Technical Skills Survey - Strategy & planning

A set of questions based on the Framework reference SFIA version 3 to establish the skill level of a Computer/IT Technician or Manager
Name: 


  1. Information Management - The overall management of information, as a fundamental business resource, to ensure that the information needs of the business are met. Encompasses development and promotion of the strategy and policies covering the design of information structures and taxonomies, the setting of policies for the sourcing and maintenance of the data content, the management and storage of electronic content and the analysis of information structure (including logical analysis of data and metadata). Includes overall responsibility for compliance with regulations, standards and codes of good practice relating to information and documentation records management, information assurance and data protection.
    Level 4 - Takes responsibility for the accessibility, retrievability and protection of electronic information. Provides advice on the transformation of information from one format/medium to another, where appropriate. Maintains and implements information handling procedures. Ensures the availability, integrity and searchability of information through the application of formal data structures and protection measures. Identifies and complies with relevant organisational policies and procedures. Ensures that information is presented effectively.
    Level 5 - Takes responsibility for planning effective electronic information storage, sharing and publishing within the organisation. Maintains and communicates the organisation’s information management strategy. Devises and implements electronic document and record systems, including classification, retrieval and retention processes. Maintains an inventory of information subject to data protection legislation. Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on information management, including advice on and promotion of collaborative working. Responsible for ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures and overall information management strategy.
    Level 6 - Maintains and communicates the organisation’s strategy for managing information, ensuring that uniformly recognised and accepted data definitions are developed and applied throughout the organisation. Models the processes and information required to support the organisation and devises corresponding data structures and architectures. Identifies the impact of any relevant statutory, internal or external regulations on the organisation's use of information.
    Level 7 - Establishes and communicates the organisation’s information management strategy, developing it as an integrated part of the business strategy. Ensures that the organisation’s business processes are correctly modelled and that the data architectures to support these are put in place, taking into account any relevant statutory, internal or external regulations.


  1. Consultancy - The provision of advice, assistance and leadership in any area associated with the planning, procurement, provision, delivery, management, maintenance or effective use of information systems and their environments. The consultancy can deal with one specific aspect of IT and the business, or it can be wide ranging and address strategic business issues.
    Level 5 Provides well-informed advice, typically within a specific technical specialism, ensuring that it is properly understood and appropriately exploited, to enhance the effectiveness of significant activities.
    Level 6 Manages provision of specialist knowledge over a range of topics including the role of IT in the business; in own areas of expertise provides advice and guidance influencing the effectiveness of the organisation’s business processes.
    Level 7 Takes responsibility for a significant consultancy business, including business development, sales to major clients, account management and managing the delivery of consultancy services over a wide range of topics, including the role of IT in the business.


  1. Technical specialism - The management and provision of expert advice on a specific technical specialism. Examples of specialism can be any technology, technique, method, product or application area.
    Level 5 Maintains knowledge of specific technical specialisms, provides detailed advice regarding their application, executes specialised tasks. The specialism can be any area of information or communication technology, technique, method, product or application area.
    Level 6 Maintains an in-depth knowledge of specific technical specialisms and provides expert advice regarding their application. Can supervise specialist technical consultancy. The specialism can be any aspect of information or communication technology, technique, method, product or application area.
    Level 7 Provides organisational leadership and guidelines to promote the development and exploitation of technical knowledge in the organisation.


  1. Research - The advancement of knowledge in one or more fields of information technology by innovation, experimentation, evaluation and dissemination, carried out in pursuit of a predetermined set of research goals.
    Level 3 Within given research goals, builds on and refines appropriate outline ideas for research, i.e. evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant field within information technology. Reports on work carried out and may contribute sections of material of publication quality.
    Level 4 Contributes to research goals and builds on and refines appropriate outline ideas for research, i.e. evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant field within information technology. Reports on work carried out and may contribute significant sections of material of publication quality. Contributes to research plans and identifies appropriate opportunities for publication and dissemination of research findings
    Level 5 Agrees research goals and generates original and worthwhile ideas in a specialised field within information technology. Develops, reviews and constructively criticises ideas, possibly leading a small research team, making necessary observations and tests and carrying them through to a full practical demonstration, wherever viable and feasible. Presents papers at conferences and writes journal papers of publication quality and/or presents reports, of an equivalent technical standard, to research clients.
    Level 6 Sets research goals, makes effective proposals for the investment of funds in research projects, plays a major role in the development of the employing organisation’s research policy and supervises the work of a research function. Gains an appreciation of current research work over a substantial area of information technology and takes a leading part in professional activities outside own employing organisation.


