How SFIA works

PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE

The purpose of SFIA is to provide a standardised view of the wide range of professional skills needed by people working in Information Technology. The definitions – known as “descriptors” – describe elements of required capability such as “database design”, rather than technologically-orientated matters such as the knowledge of a particular database.

Organisations that combine the SFIA skills with information about behavioural competencies and knowledge of relevant technologies and products can produce highly effective professional profiles and/or job descriptions. These form the basis for the management and deployment of IT capability.

SFIA is constructed as a simple two-dimensional matrix. One axis shows the skills in categories and subcategories; the other shows the various levels of skill that can be attained.