Competency Mapping

Competency Mapping is processes of identifying key competencies for an

organisation and/or a job and incorporating those competencies throughout
the various processes (i.e., job evaluation, training, recruitment) of the
organisation.

It generally examines two areas – emotional intelligence or emotional

quotient (EQ), and strengths of the individual in areas like team structure,
leadership, and decision-making.
A competency can be defined as a specific, identifiable, definable, and

measurable knowledge, skill, ability, and/or other deployment-related

characteristic (e.g., attitude, behavior, physical ability) which a human

resource may possess and which is necessary for, or material to, the

performance of an activity within a specific business context".

Boyatzis(1980) – “A capacity that exists in a person that leads to behaviour
that meets the job demands within parameters of organisational
environment, and that, in turn brings about desired results”.

Competency Mapping is defined as the process of identifying the key

competencies, which have the ability to do something efficiently &
achieve the goals of the organization & make the organization successful.
 The steps involved in competency mapping are presented below:

• Conduct a job analysis by asking incumbents to complete a position information

questionnaire(PIQ). This can be provided for incumbents to complete, or used as a
basis for conducting one-on-one interviews using the PIQ as a guide.

• Using the results of the job analysis, a competency based job description is
developed

• The competencies of the respective job description become factors for assessment
on the performance evaluation

• one can use the results of one’s evaluation to identify in what competencies
individuals need additional development or training.
METHODS OF COMPETENCY MAPPING

• Assessment centers

• Critical incident method

• Interview techniques

• Questionnaires

• Psychometric Tests
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE

Assessment center is a mechanism to identify the potential for growth. It is a

procedure (not location) that uses a variety of techniques to evaluate employees
for manpower purpose and decisions.

• Group Discussion

• In Tray

• Interview Simulation / Role Plays

• Case Studies / Analysis Exercises

• A job analysis of relevant behavior to determine attributes, skills etc. for effective job
performance and what should be evaluated by assessment center.
• Techniques used must be validated to assess the dimensions of skills and abilities.
• Multiple assessment techniques must be used.
• Assessment techniques must include job related simulation.
• Multiple assessors must be used for each assesse.
• Assessors must be thoroughly trained.
• Behavioral Observations by assessors must be classified into some meaningful and
relevant categories of attributes, skills and abilities, etc.
• Systematic procedures must used to record observations.
• Assessors must prepare a report.
• All information thus generated must be integrated either by discussion or application
of statistical techniques.
 CRITICAL INCIDENTS TECHNIQUE

Despite numerous variations in procedures for gathering and analyzing critical

incidents, researchers and practitioners agree that critical incidents techniques
can be described as a set of procedures for systematically identifying the
behavior that contribute success or failure of individual or organization in
specific situation.
Gathering facts

Content analysis

Creating feedback
Following are the criteria for a successful use of critical incident technique:

a) Data are centred around real critical incidents that occur during a task

b) performance.

c) Tasks are performed by real users.

d) Users are located in their normal working environment.

e) Data are captured in normal task situations, not contrived laboratory settings.

f) Users self report their own critical incidents after they have happened.

g) No direct interaction takes place between user and evaluator during the

description of the incident(s).

h) Quality data can be captured at low cost to the user.

 Interview Techniques

The interview consists of interaction between interviewer and applicant. If handled

properly, it can be a powerful technique in achieving accurate information and getting
access to material otherwise unavailable. If the interview is not handled carefully, it
can be a source of bias, restricting or distorting the flow of communication.
• Before the actual interviews begins, the critical areas in which questions will be asked
must be identified for judging ability and skills.

• The second step is to scrutinize the information provided to identify skills, incidents
and experiences in the career of the candidate, which may answer questions raised
around the critical areas

• An interview is a face-to-face situation.

• The fundamental step is establishing “rapport”, putting the interviewee at ease.

• Once the interviewee is put at ease the interviewer starts asking questions, or seeking
information related to the job.
• Showing surprise or disapproval of speech, clothes, or answers to questions can also
inhibit the candidate.

