SIST-TP CEN/TR 16234-2:2016
(Main)e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT Professionals in all industry sectors - Part 2: User Guide
e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT Professionals in all industry sectors - Part 2: User Guide
This Technical Report supports understanding, adoption and use of EN 16234-1. It supports Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders, in particular:
— ICT service, demand and supply companies;
— ICT professionals, managers and human resource (HR) departments;
— vocational education institutions and training bodies including higher education;
— social partners (trade unions and employer associations);
— professional associations, accreditation, validation and assessment bodies;
— market analysts and policy makers; and
— other organizations and stakeholders in public and private sectors across Europe,
to adopt, apply and use the framework in their environment.
E-Kompetenz-Rahmen (e-CF) - Ein gemeinsamer europäischer Rahmen für IKT-Fach- und Führungskräfte in allen Branchen - Teil 2: Nutzerleitfaden
Dieser Technische Bericht unterstützt das Verständnis, die Umsetzung und den Einsatz der EN 16234-1. Es werden dadurch Stakeholder der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT) bei der Einführung, Anwendung und Umsetzung des Rahmenwerks unterstützt, insbesondere:
- IKT-Dienstleistungs-, IKT-Nachfrage- und IKT-Anwenderunternehmen;
- IKT-Fachkräfte, -Manager und -Personalabteilungen (HR, en: human resource);
- Einrichtungen der beruflichen Aus- und Weiterbildung, einschließlich Hochschulen;
- Sozialpartner (Gewerkschaften und Unternehmerverbände);
- Fachverbände, Akkreditierungs-, Validierungs- und Prüf-/Bewertungsstellen;
- Marktanalysten und politische Entscheidungsträger; und
- andere Organisationen und Akteure in öffentlichen und privaten Bereichen in Europa.
Krovni seznam e-usposobljenosti (e-CF) - Skupno evropsko okolje za poklicne strokovnjake v vseh industrijskih sektorjih - 2. del: Vodilo za uporabnike
To tehnično poročilo podpira razumevanje, sprejetje in uporabo standarda EN 16234-1. Zagotavlja podporo deležnikom na področju informacijske in komunikacijske tehnologije (ICT), zlasti:
- službam, uporabnikom in podjetjem za zagotavljanje informacijske in komunikacijske tehnologije;
- oddelkom s strokovnjaki, vodstvenim kadrom in človeškimi viri na področju informacijske in komunikacijske tehnologije;
- ustanovam za poklicno izobraževanje in organom usposabljanja, vključno z višješolskim izobraževanjem;
- socialnim partnerjem (združenja sindikatov in zveze delodajalcev);
- strokovnim združenjem ter organom za akreditacijo, potrjevanje in ocenjevanje;
- tržnim analitikom in oblikovalcem politik; ter
- drugim organizacijam in deležnikom v javnem sektorju in zasebnih sektorjih po Evropi
pri sprejetju, uvedbi in uporabi okvirja v njihovem okolju.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST-TP CEN/TR 16234-2:2016
01-oktober-2016
Krovni seznam e-usposobljenosti (e-CF) - Skupno evropsko okolje za poklicne
strokovnjake v vseh industrijskih sektorjih - 2. del: Vodilo za uporabnike
e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT
Professionals in all industry sectors - Part 2: User Guide
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TR 16234-2:2016
ICS:
03.100.30 Vodenje ljudi Management of human
resources
35.240.01 Uporabniške rešitve Application of information
informacijske tehnike in technology in general
tehnologije na splošno
SIST-TP CEN/TR 16234-2:2016 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
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SIST-TP CEN/TR 16234-2:2016
CEN/TR 16234-2
TECHNICAL REPORT
RAPPORT TECHNIQUE
August 2016
TECHNISCHER BERICHT
ICS 35.020 Supersedes CWA 16234-2:2014
English Version
e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European
Framework for ICT Professionals in all industry sectors -
Part 2: User Guide
This Technical Report was approved by CEN on 4 July 2016. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 428.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2016 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TR 16234-2:2016 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
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Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative reference . 5
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviated terms . 5
4 General principles . 5
5 Adapting EN 16234-1 as a shared European reference to specific needs . 5
5.1 Case studies . 5
5.2 Human resources management in ICT services (demand and supply – public and
private) . 8
5.3 A common reference for local frameworks . 12
5.4 Reference for qualifications, training and certification . 20
5.5 Support of ICT professional career development . 22
5.6 Support of HR planning and job profiles development . 23
5.7 Support of recruiting and sourcing processes . 25
5.8 Support of understanding learning paths and training offers . 26
5.9 A common reference for policy makers, professional associations and market
analysts . 27
Annex A (informative) Use of ICT sector terminology . 28
Annex B (informative) Development history of EN 16234-1 . 31
Bibliography . 34
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European foreword
This document (CEN/TR 16234-2) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 428 “Project
Committee - e-Competences and ICT Professionalism”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes CWA 16234-2:2014.
