Principles : 4 Pillars

Competency-based development is now the basis for all (and more) of the people aspects shown in the diagram. But to make any of this work we need the 4 Pillars of Competency, starting with Competency Frameworks.

If the competency frameworks, the definitions of competency requirements, and the way they are applied to roles or jobs is wrong then everything else will also be wrong.

Competency Frameworks are a ‘build’ or ‘buy’ decision, or sometimes a combination.

We work with clients to determine the best option, using our existing Competency Libraries or working with clients to build specific competency models.

We have a library of competency matrices that are based on international standards and qualification requirements.

They have been created to be usable and useful, as too often the competency solutions offered to companies, or developed internally, are either too complex, not relevant or not detailed enough.

The libraries are also provided with base-line learning solutions that meet the blended learning (70-20-10) concept that delivers real effective development (see the Learning Solutions section for more details).

Libraries are discipline-based or industry-based, for example:

• Geoscience
• Drilling Engineering
• Reservoir Engineering
• Rotating Equipment
• Plant Operations General
• Plant Operations (by plant type e.g. Polyethylene, Utilities, Aromatics.)
• Laboratory
• Health, Safety Environment
• Security
• Finance and Audit
• Sales and Marketing
• Leadership and Management
• HR
• Training and Development
• Corporate Communications

Libraries are used to help:

• Reduce time in a competency project
• Customize benchmarked content to client jobs
• Provide links to approved learning
• Standardization
• Sustainability

How clients use UETMT libraries:

As part of an integrated project to customize and implement competency based development across the organization or parts of the organization

Projects are usually an IPT (Integrated Project Team) between client and UETMT that ensures:

Rapid development of client-specific libraries and Job Competency Models based on the UETMT libraries

Implementation via a CMS, to enable assessment – gap – IDP process

Sustainability through knowledge transfer

• As part of benchmarking of client existing competency frameworks
• For specific development purposes; e.g. specialist subjects or specialist roles (e.g. Y-shaped career ladder for technical experts

Competency Library to Client Job Competency Model:

• A Job Competency Model (JCM) takes content from multiple libraries to define the whole job
• The level of each CU is fixed to match the competence level for the job

A CMS is listed as one of our 4 Pillars of Competency. The CMS is essential to manage the content and process for effective and sustainable Competency Development.

Why do such systems fail? Common reasons include:

• Wrong system chosen, it did not do what we needed
• The champion left, so it lost impetus
• We failed to implement it properly, no-one really bought into it
• We were not ‘change ready’
• Senior management did not like the results, so we had to shut it down

We work with clients to ensure they have this competency pillar in place. Some have no existing system, some use ERP systems such as SAP, others want to make existing systems more effective.

UETMT uses the Comaea (Competency Made Easy) CMS as its preferred system, as this is a proven system that interfaces with other IT systems, such as ERP (SAP, Oracle, etc.) and Learning Management Systems.

Almost 40% of respondents in The Competency Management Working Group (CMWG) survey the stated that the Competency Management System (CMS) that they were using was not their first one.

Of that 40% the majority stated that the previous system had ‘not worked’, whilst for the remainder the change was based on a management decision to move to a single ‘corporate’ IT system, often against the advice of actual user groups.

The pillar of the 4 Pillars of Competency that is frequently ignored is actually one of the most important from the point of view of:

• Content
• Implementation
• Effectiveness and Return on Investment
• Sustainability

Having the right People and Processes ensures a success, from making the initial decisions to the buy-in from employees and managers, to the on-going use and value of competency-based development.

Our experience in recognizing and avoiding or mitigating the various challenges helps clients put in place something that actually works and adds values.

We can help you with:

• Analysis of readiness for implementation competency-based development
• Analysis of existing HR and Learning & Development structures and processes
• Reviewing existing CMS content or software to suggest enhancements
• Implementing any or all of the 4 Pillars of Competency

A CMS is listed as one of our 4 Pillars of Competency. The CMS is essential to manage the content and process for effective and sustainable Competency Development.

Why do such systems fail? Common reasons include:

• Wrong system chosen, it did not do what we needed
• The champion left, so it lost impetus
• We failed to implement it properly, no-one really bought into it
• We were not ‘change ready’
• Senior management did not like the results, so we had to shut it down

We work with clients to ensure they have this competency pillar in place. Some have no existing system, some use ERP systems such as SAP, others want to make existing systems more effective.

UETMT uses the Comaea (Competency Made Easy) CMS as its preferred system, as this is a proven system that interfaces with other IT systems, such as ERP (SAP, Oracle, etc.) and Learning Management Systems.

A CMS is listed as one of our 4 Pillars of Competency. The CMS is essential to manage the content and process for effective and sustainable Competency Development.

Why do such systems fail? Common reasons include:

• Wrong system chosen, it did not do what we needed
• The champion left, so it lost impetus
• We failed to implement it properly, no-one really bought into it
• We were not ‘change ready’
• Senior management did not like the results, so we had to shut it down

We work with clients to ensure they have this competency pillar in place. Some have no existing system, some use ERP systems such as SAP, others want to make existing systems more effective.

UETMT uses the Comaea (Competency Made Easy) CMS as its preferred system, as this is a proven system that interfaces with other IT systems, such as ERP (SAP, Oracle, etc.) and Learning Management Systems.