  1. Innovation - The capability to recognise and exploit business opportunities provided by IT (for example, the Internet), to ensure more efficient and effective performance of organisations, to explore possibilities for new ways of conducting business and organisational processes and to establish new businesses.
    Level 6 Recognises potential strategic application of IT and initiates investigation and development of innovative methods of exploiting IT assets, to the benefit of organisations and the community. Plays an active role in improving the interface between the business and IT.
    N/A


  1. Business process improvement - The identification of new and alternative approaches to performing business activities. The analysis of business processes, including recognition of the potential for automation of the processes, assessment of the costs and potential benefits of the new approaches considered and, where appropriate, management of change and assistance with implementation.
    Level 5 Analyses business processes; identifies alternative solutions, assesses feasibility and recommends new approaches. Contributes to evaluating the factors that must be addressed in the change programme. Helps establish requirements for the implementation of changes in the business process.
    Level 6 Analyses business processes; identifies alternative solutions, assesses feasibility and recommends new approaches, typically seeking to exploit technology components. Evaluates the financial, cultural, technological, organisational and environmental factors that must be addressed in the change programme. Establishes requirements for the implementation of significant changes in organisational mission, business functions and process, organisational roles and responsibilities and scope or nature of service delivery.
    Level 7 Identifies, proposes, initiates and leads significant improvement programmes, taking responsibility for the quality and appropriateness of the work performed and the realisation of measurable business benefits. Modifies existing process improvement approaches and/or develops new approaches to achieving improvement.


  1. Strategic application of information systems - The development or review of an information systems strategy to support an organisation’s business goals and the development of plans to drive forward and manage that strategy. Working with others to embed the strategic management of information systems as part of the management of the organisation
    Level 5 Contributes to the creation or review of an information systems strategy which meets the requirements of the business. Develops plans to drive forward the strategy, taking advantage of available technology opportunities.
    Level 6 Leads the creation or review of an information systems strategy which meets the requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Develops enterprisewide information architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of technology is embedded in the management of the organisation. Ensures compliance between business strategies and technology directions.
    Level 7 Directs the creation or review of an information systems strategy to support the strategic requirements of the business. Identifies the business benefits of alternative strategies. Directs development of enterprise-wide information architecture and processes which ensure that the strategic application of technology is embedded in the management of the organisation. Ensures compliance between business strategies and technology directions.


  1. Business risk management - The planning and implementation of organisation-wide processes and procedures for the management of operational risk.
    Level 5 Carries out risk assessment within a defined functional or technical area of business. Uses consistent processes for identifying potential risk events, quantifying and documenting the probability of occurrence and impact on the business. Refers to domain experts for guidance on specialised areas of risk, such as architecture and environment. Coordinates the development of countermeasures and contingency plans.
    Level 6 Plans and manages the implementation of organisation-wide processes and procedures, tools and techniques for the identification, assessment and management of risk inherent in the operation of business processes and of potential risks arising from planned IT-enabled change.


  1. Information security - The management of, and provision of expert advice on, the selection, design, justification, implementation and operation of information security controls and management strategies to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, availability, accountability and relevant compliance of information systems.
    Level 3 Applies and maintains specific security controls as required by organisational policy and local risk assessments to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of business information systems. Determines when security issues should be escalated to a higher level. Demonstrates effective communication of security issues to business managers and others.
    Level 4 Conducts security risk assessments for defined business applications or IT installations in defined areas and provides advice and guidance on the application and operation of elementary physical, procedural and technical security controls (e.g. the key controls defined in BS7799).
    Level 5 Conducts security risk assessments for business applications and computer installations; provides authoritative advice and guidance on security strategies to manage the identified risk. Investigates breaches of security and recommends appropriate control improvements. Interprets security policy and contributes to development of standards and guidelines that comply with this.
    Level 6 Develops a corporate information security policy, standards and guidelines. Prepares and maintains organisational strategies that address the evolving business risk and information control requirements. Operates as a focus for IT security expertise for the organisation, working effectively with strategic organisational functions such as legal experts and technical support to provide authoritative advice and guidance on the requirements for security controls.


  1. Information assurance - The protection of systems and information in storage, processing, or transit from unauthorised access or modification. Denial of service to unauthorised users; or the provision of service to authorised users. Includes those measures necessary to detect, document and counter threats to the integrity of stored information, such as the application of firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS).
    Level 3 Applies procedures to enhance resilience to unauthorised access. Recognises when an IT network/system has been attacked, can take immediate action to limit damage and escalates event to higher authority.
    Level 4 Investigates suspected attacks and recommends remedial action.
    Level 5 Develops procedures and implements the application of firewalls and IDS to improve network/system resilience.
    Level 6 Protects and defends information and information systems by ensuring availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation. Provides for restoration of information systems by ensuring that protection, detection and reaction capabilities are incorporated.