This Technical Report is the second part of the EN 16234 series, which is made up of the following three
parts and which will replace CWA 16234-1:2014, CWA 16234-2:2014 and CWA 16234-3:2014:
— EN 16234-1, e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT
Professionals in all industry sectors - Part 1: Framework
— CEN/TR 16234-2, e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT
Professionals in all industry sectors - Part 2: User guide
— prCEN/TR 16234-3, e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT
Professionals in all industry sectors - Part 3: Methodology
Part 1 is a fully standalone document, whilst part 2 and 3 rely on part 1.
A relationship with the European ICT Professional Profiles (CWA 16458:2012, original CWA updated by
e-CF 3.0 competences and re-published in 2014) is established. A number of relevant e-Competences
and their applying level(s), as defined by this standard, are assigned to each Profile.
CWA 16234-4:2014, composed of 15 case studies illustrating e-CF practical use from multiple sector
perspectives, remains published and can be downloaded for free from the internet (Official e-CF website:
).
www.ecompetences.eu
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Introduction
EN 16234-1 was established as a tool to support mutual understanding and provide transparency of
language through the articulation of competences required and deployed by Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) professionals.
The underpinning philosophy and principles adopted during the standard’s construction that are vital
for its application and for successive updates are explained in the Introduction of EN 16234-1.
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1 Scope
This Technical Report supports understanding, adoption and use of EN 16234-1. It supports
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders, in particular:
— ICT service, demand and supply companies;
— ICT professionals, managers and human resource (HR) departments;
— vocational education institutions and training bodies including higher education;
— social partners (trade unions and employer associations);
— professional associations, accreditation, validation and assessment bodies;
— market analysts and policy makers; and
— other organizations and stakeholders in public and private sectors across Europe,
to adopt, apply and use the framework in their environment.
2 Normative reference
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 16234-1, e-Competence Framework (e-CF) - A common European Framework for ICT Professionals in
all industry sectors - Part 1: Framework
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviated terms
For the purposes of this document, the terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviated terms given in
EN 16234-1 apply.
4 General principles
This Technical Report provides guidance on how to apply EN 16234-1 from multiple ICT stakeholder
perspectives. It addresses the fact that a European reference set of ICT competence definitions is
unlikely to match all company or institution’s needs perfectly. EN 16234-1 is intended for guidance and
is designed to provide a common shared reference tool which can be implemented, adapted and used in
accordance with ICT stakeholder requirements. The following implementation guidance is structured
by stakeholder groups.
5 Adapting EN 16234-1 as a shared European reference to specific needs
5.1 Case studies
To support EN 16234-1 application within multiple environments, a series of illustrative case studies
provide examples, benefits and hints of how to make best use of EN 16234-1. They relate to practical
EN 16234-1 application experiences and have been elaborated together with EN 16234-1 applying
organizations throughout Europe.
