Rapidly lookup SFIA Skills | Build or Convert a SFIA Role Description

Posted by Andrew on Apr 26, 2012 in Offerings, SFIA Implementation | 0 comments

Are you about to build a SFIA Role Description (aka SFIA Position Description)?

Have you forecasted how many man hours this will take you? You should. For a person trained in SFIA, this can take anywhere from 2-4 hours per role description and then further revisions after management review. When this task is multiplied over many roles, this can be seen as quite a lengthy and expensive task. There is a way to do this more efficiently.

Watch this short video for an overview of SFIANavigator, a new tool that can expedite and simplify this process for you:

With this SFIA Navigator product, you can expedite your SFIA Project providing great value to the HR Managers & Senior Managers of your organisation.

Navigate SFIA Skills Faster

• Browse across the skill groups and categories fast and drill into the skill levels
• Jump straight to a skill if you know what you want to find (after you have built a few, you will start to get an idea of skills that may be relevant for a particular role)
• Read and navigate up, across and drill into information with a click of a button

Build SFIA Role Descriptions faster

• Collate all the SFIA skills you are interested in
• Transfer them easily into your Role Description with a few clicks
• Eliminate typing errors or double handling of information by taking the information straight from your research into your Role

Contact Ensys for your copy of the SFIANavigator product today!

Phone: 1800 882 951
Email: info@ensys.com.au

Competency Framework for the IT industry

Posted by Elizabeth on Mar 8, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

SFIA Framework provides a great tool for analysing and managing the skills of your IT staff. SFIA can help with improved training outcomes, better staff retention, improved recruitment and provide your staff with career plannig options.

Want to know more? Find out more about SFIA Training or SFIA Consulting and advice.

Ensys are moving to Bowen Hills in Feb 2012

Posted by Andrew on Feb 2, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

On the 6th of February, Australasia’s SFIA Consultancy Provider, Ensys Consulting, will relocate it’s Brisbane Head Office to 14D Jordan Tce, Bowen Hills.

Best of luck to all the Ensys staff for a smooth transition to the larger offices.

Ensys SFIA Consultancy Contact Details:

Phone: 1800 882 951
Email: info@ensys.com.au

SFIA Version 5 | SFIA V5 Updates

Posted by Andrew on Dec 12, 2011 in News, SFIA Implementation | 0 comments

The New SFIA Version 5 was launched on December 1, 2011 – but what has changed and how does it affect you?

The most comprehensive way to find out about the changes of this latest version is by viewing this webinar, where the SFIA Foundations appointed Project Manager for the Version 5 update tells all.

This video on the SFIA V5 changes provides valuable insights, explanations and discusses the expected impacts of each change.

SFIA Version 5: What it is and how it was developed Mike Chad, SFIA v5 Project Manager From: SFIA Version 5: Launch Seminar, 1 December 2011, London >> go to webcast>> recommend to friend

For any questions about this update, contact Ensys consulting – your SFIA Consulting partner for Australasia, or contact direct to the SFIA Foundation.

SFIA Training programs commencing in February will be based on the new V5 of SFIA in 2012. Check here for dates.

Ensys SFIA Consultancy Contact Details:

Phone: 1800 882 951
Email: info@ensys.com.au

Preparing for SFIA | Role Descriptions

Posted by Andrew on Dec 5, 2011 in SFIA Implementation | 0 comments

The SFIA framework offers a lot of workforce management benefits to both the business and employees.  These include targeted training (making sure the $$ are spent where they can do the most good), career planning (showing people a future within the organization), succession planning, talent management and more. The first and essential step to achieving these benefits is the creation of SFIA Role Descriptions across the ICT team.

A Good Role Description

A good Role Description clearly states what is expected of any employee carrying out the role. Role Descriptions are not personalized or tailored to a specific person they only address the role. As a minimum a Role Description will include sections covering:

• Professional skills (like Software Testing, Business Analysis, Procurement)
• Technical skills (like Java, SAP, Oracle)
• Behavioral skills (like leadership, business skills and communication)
• Experience & Qualifications (e.g. ACS CP, Prince2, Degree in IT or equivalent, etc…)

Caution #1: Beware the generic Role Description

In this first article we are looking at the preparation and implementation of SFIA Role Descriptions. As simple as this seems, creating Role Descriptions can be tricky.  Over many implementations we at Ensys have found risks if the content of a Role Description is too broad.

