The process for developing competencies varies widely from organization to organization. One can contrast,
for example, the DACUM approach which is a concise method based on a panel of subject matter experts and
takes a few days, to that of formal Occupational Analysis studies which often take up to one year.
A typical generic process for competency development might include the following steps:
- Document search (mission, business plan, job descriptions, generic profiles, competency dictionaries, databases)
- Expert Panel to determine: Future needs and Superior performers
- Interviews
- Draft list of competencies
- Validate through focus groups
- Assess gaps (variety of instruments: e.g. self-scored questionnaire, 360 degree evaluations, standardized tests)
- Validate testing through supervisor interviews
- Collate and prioritize training needs.
| 1. Training Needs Survey |
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- Asks key people what knowledge and skills they think or feel performers require to do their job
- Prioritizes the knowledge and skills recommended and summarizes them as a training agenda or curriculum.
Most likely to be useful in the following circumstances:
- when new business opportunities arise
- when a new system/work technology must be implemented
- when existing training programs must be revised or updated
- when new job responsibilities must be assumed by people
- when jobs must be upgraded
- when organizations undergo downsizing
- when organizations experience rapid growth.
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- fast, inexpensive
- broad involvement
- low-risk
- low-visibility
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- not precise or specific
- based on opinion
- difficult to validate
- difficult to set priorities
- difficult to relate to output or to evaluate the importance of training
- once you ask people what training they feel is important you create an implicit expectation that you will deliver it.
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| 2. Competency Studies |
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- Asks key people what competencies they think performers require to do the job
- Determines the knowledge and skills required to attain the stated competencies
- Prioritizes the knowledge and skills recommended and summarizes as a training agenda or curriculum.
Most effective when:
- competencies for management, supervisory, or professional jobs must be identified
- a credible system or template for recruiting, hiring, developing, and promoting must be developed.
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- relatively fast, inexpensive
- broad involvement
- consensus creating
- in addition to training needs articulation and agreement, success profile for performer
- helps to identify generic training needs covering a broad population
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- difficult to assess relative importance of competencies
- difficult to relate to output or to evaluate training
- difficult to set importance for knowledge and skills input
- consensus will not necessarily identify the critical differences between exemplary and average performance
- does not address other factors including performance
- can be highly visible
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| 3. Task Analysis |
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- Determines what tasks are required of the performer for the job to be performed correctly and successfully
- Determines the knowledge and skills required to correctly perform the tasks
- Identifies priorities among the tasks, and thereby the knowledge and skills, and summarizes as a training agenda or curriculum.
Most effective under the following circumstances:
- when new or existing job descriptions or profiles for managerial and non-managerial jobs must be developed as part of performance management system
- when jobs must be redesigned and tasks (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for each job indemnified
- when a consistent set of training requirements must be created, especially those involving highly technical or specialized job functions
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- precise identification of tasks and required knowledge and skills
- is a form of output that can be measured
- broad involvement
- objective validation by observation
|
- takes time and skill
- visible
- difficult to assess relative importance of tasks and therefore difficult to set priorities for knowledge and skills input
- does not address other factors affecting performance.
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| 4. Performance Analysis |
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- Determines what performance is required
- Determines the critical job output or accomplishments
- Determines what tasks are required of the trainee-performer to produce the job outputs or accomplishments
- Determines the knowledge and skills required to correctly perform the tasks identified
- Determines the other factors (in addition to knowledge and skills) that influence job performance - such as job design, resources, and feedback
- Prioritizes the knowledge and skills required based on impact on job performance and summarizes these as a training agenda or curriculum
- Summarizes recommendations to modify negative influences on performance as identified above.
Most effective when:
- identifying individual training needs
- when annual training plans need to be developed
- when an organization has an effective performance management process.
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- links knowledge and skills requirements to job performance
- can validate, evaluate
- addresses other factors affecting performance
- impact of training outputs is established and therfore can prioritize knowledge and skills input
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- takes time and skill
- visible
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