All case studies have been published as Part 4 of the European e-Competence framework version 3.0
CWA 16234-4:2014 and they can be downloaded for free from the internet (Official e-CF website:
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www.ecompetences.eu). Table 1 provides an overview of the case studies published together with their
respective key perspectives on EN 16234-1 application.
Table 1 — 15 case studies covering multiple ICT sector perspectives – overview
Case study Title Key perspectives
• Job profile creation
e-CF in large ICT demand • Internal ICT staff development
A
organizations
• Cross company and cross border common
language
• e-CF for consultants
• Identifying training needs
e-CF in a corporate/ ICT supplier
B
environment
• Training development
• Competence gap identification
• Application in a micro enterprise
environment
• e-CF as a marketing aid
• e-CF as a business development tool
e-CF for SME's - competence need
C analysis and managerial • Competence need analysis
dashboard
• Linking business strategy and competence
development
• Develop or buy new competences
• e-CF for SME consultants
• SME competence self-assessment
SME competence assessment and
• Business card creation
D business card creation based
• Business capability
upon the e-CF
• e-CF for SME consultants
• Job description development
E e-CF to build SME job descriptions • Intercompany communication
• Recruitment aid
• Matching education supply to market needs
• The difference between competence
development and traditional learning
F e-CF for qualification providers
• Student motivation from a competence
approach
• EQF and e-CF compliance
• Matching certification supply to market
needs
e-CF in a certification
G
environment
• Increasing transparency in the European e-
Skills landscape
• Self-assessment
e-CF for ICT professional self-
H
assessment
• CV / Self promotion
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Case study Title Key perspectives
• Competence connected to learning
outcomes
e-CF for linking e-curricula supply
• e-CF and EQF compliance
I
and demand
• Personal career development
• Competence based e-curriculum
• Assessment
e-CF for ICT professional
K • Benchmark criteria
associations
• Community building
• Specialized competences
e-CF for ICT training quality
L • Specialist role development
improvement
• Matching education supply and demand
• Assessing an ICT professional's capability
e-CF for assessment and career
M
tools
• Recognition of formal and informal learning
• Ensuring qualified ICT workforce in the long
term
• Communication between policy makers and
e-CF for National and EU policy
N
ICT business
makers
• e-Curricula building
• Cross-European common language
• e-CF use in an established structure
e-CF to relate or integrate to • Relating the e-CF to other frameworks
O
other frameworks
• Relating workplace and qualification
perspective by EQF and e-CF
• Including competence into a job Profile
• Communication between HR, management
e-CF for European ICT
P and ICT professionals
professional Profiles creation
• Building and linking local profiles to a
recognized European structure
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5.2 Human resources management in ICT services (demand and supply – public and
private)
5.2.1 General
Competence management, people development and HR planning are valuable components of employee
management within companies and the public sector.
At a minimum, each employee should have:
— In an existing role, a clear description of the position to which he/she is assigned, including a
mission statement, responsibilities, activities, outcomes, performance indicators and resources/
experience/ certifications required to perform the job correctly.
— In a new role, a competence assessment to measure the gap between his/her knowledge, skills and
experience and those required by the position. When necessary, an individual development plan is
established to fill the gaps.
At a more intensive level of people management, the following points are relevant:
— position descriptions derive from part of one or several job profile structures, each job profile
including the levels of required competence;
— each job profile is part of a career path, allowing employees to understand progression routes;
— HR strategy and annual individual objectives derived from company needs (or ambitions);
— individual development plans taking into consideration annual individual objectives;
— using training catalogues, a training plan is created from consolidation of combined individual
development plans.
Figure 1 — The use of the European e-Competence Framework is multiple within ICT
organizations
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The four dimensions of EN 16234-1 support the employee and the competence management process on
multiple levels. As shown in Figure 1, it provides a consistent level of granularity and continuity.
