier's Perspective 0 #78 10 Dec 2017

    When viewed from an IT supplier or vendor perspective, and the skills required for that organisation, SFIA throws up some interesting white areas. Among others these include marketing, HR, finance, pre-sales & sales & education. Consulting or professional services while being pretty well covered ma…

    What we decided:

    This is a very broad set of suggestions.

    Some of the topics are covered in SFIA, some are not.

    Further work needs to be done to decompose this into specific change requests and/or requests for changes of scope for the SFIA framework as a whole.

  • Digital Entrepreneurship 2 #69 29 Nov 2017

    This is a request to stretch the boundaries of SFIA to encompass the skill needed to identify a business opportunity using novel digital technologies, and then acquire and deploy the necessary resources required for its commercial exploitation.

    What we decided:

    Add to roadmap for potential development.

    See also change request #27.

  • Include responsibilities for Diversity and Inclusion 4 #63 21 Nov 2017

    Promoting and supporting diversity in the workplace is an important aspect of good people management - it’s about valuing everyone in the organisation as an individual. To realise the benefits of a diverse workforce it’s vital to have an inclusive environment where everyone feels able to participa…

    What we decided:

    Deferred. Additions made to generic business skills level 6 & 7. There maybe more to be done.

     Will be kept in the backlog of change requests and considered during continuous consultation.

    See also change request #49.

  • Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technology, Smart Contracts, Crypto 1 #44 1 Oct 2017

    Blockchain, DLT, SmartContracts, Crypto are topics I believe SFIA need to incorporate into the scheme without delays.

    What we decided:

    This was reviewed as part of SFIA 8 see SFIA and Blockchain — English (sfia-online.org).

    • Our working assumption is that "Blockchain" is a not an additional set of SFIA skills
    • It is best treated as the application of a new technology
    • Using the SFIA capability model - see graphic - we can identify many  SFIA skills which can be applied
    • People with these skills will need some new knowledge in Blockchain technologies
    • Some knowledge will be technical - e.g related to security, programming, APIs, data management
    • Other knowledge required will be commercial, business and industry focussed

  • What about automation / engineering skill sets? 2 #43 1 Oct 2017

    Skills focused Operational Technology? With industry 4.0 and IT/OT convergence bringing IT and OT skill sets closer than ever, it would be great to see how these skills sets might work closer together with in the SFIA framework.

    What we decided:

    Will be kept in the backlog of change requests and considered during continuous consultation.

  • Digital Use Skills - introduce this area 8 #28 6 Sep 2017

    Introduce a number of 'digital Use skills'

    What we decided:

    Some additions made to SFIA 8 levels of responsibility and the work on behavioural factors.

     Add to SFIA development roadmap.

  • New Entrants and repositioning - guidance needed 0 #23 6 Sep 2017

    Consider introducing guidance around new entrants to IT and repositioning

    What we decided:

    Not a change to core framework - SFIA assessment guidelines provide one solution to this.

  • Verification, Validation & Testing - Improvements to address needs of Software Engineering 2 #19 10 Aug 2017

    Should the description of skills related to verification / validation activities be standalone or embedded in each individual software engineering related skill.

    What we decided:

    Will be kept in the backlog of change requests and considered during continuous consultation.

    Consider wrt to mapping of SFIA to Systems engineering life cycle models as well.

  • Skill description in structured fashion 1 #10 8 Aug 2017

    It will be easy for reader of the SFIA framework document , if skill description is written in terms of bullet points and keywords are highlighted ..

    What we decided:

    These will be input to the SFIA 8 readability theme.

  • Audio Visual skills 2 #3 27 Jul 2017

    A couple of user organisations and individuals have suggested that the AV aspects could be developed further.

    What we decided:

    Deferred.  Will be kept in the backlog of change requests and considered during continuous consultation.