As mentioned above Role Descriptions are for the role not a person, but sometime the outcome is a very high-level Role Description with very generic skills.  This appears to address the aim of designing Role Descriptions that can be used across a number of roles within the organization but sometime it can be taken too far.

For example, a Position Description for a PROJECT MANAGER may have generic requirements, for instance:

• Experience in Project Management planning, delivering benefits on-time and to budget
• Governance and financial accountability of projects
• Effective communication to stakeholders, sponsors and vendor suppliers
• Experience with Prince 2.

Within this Role Description the organization may employ different levels of Project Managers as well as those specializing in niche products.  For example, this could cover senior project managers and junior project managers; it could also cover contract SAP Project Managers, Infrastructure Project Managers, R&D Project Managers and so on…

The problems appear in day to day workforce management processes.

When selecting suitable candidates for the role and measuring their skills you will encounter many problems:

• When recruiting – the brief to the agency and/or advertisement will deliver a large number of potential candidates
• When shortlisting – the Role Description does not assist to identify good candidates or for that matter help identify poor candidates
• Skills are incomplete and woolly – lacking clear expectations and measures to manage performance either during a probation period or as part of personal development processes
• Level of experience is not defined – no statement of capability either within the role or with business as a whole
• Key technical skills are omitted – such as a requirement to have SharePoint, system integration or Oracle Financials experience
• Levels of competency are omitted – how big were the teams, did the project have major business impacts, how complex was the budget and so on
• Professional experience is not defined – ACS certification, Prince 2, ITIL, previous projects etc

The net effect is a role description that is not worth the paper it is written on.

Working to improve the business information

To overcome this it is necessary to define each role to an adequate level of detail.  This is not easy, and it cannot be done by ICT, nor can it be done by HR – the only way is for ICT and HR working in equal partnership.

In our experience, many ICT departments can cringe at the thought of addressing their Role Descriptions – the process can be quite time consuming and they have other more important work to do.  This attitude is wrong – unless you clearly define roles you can never be certain you are delivering service to the business.

For more information about preparing for your SFIA Implementation Project, contact Ensys Consulting today.

SFIA Training Australia | Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney

Posted by Andrew on Dec 2, 2011 in Training | 0 comments

In 2012, the interest in SFIA and the organisational benefits it deliveres is expected to grow. At Ensys, we are continuing to train & empower organisations to understand and leverage the benefits of SFIA.

Public SFIA Training courses and SFIA Consultancy will continue to be delivered by Ensys in 2012, where we work with IT & HR Professionals to understand and benefit from SFIA through full day, high value, interactive workshops.

You can start understanding and benefiting from the SFIA framework by attending a SFIA Training workshop in your local city. Refer to the course dates below, to find your local training session.

• 7 Feb                 | Sydney
• 6 March             | Brisbane
• 3 April                | Melbourne
• 5 June                | Sydney
• 3 July                 | Brisbane
• 7 August            | Melbourne
• 2 October          | Sydney
• 6 November      | Brisbane
• 4 December      | Melbourne

For more information or to secure your seat, contact the office of Ensys Consulting or read more about SFIA Training and SFIA Consultancy services on our website.

1800 882 951
info@ensys.com.au

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SFIA – October session in Brisbane

Posted by Andrew on Oct 7, 2011 in News, Training | 0 comments

If you are a Brisbane ICT or HR professional, then you have a rare chance to get a concise and summarised overview of SFIA, delivered by Australia’s leading SFIA training provider.

SFIA is being deployed by a broadening range of employers including Queensland State Government Agencies and GOCs. It is also particularly useful for organisations employing contractors and those offering competitive ICT services.

From an individual’s perspective, SFIA provides an excellent way to plan and develop a career as well as adding value to resumes. SFIA is a foundation block for the ACS’s internationally recognised ICT Certification.

