Improving how we match people to roles is central to how the Ibbaka Talent platform is used. David Botta describes some of our recent experiments and suggests some directions for research in 2022.

Most organizations will have thousands of different skills. How do we focus on the ones that really matter? We often have to answer this question at Ibbaka. Here are some initial thoughts on our approach. The skills that matter most are the skills used to solve problems.

One often wants to compare the skills of people, the skills required for roles, the skills of different teams and so on. One important approach comparison is between two companies. This skill differences can give important hints on each company’s strategy and differentiation. Focusing in on key skills can bring differentiation into focus.

The second post summarizing a series of interviews Ibbaka has conducted with experiences competency model designers. This one is the the person leading the skill curation team at a major technology company. She applied design thinking to organizing the skill curation process, and found two quite different approaches in her organization: The Chunkers and the Slicers and Dicers!

Competency models can become large rigid structures that try to fit people into boxes. A good competency model is a living document, informed by the real skills people are using and the conversations they are having. It needs curation, or as we like to say gardening. When designing a competency model, make sure you are engaged with the people it represents, and cultivate that engagement as you would a garden.