The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Collaboration

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

This is a prototype for SFIA 9. It is subject to change before publication.

Guidance notes

Collaboration in a professional context involves working effectively and cooperatively with others, sharing information, resources, and efforts to achieve common goals. It ranges from basic team interaction to complex stakeholder engagement, depending on the level of responsibility and the scope of work.

Effective collaboration requires strong communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. As professionals advance in their careers, their role in collaboration shifts from being a team member to leading and facilitating strategic partnerships and alliances.

Level 1 - Follow

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

Level 2 - Assist

  • Aware of 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.