Developing a capability framework becomes more manageable when you take the time to analyse and study existing frameworks as a reference point. For more content like this, check out Acorn Labs: https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-management

1. 4 Capability
Framework
Examples
And how they are used in
organisational strategy

2. What is a capability framework?
A capability framework outlines the skills, knowledge and
behaviours an organisation needs to achieve its goals.
Done right, a capability framework should be accessible and
understandable for everyone in the organisation.

3. Key Elements of
a Capability
Framework

4. Core Capabilities
These are the overarching groups of capabilities in your
framework. They are defined by looking at business drivers
or functions and their reinforcing activities. Without even one
core capability, your organisation would be flying blind, which
is why they sit at the top of your framework.
Example: Governance.

5. Sub-capabilities
Under each core capability will be a collection of sub-
capabilities that further anatomise critical key skills,
behaviours and knowledge. The number of sub-capabilities
under a core capability is really up to your organisational
needs.
Example: Coaching Talent.

6. Competency Levels
Managing performance of capabilities comes courtesy of
competencies – generally in the form of a scale or spectrum.
To define competency levels, break capabilities into
behaviours or job roles.
Example: Sharing own knowledge and experience to develop
others.

7. Specialist Capabilities
These are optional. They essentially add a specialist stream
of capabilities to better reflect organisational requirements.
The time to do this is when there are additional or
potentially complex expertise and behaviours tied to job
roles or families e.g., leadership capabilities or legal
department.

10. Enterprise
Framework
Examples

11. What’s available?
Enterprise capability frameworks are hard to come by, and for
good reason. They are an organisation’s secret sauce recipe.
So, we have to look to consultants.

12. Deloitte’s Leadership
Capability Model
This one is a good example of using strategic drivers as the
tentpoles of your framework.
Core capabilities are derived from the most complex leadership
responsibilities, grouped under people, relationship and business
leadership. But from there, sub-capabilities – not just
competencies – are linked to specific levels of leadership.

13. Source: Deloitte

14. The Learning and Performance
Institute (LPI) Capability Framework
This framework uses 5 core capability groups for 25 sub-
capabilities, each with 4 measurable levels of competency (and
the baseline competency of no experience).
These measures of competency aren’t tied to job roles but are
ultimately a strategic display of performance.

15. Takeaway
At its core, a capability framework should effectively align
performance with organisational outcomes. Just remember that
for every behaviour, skill, process or expertise noted, there
should be a strategic impact felt by the performance of that
capability.

16. Public Sector
Framework
Examples

17. How do they differ?
Public sector capability frameworks differ slightly from private
sector ones. They need to be reviewed in the interests of not
just employees, but also the community they serve, which
means they need to be agile.

18. NSW Public Service Commission
Capability Framework
Outlines 20 organisational capabilities organised into 5 groups,
where each sub-capability has 5 levels of competence.
In their guide, each sub-capability is denoted by its core capability,
a performance descriptor of the sub-capability itself and its
competency levels.

19. Source: NSW Public Service Commission

20. Office of Personnel Management
Competency Approach
The American vernacular uses competency, but we and many
industry thinkers prefer capability.
This approach’s capabilities are created and framed within the
context of nearly 200 federal job roles. They offer ready-made
frameworks for certain functions and a list of capabilities HR can
utilise to manage performance.

21. Takeaway
Both of these examples act simply as a pool from which
functional managers and human resources can draw from for
processes like job role design, performance management, talent
mobility and career planning.

22. You can learn more about this
topic by checking out the full
article:
https://acornlms.com/enterprise-learning-
management/capability-framework-examples