For further practical illustrations, see Table 2.
Table 2 — Case studies illustrating EN 16234–1 use in support of HR management
(Source: CWA 16234–4:2014)
Case study Title Key perspectives
• Job profile creation
e-CF in large ICT demand • Internal ICT staff development
A
organizations
• Cross company and cross border common
language
• e-CF for consultants
• Identifying training needs
e-CF in a corporate/ ICT supplier
B
environment
• Training development
• Competence gap identification
5.2.2 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
There are differences between ICT SMEs and larger organizations when considering the application of
competences. Such differences are more related to business approach than size. In particular, agile
SMEs focused on continuous improvement and innovations are likely the target groups of EN 16234-1.
However, size may influence:
— the type of e-competences considered as relevant for the organization; namely, the smaller the
enterprise, the smaller its interest in standardization and formalization of internal processes;
— the perspective of e-competence application and use. The smaller the enterprise, the greater the
interest in e-competences, for internal business purposes;
— EN 16234-1 as an internal tool becomes more and more relevant when size increases.
In this ICT SME context, types of EN 16234-1 application may be as follows:
1. self-assessment, addressing people, the organization, the company as such;
2. company presentation to clients, as a business card;
3. support company growth, as a compass, a managerial dashboard.
The key perspectives of the possible EN 16234-1 applications mentioned above can be summarized as
follows:
— Competence need analysis tool;
— Marketing aid;
— Competence development tool linked consistently to the business strategy.
Mapping skills and competence with EN 16234-1 is straightforward. Enterprises may access
EN 16234-1 vocabulary and definitions and, if doubts arise, consult this Technical Report or check with
the official e-CF website where FAQs and answers are available.
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For small ICT enterprises, it is very useful to demonstrate ownership of competences required to fulfil
client demands. Customers no longer look for technical skills only; they seek business partners able to
work in teams, manage projects and processes, and communicate.
EN 16234-1 describes such skills within full competence descriptions. Using EN 16234-1, enterprises
are able to describe technical and soft competences inclusively, a key ability when managing
relationships with other companies and stakeholders as it enhances the quality of communication.
Therefore, EN 16234-1 is an effective tool to help SMEs identify, articulate and communicate their
complex ‘know-how’.
Moreover, Dimension 2 of EN 16234-1 can support SMEs in identifying e-competences that describe
their core activities and their business. EN 16234-1 provides the structure and appropriate articulation
by which management can analyse current competence capability, future requirements and support the
development of business strategy.
Generally, the SME start point for use of EN 16234-1 is analysis of Dimension 2. Some guiding questions
to help navigate EN 16234-1 for e-competence need analysis, linked to the business strategy, are as
follows:
— Is this competence coherent with my business?
— Have I ever fully practiced this competence?
— If I haven’t, for what business aims would it be useful?
The aim is to analyse the relevance of e-competences to the mission and strategy, recording whether
such e-competences are currently prevalent within the company or not and at which “intensity”; high,
medium, low.
If the exercise is aimed at building a business card for clients, then for each e-competence identified as
prevalent in the company at a high level, the entrepreneur and staff need to list specific evidence
illustrating those e-competences. The evidence examples may be products/services, developed projects,
examples of clients, etc. Then the entrepreneur and staff should also be able to identify assessment
criteria to evaluate their e-competences.
The task of identifying assessment criteria is supported by EN 16234-1 as the operational descriptions
implicitly include the way of evaluating them.
Finally, to make ICT SMEs more familiar with navigating EN 16234-1, the entry point to reach the 40 e-
competences does not need to follow Dimension 1, Plan, Build, Run, Enable and Manage but may deploy
an alternative route using:
1. Company Overview;
2. Markets and Customers;
3. Innovation and Research;
4. Business environment and business competences.
To each of these four categories a set of e-Competences has been related. This alternative navigation
approach called the EN 16234-1 functional view looks as in Table 3.