• Leading questions should be avoided because they give the impression that the
interviewer is seeking certain kinds of answers

• The interviewer should be prepared with precise questions, and not take too much
time in framing them.
 Questionnaires

Questionnaires are written lists of questions that users fill out

questionnaire and return. You begin by formulating questions about your product
based on the type of information you want to know. The questionnaire sources
below provide more information on designing effective questions.

• Common Metric Questionnaire (CMQ)

• Functional Job Analysis
• Multipurpose Occupational System Analysis Inventory
• Occupational Analysis Inventory
• Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)
• Work Profiling System(WPS)
 Psychometric Tests

A psychometric test is a standardized objective measure of a sample of behavior.

It is standardized because the procedure of administering the test, the
environment in which the test is taken, and the method of calculating individual
scores are uniformly applied.

• Aptitude Tests

• Achievement Test
Approaches to Mapping

• Expert Opinion
• Workshops
• Questionnaire Method
• Interview Method
• Observation Method
• Story Writing Method
• Critical Incident Technique
• Repertory Grid
• 360-degree Survey
• Focus Groups
• Case Study Method
Expert Opinion: The simplest method is for 'experts' to get together and draw data list
from their own understanding of 'what counts', possibly by reference to other
published lists.

Workshops: the workshop is mainly comprised of people who are actually doing the
job.

Questionnaire Method: The most popular and widely used technique in assessing
competencies is questionnaire method. This method helps in all the three levels of
competency assessment: organization, function and job.

Interview Method: Interviewing job incumbents to elicit what competencies are

required to perform a job effectively reveals valuable information that helps in
identifying the most relevant competencies of a job.
Observation Method: Resource persons observe the top and average performers
while working and taking decisions, interacting with people, leading co-employees,
learning new aspects and applying them.

Story Writing Method: In this method, employees and their superiors will be asked
to write in descriptive fashion, tasks they perform and knowledge, skills and
behavioral characteristics required performing such tasks with quality, precision and
results.

Critical Incident Technique: Major incidents either resulted in remarkable results or

failures to organizations and individuals if studied can provide wealth of information
on competencies required to handle such incidents.

Repertory Grid: Repertory grid is used to identify dimensions of good and poor
standards of performance.
360-degree Survey: Collecting views as well as perceptions of all stakeholders
regarding what competencies are desirable and essential to lead an organization,
manage departments and perform various jobs in an organization effectively, yields
a lot of information.

Focus Groups: A focus group is a group interview involving a small number of

demographically similar people or participants who have other common
traits/experiences.

Case Study Method: Highly successful performances which employees cherish and
regard the best in their career in an organization and events of under performances
must be studied in depth in order to understand circumstances in which
performance goes to peak and conditions that cause below average performance.
 Competency Mapping Procedures and Steps
Stage 1

a) Knowing the Purpose of the job

b) Identifying the Critical Success Factors
c) Identifying the Key Result Areas
d) Breaking KRAs into Key Activities

Stage 2

a) Clarity of Organization Direction

b) Clarity of Organization Structure.
c) Interview Job Holder.
d) Interview Job Holder’s Reporting Officer.
e) Discuss with the Focus Group if the job are of the same family.
Stage 3

a) Rank Order of the list of competencies (Guided/Unguided)

b) Comparing good performer and average performer with selected
list of competencies.
c) Use research data and assign competencies to positions.

Stage 4

Finalize Role Descriptions and Competencies-Job Wise

Step I – Development of Core Competencies

Step 2 – Assessing Competency Levels Required Across Positions

Step 3 – Developing Competency-Based Job Descriptions

Step 4 – Competency-Based Matrix

Step 5 – Individual Development Planning

 Business Strategies

At the heart of any successful activity lies a competence or a skill. In today's

competitive world it is becoming particularly important to build on the
competitive activities of business.

