Competency matrix

An overview of which employee demonstrably masters which task

01 Definition

A competency matrix sets roles or tasks against employees and records, for each combination, at what level somebody masters that task, when that was established and how long it stays valid. The result is a single overview showing who is allowed to do what and where things get thin.

02 Why it matters

It makes two things visible at once: whether you meet your obligations, and where you are operationally vulnerable. A task with only one qualified person behind it is a risk you discover without a matrix only when that person drops out.

03 In practice

The matrix lives or dies by its maintenance. Paper and spreadsheet versions go stale within six months, after which nobody trusts them any more. Tied to the learning record it does work: certificates and refresher instruction run along automatically, and expiry dates announce themselves before they pass rather than after.

04 Related solutions
05 Frequently asked questions
How detailed does a matrix have to be?
Detail it to the level at which you take decisions. Who can I schedule for this job is usable; a matrix with two hundred sub-tasks does not get maintained and is therefore worthless.
Do contractors belong in it?
If they perform tasks you are responsible for, yes. That is exactly where most organisations have a blind spot: their own people are in it, the hired-in ones are not, while the risk is the same.
What is the difference from a training plan?
The matrix describes the current state: who can do what, now. The training plan describes what has to happen to close the gaps. The matrix is the measurement, the plan is the response to it.
06 Related terms

Want to apply Competency matrix in your own training programme?

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M

Milan

Business development, STARK Learning