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Table 3 — The functional view of EN 16234–1
1 Company Overview e-Competence to be checked
1.1 Description of company management A.1. IS and Business Strategy Alignment
A.4. Product/ Service planning
D.1. Information Security Strategy Development
D.2. ICT Quality Strategy Development
D.10. Information and Knowledge Management
E.2. Project and Portfolio Management
E.3. Risk Management
E.6. ICT Quality Management
E.9. IS Governance
1.2 Description of company organization/departments D.3. Education and Training Provision
D.4. Purchasing
D.5. Sales Proposal Development
D.7. Sales Management
D.8. Contract Management
E.8. Information Security Management
D.12. Digital Marketing
2 Markets and Customers Competence to be checked
2.1 Main products and services offered - also if the A.2. Service Level Management
product(s)/service(s) are standard and/or customized
B.5. Documentation Production
C.1. User Support
C.2. Change Support
C.3. Service Delivery
C.4. Problem Management
2.2 Target market sectors – describe also if the market is D.6. Channel Management
horizontal, vertical and/or both
2.3 Market differentiators (what differentiates their A.5. Architecture Design
offering within the marketplace?): includes factors such
A.6. Application Design
as: technology; product range; customer service;
B.1. Application Development
aftersales support; user focus (i.e. in design/application);
B.2. Component Integration
skills; price.
B.3. Testing
B.4. Solution Deployment
B.6. Systems Engineering
D.11. Needs Identification
2.4 Future positioning: Market trends and how they will E.1. Forecast development
change their strategy or approach to the market as a
E.5. Process improvement
result.
E.7. Business change management
2.5 Description of main marketing channels: (e.g. E.4. Relationship management
advertising, web, exhibitions and fairs, business
networks, etc.)
3 Innovation and Research Competence to be checked
3.1. Nature of ‘technology watch’ activities. (Potential A.7. Technology Trend Monitoring
sources include: conferences and seminars; vendor
partner programmes; in- house seminars; one-to-one
client interactions; technical user forums and focus
groups; feedback from distributors)
4 Business Environment and Business Competence to be checked
Competences
4.1 Business model and Business processes A.3. Business Plan Development
A.8. Sustainable Development
4.2 Human resources: In context of the above include D.9. Personnel Development
discussion of aspects such as:
4.3 Approach to training and personal development D.3. Education and Training Provision
(including job rotation, percentage of HR turnover)
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For further illustrations, see Table 4.
Table 4 — Case studies illustrating EN 16234–1 use in support of SMEs (Source: CWA 16234–
4:2014)
Case study Title Key perspectives
• Application in a micro enterprise environment
• e-CF as a marketing aid
• e-CF as a business development tool
e-CF for SME's - competence need
• Competence need analysis
C analysis and managerial
• Linking business strategy and competence
dashboard
development
• Develop or buy new competences
• e-CF for SME consultants
• SME competence self-assessment
SME competence assessment and
• Business card creation
D business card creation based
• Business capability
upon the e-CF
• e-CF for SME consultants
• Job description development
e-CF to build SME job
E • Intercompany communication
descriptions
• Recruitment aid
5.3 A common reference for local frameworks
In the first instance, EN 16234-1 establishes a European common language for ICT competences. It also
supports the definition of jobs, training courses, qualifications, career paths, formal and non-formal
learning paths, certifications, etc. in the ICT related business areas. In this way, local, national, European
and global ICT user and supply organizations have access to a shared reference. In addition, national
ICT frameworks can be linked to the e-Competence Framework and gain a European dimension:
— National ICT competence frameworks, qualification systems, job profiles, etc. become comparable
to competence frameworks, qualification systems, job profiles from other countries;
— National ICT competence frameworks, qualification systems, job profiles, etc. receive guidance on
how to link, to implement the EQF into a specific business area, being linked by the EQF levels to
the e-Competence levels;
— ICT competences and proficiency levels become comparable to competences of other business
areas and sectors in Europe.
