Skills Gap Analysis
A Skills Gap Analysis is a strategic tool used to identify the difference between the skills your workforce currently has and the skills needed to achieve organisational goals. It involves assessing and mapping out the skills, knowledge, and abilities of existing team members against the future needs or strategic direction of the team or organisation.
Goal
The primary goal of a skills gap analysis is to highlight the skills and capabilities that an organisation needs to develop, enhance, or acquire to meet its business objectives, improve performance, and stay competitive.
Context
In cross-functional teams, as people are distributed across multiple teams, it can be difficult to understand the skills and knowledge that are available across the organisation. This makes it even more important to identify the skills that are available and those that are missing.
Assessment Levels
| Levels | Description |
|---|---|
| Individual Analysis | Assessment of each team member’s skills to identify personal development needs. |
| Team Analysis | Evaluation of the collective skills of a team to identify gaps that could impact the team's performance. |
| Organisational Analysis | A broad analysis across the organisation to identify skills shortages that could impact long-term strategic goals. |
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Product Strategy | A high-level plan for achieving the product vision within the next 1-3 years. |
| Process Concepts Assessments | Examination of awareness and buy-in for the key structures of the development process and expectations by level. |
| Research Capability Assessments | Examination of research practices to ensure that they align with the research principles and expectations by level. |
| Design Capability Assessments | Examination of design practices to ensure that they align with the design principles and expectations by level. |
| Development Capability Assessments | Examination of development practices to ensure that they align with the development principles and expectations by level. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Skills Gap Analysis Report | An assessment of the skills and competencies of employees compared to the requirements of their roles and the strategic goals of the product. | Facilitates better workforce planning and training development. |
Anti-patterns
- Overemphasis on Hard Skills: Neglecting the importance of soft skills like communication and teamwork can be detrimental to the overall effectiveness of the team.
- Failure to Act on Findings: Conducting a skills gap analysis without implementing its recommendations wastes resources and opportunities for growth.