This informative presentation will deliver an understanding of SFIA and what is driving its growing use by organisations and individuals.

Event details:
Where: ACS Level 7/333 Adelaide Street Brisbane
When: 5:30pm, Tuesday 25th October 2011
Cost: $0 for ACS members, only $15 for non-members

Seats are filling fast, so for more details or to secure your seat go to the presentation portal.

W: www.ensys.com.au
P: 1800 882 951

SFIA Version 5: Pre-publication update and what it will mean to you

Posted by Elizabeth on Sep 30, 2011 in News, SFIA Implementation, Uncategorized | 1 comment

Update: SFIA Version 5 has been released 1st December, 2011. Check this link for details.

As the IT landscape changes and evolves, the SFIA IT Skills framework is committed to follow and align to the ever-changing IT industry best practices.

The upgrade of SFIA version 5 has now concluded a 2^nd phase consultative review and the final comments are now being processed by the SFIA Foundation. Publication of the updated SFIA version 5 is imminent.  The upgrade to version 5 has been a very transparent and consultative process co-ordinated by the SFIA Foundation. Based on a review of the currently proposed changes, Ensys expects the following changes to be reflected in the new version:

•          a fairly extensive update to the wording in each of the Skills General Descriptions
•          7 new skills added
•          17 existing skills modified, with various changes to competency levels
•          1 skill to be deleted entirely (being incorporated into another existing skill)

 A high level breakdown of the version 5 changes can be summarised as follows:

The changes summarised above, are a result of significant analysis from Ensys consulting. Any errors or omissions to this summary will be clarified upon the release of the final publication of SFIA Version 5 by the SFIA foundation.

To keep in touch with SFIA in your industry, sign up to the informative monthly Ensys Newsletter, or for more specific details of the SFIA Version 5 updates you can find more information on the SFIA Foundation web portal.

This information is provided by Ensys Consulting – Australia’s leading consulting provider for IT Skills Management with SFIA.  for more information please contact us on info@ensys.com.au or www.ensys.com.au

Financial Services Industry investigates SFIA

Posted by Elizabeth on Sep 5, 2011 in News, Offerings, SFIA Implementation | 0 comments

Recent media coverage about Westpac’s adoption of the SFIA Framework has resulted in increased interest from other financial services providers.

Ensys is currently working with a client from the financial services industry to implement SFIA within its business.  With a significant reliance on IT, our client sees the value in managing its IT staff more effectively.  SFIA will assist with knowing their current workforce, tailoring their recruitment and improve staff development activities.  SFIA will also assist with strategic management of their IT resources and allow them to plan for future skills requirements.

IT recruitment is becoming more difficult, with demand growing and supply not keeping up.  Many it skills are in short supply and difficult to find.  In the current economic climate, the importance of effective management of existing resources is also highlighted.

Many of our clients struggle to ensure that they have the resources to meet changes in their technology environment and are keen to use SFIA to assist in this process.

If you would like to know more about SFIA contact us on 1800 882 951 or info@ensys.com.au

The Elements of a SFIA Position Description

Posted by Elizabeth on Aug 4, 2011 in SFIA Implementation, Uncategorized | 0 comments

An issue often faced by companies when implementing SFIA is how to include skills other than pure technical skills into assessments.  The SFIA Framework Is based on the premise that any role is made up of a number of individual components as illustrated below.

SFIA skills and levels cover the professional skills and, to some extent, the behavioural skill elements of a role.  Often an  organisation will also have its own behavioural criteria which it also wishes to incorporate into Position Descriptions.  There are a range of leadership and behavioural frameworks in existence, which can work hand in hand with SFIA.  Many of these frameworks complement SFIA by adding a further dimension to the purely technical skills – with a focus on personal qualities such as leadership, influencing, integrity and drive.

Another question often asked by our clients is how to incorporate requirements around knowledge of specific software and platforms.  SFIA is structured to be independent of specific technologies, methodologies and products, but rather to focus on the skills and understanding required to perform a particular kind of work.  We recommend that clients identify relevant SFIA skills first then separately identify specific technology requirements within Position Descriptions.  This is also true for identifying particular educational or job experience required for a position.