Before comparing EN 16234-1 to other ICT frameworks, ICT qualification systems or anything else that
might be similar to a framework (referred below as a frame), it may be useful to answer a few
questions:
a) What is the focus and the target of the frame?
b) What are the main principles? What is the context of the frame?
c) What is the subject-matter of the frame? Which elements are used and classified? Is it competence,
qualifications, job profiles, learning outcomes, higher education or something else?
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1) Which level is used for describing the elements? Which level of abstraction is used?
2) What about the granularity of the elements?
3) Is there more than one level of description? (for example: titles, short descriptions, long
descriptions)
d) How to build the structure of the frame? Which dimensions are used for classifying the elements?
1) What are the references for the dimensions? (for example: content, levels of proficiency,
benchmarks)
2) For every dimension: Is it uni- or multidimensional?
3) How about the relationship between the dimensions? Are they independent?
e) Are there further application or guiding documents (for example: instructions, how to categorize
elements)?
The answers can be compared with the characteristics of the European e-Competence Framework, as
explained in this document, thus enabling linkage.
5.3.1 Relating to existing frameworks
5.3.1.1 General
For existing frameworks, EN 16234-1 provides added value. The European dimension allows
transparency, comparability and the creation of European knowledge, skill and competence areas. It
will “facilitate trans-national mobility for workers and learners and contribute to meeting the
requirements of supply and demand in the European labour market” [from the EQF document, 23 April
2008].
Existing national or local ICT frameworks differ from each other and are embedded in specific
environments; they can link to the European reference Framework in individual ways. The following
four examples show possible approaches and the potential for application of EN 16234-1 to existing
frameworks. The four framework examples are for illustration, they are not exhaustive.
5.3.1.2 Example 1: The United Kingdom developed “SFIA – Skills framework for the information
age”
SFIA provides a common reference model for the identification of the skills needed to develop effective
information systems (IS) making use of information and communications technologies (ICT). It is a
simple and logical two-dimensional framework consisting of areas of work on one axis and levels of
responsibility on the other. The overall purpose of SFIA is to assist organizations employing ICT
professionals to ensure that the right skills are developed and deployed to best effect to:
— reduce ICT project risk,
— retain staff,
— make recruitment effective,
— enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the IT function, and
— provide appropriate development and career paths for IT professionals.
SFIA uses a common language and a sensible, logical structure that can be used to facilitate the
processes of skills development in all businesses using or providing Information Technology. It is easily
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understood by ICT professionals, HR managers, employers, education and training providers and
government personnel.
There are 96 skills described in SFIA version 5 and these can be deployed at a range of up to 7 levels
(1 = follow, 2 = assist, 3 = apply, 4 = enable, 5 = ensure, advise, 6 = initiate, influence, 7 = set strategy,
inspire, mobilize). Each level is defined by the autonomy, influence, complexity and amount of business
skill deployed. The SFIA descriptions are reviewed periodically to ensure that they are up to date and
1)
meet the needs of the IT Industry.
Linking SFIA skills to EN 16234-1 can be straightforward. It is possible to link the 7 levels of the SFIA
Framework to the 5 e-competence levels of the e-CF. Using Table 5 below, SFIA skills can be
consistently related, from a level perspective, to the competences defined within dimension 3 of the e-
CF.
Table 5 — Linking SFIA skills to the EN 16234–1
SFIA SFIA level Descriptor Abbreviated e-CF Level Descriptor e-CF
Level Level
7 Set strategy inspire, Overall accountability and 5
mobilize responsibility
6 Initiate, influence, ensure Extensive scope of responsibility 4
5 Advise Respected for innovative methods and 3
use of initiative
4 Enable
3 Apply Operates with capability and 2
independence in specified boundaries
2 Assist Able to apply knowledge and skills to 1
solve straight forward problems
1 Follow Not Applica
...
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