Using industry recognised qualifications to fill your skills gap

Paul Turner FBCS

an evolving framework for the future

Background and Objectives

• Describe links between competency and qualifications • Describe levels of ISEB qualifications• Describe range of disciplines covered by ISEB Portfolio• Outline some of the key areas of the ISEB Portfolio

– Business Analysis and Business Change– Software Testing– IT Service Management

• Consider career development via a focus on Job Roles • Support a drive towards professionalism within the industry

Four levels of ISEB qualification to support career development

I. Foundation

II. Practitioner

III. Higher – specialist and manager

IV. Professional award

Projects and Business Change:

• Business Analysis, IS Consultancy and Business Change

• Project Management and Project /Programme support

Legal, Compliance and Security:

• IT Legal, Compliance and Contracts

• Information Security

Solution Development and Delivery:

• Systems Development and Systems Architecture

• Testing

IT Infrastructure, Assets and Services:

• IT Asset and Infrastructure Management

• IT Service Management

Subject categories in ISEB Portfolio

Projects and Business Change:

• Business Analysis, IS Consultancy and Business Change

• Project Management and Project/Programme support

Solution Development and Delivery:

• Systems Development and Systems Architecture

• Testing

IT Infrastructure, Assets and Services:

• IT Asset and Infrastructure Management

• IT Service Management

Legal, Compliance and Security:

• IT Legal, Compliance and Contracts

• Information Security

ISEB qualification structure – Foundation level

ISEB Foundation Certificate in - - - - - xxxxxx

• Broad coverage of subject area, a solid base on which to build

• Knowledge based, multiple choice examination• Suitable both for those pursuing this area further and for

those specialising in other areas• Supported by ‘approved’ publications• Uses SFIA structure for disciplines but does not

correspond to SFIA levels as primarily knowledge based

ISEB qualification structure – Practitioner level

ISEB Practitioner Certificate in - - - - - xxxxxxx

• Focuses in more detail at a specific skill or subject area

• The majority of ISEB individual certificates sit at this level

• Covers most current ISEB Practitioner and Essentials certificates

• Scenario based assessment, focuses on more detailed understanding of subject area and application of knowledge

• Corresponds to SFIA skills level 4 and 5

ISEB qualification structure – Higher level

ISEB Higher level qualifications:• More detailed application of skills in a specific discipline

• Basis of subsequent role based professional awards

• Examples of current ISEB qualifications at this level would be:

– Manager’s Certificate in IT Service Management– Business Analysis Diploma– Systems Development Diploma – Certificate in IS Project Management

• Corresponds to SFIA skills level 6

I

See later

ISEB qualification structure – Professional Award

ISEB Qualifications Portfolio

Practitioner Level(SFIA 4, 5)

Higher Level(SFIA 6)

Foundation Level (SFIA 3)

Foundation:• IT–enabled business change

Practitioner modules:• Business Analysis Essentials• Requirements Engineering• Organisational Context• Modelling Business Processes• Benefits Management and Business Acceptance• IS Consultancy Essentials

Higher Level:• Diploma in Business Analysis

Professional award:• ISEB Professional in Business Analysis

Business Analysis and Business Change

Testing:

Foundation:• Foundation in Software Testing

Practitioner modules:• Intermediate Certificate in Software Testing• Software Test Analysis• Software Test Management

Higher Level:• Diploma in Software Testing (coming 2008)

IT Service Management:

Foundation:• Foundation in IT Service Management• (V3 Foundation Bridge)

Practitioner modules:• V3 Life Cycle and Capability modules• Various Practitioner Certificates

Higher Level:• Manager’s Certificate in IT Service Management• (V3 Managers Bridge)

Professional award:• ISEB Professional in IT Service Management

Ethics

Own specialism and knowledge of other disciplines

Application

Coaching and Mentoring

Interpersonal Skills

Five Key Competency Areas for a Professional

Apply appropriate theoretical and practicalmethods to the analysis and solution of problems

Use a combination of general and specialist IT knowledge, understanding and skill to optimise and apply existing and emerging technology

Provide business, technical, commercial or Managerial leadership and mentoring

Demonstrate a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills

Demonstrate an ongoing personal commitment to professional IT standards, recognising obligations to society, the IT profession and the environment

ISEB Professional in Business Analysis

Part of the ongoing definition of a series of Professional roles

• Higher level qualifications in own specialist discipline (Diploma in Business Analysis)

• Qualifications in other supporting disciplines ( e.g. Project Management, IT-enabled Business Change)

• Membership of a professional body (e. g. BCS)• Experience in own discipline• Leadership, coaching and mentoring• Ethics and Code of Practice• Interpersonal skills

Benefits of ISEB qualifications

• Vendor independence• Vocational and practical• Provide depth and breadth of coverage• Linked to SFIA and SFIAplus• Wide range of subject coverage• Based on best practice• Support career development and career paths• Part of Professionalism initiative• Support various roles and life cycle approaches