The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Creativity CRTY

Generating and applying innovative ideas to enhance processes, solve problems and drive organisational success.

Guidance notes

Creativity in SFIA represents a progression from basic idea generation to driving strategic innovation. It involves:

  • generating novel ideas and solutions
  • applying innovative thinking to improve processes
  • solving complex problems creatively
  • encouraging and facilitating creative thinking in others
  • developing a culture of innovation
  • aligning creative initiatives with organisational strategy.

Effective creativity encompasses imaginative thinking, problem-solving skills and challenging conventional approaches. It thrives in environments that encourage calculated risk-taking and value innovative ideas.

As professionals advance, their role shifts from contributing to creative processes to inspiring and leading innovation at a strategic level. This evolution underscores the growing importance of creative thinking in driving organisational success and navigating complex challenges across various disciplines.

Level 1 - Follow

  • Participates in the generation of new ideas when prompted. 

Level 2 - Assist

  • Applies creative thinking to suggest new ways to approach a task and solve problems.

Level 3 - Apply

  • Applies and contributes to creative thinking techniques to contribute new ideas for their own work and for team activities.

Level 4 - Enable

  • Applies, facilitates and develops creative thinking concepts and finds alternative ways to approach team outcomes.

Level 5 - Ensure, advise

  • Creatively applies innovative thinking and design practices in identifying solutions that will deliver value for the benefit of the customer/stakeholder.

Level 6 - Initiate, influence

  • Creatively applies a wide range of new ideas and effective management techniques to achieve results that align with organisational strategy.

Level 7 - Set strategy, inspire, mobilise

  • Champions creativity and innovation in driving strategy development to enable business opportunities.