SFIA has been successfully used in many organisations worldwide and, as such, the benefits of using SFIA are now well established. However; achieving these benefits is not always straightforward. Potential problems arise both before and after the initial implementation. Pre-implementation there will be issues such as how to introduce SFIA, stakeholder engagement, allaying concerns, defining scope, prioritisation and gaining momentum. Post-implementation – there is a significant risk of the intended benefits decaying if the initial implementation activity does not translate into embedded processes and new behaviours. The session will identify key issues faced by organisations implementing SFIA and, with the benefit of lessons learned from other organisations, will help you avoid these pitfalls . It will cover • Good practice in the use of SFIA; encompassing key SFIA related processes such as assessing competence, building L&D and career development programmes. • managing organisational change and supporting individuals through significant changes in people management processes

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
Using SFIA in Education and Workplace Learning Conference, 13th June 2012
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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
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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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