The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Collaboration COLL

Working effectively with others, sharing resources and efforts to achieve common goals.

SFIA 9 is in development

  • SFIA 9 planned for publication October 2024
  • This is subject to change before publication.

Guidance notes

Collaboration in SFIA represents a progression from basic team interaction to strategic partnerships and stakeholder management. It involves:

  • working cooperatively with others
  • sharing information, resources and efforts
  • achieving common goals
  • navigating interpersonal dynamics
  • facilitating cross-functional teamwork
  • building influential relationships.

Effective collaboration encompasses communication, perspective-taking, and the ability to align diverse viewpoints towards common objectives. It also involves creating an environment that encourages knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving. As professionals advance, their collaborative skills increasingly shape organisational culture, drive innovation and enhance the organisation's ability to navigate complex challenges.

Level 1 - Follow

  • Works mostly on their own tasks and interacts with their immediate team only. Develops an understanding of how their work supports others.

Level 2 - Assist

  • Understands the need to collaborate with their team and considers user/customer needs. 

Level 3 - Apply

  • Understands and collaborates on the analysis of user/customer needs and represents this in their work.

Level 4 - Enable

  • Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who share common objectives.  
  • Engages with and contributes to the work of cross-functional teams to ensure that user/customer needs are being met throughout the deliverable/scope of work. 

Level 5 - Ensure, advise

  • Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who have diverse objectives.
  • Ensures collaborative ways of working throughout all stages of work to meet user/customer needs.
  • Builds effective relationships across the organisation and with customers, suppliers and partners. 

Level 6 - Initiate, influence

  • Leads collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders across competing objectives within the organisation.
  • Builds strong, influential connections with key internal and external contacts at senior management/technical leader level

Level 7 - Set strategy, inspire, mobilise

  • Drives collaboration, engaging with leadership stakeholders ensuring alignment to corporate vision and strategy. 
  • Builds strong, influential relationships with customers, partners and industry leaders.