1. Learning & Development
Specialist Group
Overcoming pitfalls when implementing
SFIA in L&D
Peter Leather MBA (Open), BSc., MBCS
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012 1

2. A bit about me
q A well established, independent consultant specialising in developing the capability
of IT organisations.
q MBA qualified with over 25 years’ experience in a range of roles working with major
IT, financial services and professional services organisations.
q I have been using SFIA since 2003 – both operationally within a large IT
organisation and as an accredited SFIA Consultant.
q A member of the SFIA Council (the SFIA steering group) and leader of the on-line
global SFIA User Forum.
Recent assignments have included:
Ø A global FMCG organisation; providing expert advice and implementation support in the use of SFIA in support of a
Global IT organisation with several worldwide operating hubs (c1,500 IT Staff).
Ø A large provider of out-sourced IT services based in India; providing expert advice and mentoring in using SFIA to
strengthen resource management and to assess the skills of their staff (8,000 IT staff).
Ø A leading professional sports organisation in the UK; working with the IT Leadership team to use SFIA to develop role
profiles and improve objective setting, performance appraisals and professional development.
Ø A global software provider based in Germany; developing options and implementation strategies for a skills & competency
framework.
*Grundy
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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3. Execution is the Graveyard of Strategy*
R.I.P.
SFIA
Career L&D
Paths Strategy
*Grundy
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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4. The real finish line*
EMBEDDED BUSINESS OUTCOMES
IMPLEMENTATION
CONCEPTS &
DESIGN
BUSINESS
NEED
*The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning
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5. Eating the elephant
Perfect is the enemy of good
q Adopt continuous improvement and 80/20 approach
q Divide large projects into rapid cycle sub-projects or pilots
q Prioritisation - where is the pain?
Design a realistic route map
Go with the flow
q Plan an integrated approach / fit with other IT / HR initiatives
Balance attractiveness & implementation http://www.isodxprez.com/isodx_prez/2012/04/eating-the-elephant-
one-bite-at-a-time.html
difficulty
Make the most of external expertise
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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6. AID Analysis – develop a realistic
implementation plan
Attractiveness / Implementation Difficulty*
High q Change deployment processes
to maximise on the job learning
q Strategic work force planning
q Implement IT
Attractiveness professions &
communities of practice
q Moderated
Medium
org- wide SFIA
assessment Develop a range of
q Map SFIA Skills
to roles
q Operational (1 year) work force
options and identify
planning
a realistic
implementation plan
q SFIA self
assessment
Low
Easy Difficult Very
Difficult
Implementation
Difficulty
Illustrative options only *Grundy
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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7. Have a route map for your use of SFIA in
L&D
Why are we doing it?
q What’s the business purpose?
What will it be used for?
q What people management processes
will you create or improve?
q How will it be positioned
What’s in scope?
q What outcomes and enablers will we develop & implement?
q What benefits will we achieve?
How will we develop, implement and embed
the changes?
q What is the process, who will be involved, how will we resource this?
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8. Go large on change management – its
worth it!
With excellent change management you are:
q 6 x more likely to meet project objectives
q 4.5 x more likely to meet project schedule
q 1.5 x more likely to meet project budget*
Projects utilising SFIA which affect peoples’ skills and
behaviours require particular change management attention.
*Hiatt
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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9. Consider all parts of ADKAR*
Post Implementation Successful
Change
Phases
of a Implementation
Change
Project
Concept & Design
Business Need
Awareness Desire Knowledge Ability Reinforcement
*Hiatt
Phases of a Change for Employees
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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10. SFIA Skills assessments
Start with the end in mind
q What quality of assessment do you need?
q What do you consider fit for purpose?
q Will you need to calibrate and / or moderate the assessments?
Are you assessing fit for role, fit for
future or current stock of skills
q Is SFIA all you want to assess?
q Incremental assessments
q Combine rigorous assessments with a free format approach
Be led by requirements and process
not by the tools and databases
q Be wary of silver bullets
q Assessment is a conversation not a score
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11. Your line managers are key …
However…
q IT line managers are typically selected for their technical
competency, not for their people skills
q IT line managers do not feel prepared for their management
duties
And then …
q Introducing SFIA and upgrading your workplace L&D
brings increased expectations on managers
So … provide the time, space and tools to develop your line
managers’ skills
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12. Role profiles – getting through the Groan
Zone*
*Kaner
q Avoid analysis paralysis
q One size does not fit all q Use common language – not just for SFIA
q Cherish your differences q Build with the end in mind
- be wary of off the shelf models
q Edit, re-use, build consistency into the production
q Engage managers and subject matter expert process
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13. Focus on organisational priorities and
measurable results
Priorities Measurable results
E.g. E.g.
q re-organisations & transformations, q % of training spent on critical business skills
q improved performance / productivity q % of employees with target skills & knowledge
q new operating models q % regrettable turnover
q cost reductions q % employees with development plans
q customers / markets q % planned development accomplished
q new technologies & architectures q permanent : contractor ratio
q recruitment q time to full competence for new hires
q mergers, acquisitions and shared services q ratio of interviews to job offers
q demonstrate competence in tendering activity q cost of re-work
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14. Contact Details
Peter Leather
E-mail: peter.leather@ex-p.co.uk
Website: www.ex-p.co.uk/sfia
LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/peterleather
SFIA User Forum: http://sfiauser.ning.com/
LinkedIn SFIA Users: www.tinyurl.com/sfiausers-linkedin
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15. References
Grundy, T., 1998. Strategy implementation and project management. International Journal of Project Management 16 (1), 43–50
Wick, C. et al, 2010/ The Siz Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning, 2nd Edition
Hiatt, J.M., 2006. ADKAR: A model for change in Business, Government and our Community
Kaner, S., 1996. Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making,
http://www.isodxprez.com/isodx_prez/2012/04/eating-the-elephant-one-bite-at-a-time.html
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