  1. Systems architecture (ARCH) - The specification of systems architectures, identifying the components needed to meet the present and future requirements, both functional and non-functional (such as security) of the business as a whole, and the interrelationships between these components. The provision of direction and guidance on all technical aspects of the development of, and modifications to, information systems to ensure that they take account of relevant architectures, strategies, policies, standards and practices and that existing and planned systems and IT infrastructure remain compatible.
    Level 5 Uses appropriate tools, including logical models of components and interfaces, to contribute to the development of systems architectures. Produces detailed component specifications and translates these into detailed designs for implementation using selected products. Within a business change programme, assists in the preparation of technical plans and cooperates with business assurance and project staff to ensure that appropriate technical resources are made available. Provides advice on technical aspects of system development and integration (including requests for changes, deviations from specifications, etc.) and ensures that relevant technical strategies, policies, standards and practices are applied correctly.
    Level 6 Leads development of architectures for complex systems, ensuring consistency with specified requirements agreed with both external and internal customers. Takes full responsibility for the balance between functional, service quality and systems management requirements within a significant area of the business. Establishes policy and strategy for the selection of systems architecture components and coordinates design activities, promoting the discipline to ensure consistency. Ensures that appropriate standards (corporate, industry, national and international) are adhered to. Within a business change programme, manages the target design, policies and standards, working proactively to maintain a stable, viable architecture and ensure consistency of design across projects within the programme.


  1. Emerging technology monitoring (EMRG) - The identification of new and emerging hardware, software and communication technologies, products, methods and techniques and the assessment of their relevance and potential value to the organisation. The promotion of emerging technology awareness among staff and business management.
    Level 5 Monitors the market to gain knowledge and understanding of currently emerging technologies. Identifies new and emerging hardware and software technologies and products based on own area of expertise, assesses their relevance and potential value to the organisation, contributes to briefings of staff and business management.
    Level 6 Coordinates the identification and assessment of new and emerging hardware, software and communication technologies, products, methods and techniques. Evaluates the likely relevance of these for the business. Provides regular briefings to staff and business management.


  1. Continuity management (COPL) - The provision of service continuity planning and support. This includes the identification of information systems that support critical business processes, the assessment of risks to those systems’ availability, integrity and confidentiality and the coordination of planning, designing, testing and maintenance procedures and contingency plans to address exposures and maintain agreed levels of continuity. This function should be performed as part of, or in close cooperation with, the function that plans business continuity for the whole organisation.
    Level 4 Provides input to the service continuity planning process and implements resulting plans.
    Level 5 Owns the service continuity planning process and leads the implementation of resulting plans. Coordinates the identification by specialists across the organisation of information and communication systems that support the critical business processes, and the assessment of risks to the availability, integrity and confidentiality of those systems. Evaluates the critical risks associated with these systems and identifies priority areas for improvement. Coordinates the planning, designing, testing of maintenance procedures and contingency plans to address exposure to risk and ensure that agreed levels of continuity are maintained.


  1. Software development process improvement (SPIM) - The provision of advice, assistance and leadership in improving the quality of software development, by focusing on process definition, management, repeatability and measurement. The facilitation of
    improvements by changing approaches and working practices, typically using recognised models such as the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), or the Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination Model (SPICE).
    Level 5 Develops and maintains a detailed knowledge of software process improvement. Contributes effectively to identifying new areas of software process improvement within the organisation. Carries out software process improvement assignments, justified by measurable business benefits.
    Level 6 Plans and manages the evaluation of software processes. Identifies, proposes and initiates software process improvement activities within the organisation, devising solutions. Takes action to exploit opportunities that will have a measurable effect on operational effectiveness, with associated benefits to the business.
    Level 7 Identifies, proposes, initiates and leads significant improvement programmes, taking responsibility for the quality and appropriateness of the work performed and the realisation of measurable business benefits. Modifies existing software process improvement approaches and/or develops new approaches to achieving improvement.


  1. Network planning (NTPL) - The creation and maintenance of overall network plans, encompassing the communication of data, voice, text and image, in the support of an organisation's business strategy. This includes participation in the creation of service level agreements and the planning of all aspects of infrastructure necessary to ensure provision of network services to meet such agreements.
    Level 5 Creates and maintains network plans for own area of responsibility, contributes to setting service level agreements and plans the infrastructure necessary to provide the network services to meet such agreements.
    Level 6 Creates and maintains overall network plans to support the organisation's business strategy, agrees service level agreements with customers and plans all aspects of the infrastructure necessary to ensure provision of network services to meet such agreements.


  1. Methods and tools (METL) - Ensuring that appropriate methods and tools for the planning, development, operation, management and maintenance of systems are adopted and used effectively throughout the organisation.
    Level 4 Provides expertise and support on use of methods and tools.
    Level 5 Promotes and ensures use of appropriate techniques, methodologies and tools.
    Level 6 Sets direction and leads in the introduction and use of techniques, methodologies and tools, to match overall business requirements (both current and future), ensuring consistency across all user groups.





Jisc RSC East Midlands
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Jisc Regional Support Centre
Loughborough