Top management is identifying corporate core competencies and working to

establish them throughout the organization. Human resource development builds
competency-based models that drive business results
Performance Criteria

Performance criteria basically define what an individual needs to accomplish in

order to be deemed competent based upon a specific competent statement.

performance criteria have been used to monitor and manage job performance
through appraisals, and training and development programs have been
designed and evaluated using performance criteria
Characteristics of Performance Criteria

1. Describe employee behavior,

2. Describe behavior that is observable and measurable,

3. Are limited to a single behavior,

4. Include sufficient description of the behavior,

5. Include desired conditions imposed on performance,

6. Include a performance standard,

7. Include essential aspects of performance.

 Criteria Sampling

Criteria Sampling include a list of characteristics essential for membership or

eligibility in the target population.

The criteria are developed from the research problem, the purpose, review of
literature, the conceptual and operational definitions of the study variables,
and the design.
A study might have inclusion or exclusion sampling criteria (or both).

Inclusion sampling criteria are those characteristics that a subject or element

must possess to be part of the target population.

Exclusion sampling criteria are those characteristics that can cause a person or
element to be excluded from the target population.
 Data Analysis

Data analysis is a practice in which raw data is ordered and organized so that
useful information can be extracted from it. The process of organizing and
thinking about data is key to understanding what the data does and does not
contain.

Data analysis in competency mapping contains the following steps:

I) Assign Proficiency Level

Review List of Competencies

1. Review the competencies that are identified, to check if they fulfill the purpose or
objective of the job.
2. Competencies are finalized for each job role.
3. Identify and list meta competencies.
4. Have it agreed with the management teams.
5. Each role profile in turn would now have a detailed set meta- and sub competencies

Assign Proficiency Level

1. Define what proficiency means to the organization and what use would it be put to
within the organization.
2. Define levels and differentiate between appraisal ranking and proficiency levels.
Methods Of Data Collection For Mapping

1. Observation method,
2. Repertory grid,
3. Critical incidence technique,
4. Expert panels,
5. Surveys,
6. Automated expert systems,
7. Job task analysis,
8. Behavioral event interview
 Observation Method

Resource persons observe the top and average performers while working and
taking decisions, interacting with people, leading co-employees, learning new
aspects, and applying them. Typically, the first part of such report contains
record of observations and the second part observer's own interpretation and
analysis of this record.
 Repertory Grid

In a repertory grid analysis, the jobholder is asked to write on separate cards

the names of atleast six people whom .he supervises or works with. The
jobholder separates the cards into two sets, one those who are good at work
and other those who he considers are less efficient. The cards are shuffled with
name face down and the jobholder is asked to pick two cards from a pile and
one from the other.
 Critical Incidence Technique

The jobholders are interviewed in a systematic manner. They are asked

structured questions about what situation and challenges they have faced.
The remarks about what they thought did and consequences of the
actions are note down.
 Expert Panels

In this method, a team or panel of experts is constituted to identify the

competencies required in the organization.

The experts are the following members:

1. Top management representatives (Strategic decision-makers).

2. Experts from different functional background who have a fair idea of the nature
of tasks performed in each function.
3. Representatives from the Human Resource Department
 Surveys

A survey is "a process of collecting data from existing population units, with
no particular control over factors that may affect the population
characteristics of interest in the study".
 Automated Expert System

Expert system tools can be used to analyze the need to re-schedule based on
progress toward expected performance. They can also identify problems in
production schedules developed for alternative scenarios and present them in
an easy-to-interpret format.
 Job Task Analysis

Basically, task descriptions are generated through the review training

manuals or direct observation of the job performance. The task descriptions
are then clustered and weighed to reflect the essence of the job.
 Behavioral Event Interview

The behavioral interview technique (BEI) is used by employers to evaluate a

candidate's experiences and behaviors in order to determine their potential for
success. The interviewer identifies desired skills and behaviors, then structures
open-ended questions and statements to elicit detailed responses.