Computing is about people

The theme emerging from the Australian Computer Society Canberra Branch Conference is "Computing is about people" (suggested  by Jeff Mitchell). This emphasis on people was in Jon Cumming, ACT Chief Digital Officer, plenary keynote, then Maria Milosavljevic, Chief Innovation Officer at AUSTRAC and now Loise Smith from ACS is now presenting on Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA).

European e-Competence Framework

The European Union issued the "European e-Competence Framework" (version 2.0) in November 2010. The e-CF lists 36 ICT competences for ICT practitioners. This is similar to Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) and the UK Government Knowledge and Information Management Professional Skills Framework (GKIMPS) but intended for international use. However, unlike SFIA which has been actively used and updated, the eCF seems to have been developed and then forgotten.

e-CF has five proficiency levels, spanning European Qualifications Framework (EQF) levels 3 to 8. The top level in this scale is a doctorate/PHD. In comparison, SFIA has seven (GKIMPS has four). e-CF has 32 competences in five areas, whereas SFIA 96 skills in six categories.

The eCF has four "dimensions", described in "European e-Competence Framework 2.0":

1. 5 e-Competence areas, derived from the ICT business processes PLAN – BUILD – RUN – ENABLE – MANAGE
2. A set of reference e-Competences for each area, with a generic description for each competence. 32 competences identified in total provide the European generic reference definitions of the e-CF 2.0.
3. Proficiency levels of each e-Competence provide European reference level specifications on e-Competence levels e-1 to e-5, which are related to the EQF levels 3 to 8.
4. Samples of knowledge and skills relate to e-Competences in dimension 2. They are provided to add value and context and are not intended to be exhaustive.

The 32 competences look very similar to SFIA:

A. PLAN

A.1. IS and Business Strategy Alignment
A.2. Service Level Management
A.3. Business Plan Development
A.4. Product or Project Planning
A.5. Design Architecture
A.6. Application Design
A.7. Technology Watching
A.8. Sustainable Development

B. BUILD

B.1. Design and Development
B.2. Systems Integration
B.3. Testing
B.4. Solution Deployment
B.5. Documentation Production

C. RUN

C.1. User Support
C.2. Change Support
C.3. Service Delivery
C.4. Problem Management

D. ENABLE

D.1. Information Security Strategy Development
D.2. ICT Quality Strategy Development
D.3. Education and Training Provision
D.4. Purchasing
D.5. Sales Proposal Development
D.6. Channel Management
D.7. Sales Management
D.8. Contract Management
D.9. Personnel Development
D.10. Information and Knowledge Management

E. MANAGE

E.1. Forecast Development
E.2. Project and Portfolio Management
E.3. Risk Management
E.4. Relationship Management
E.5. Process Improvement
E.6. ICT Quality Management
E.7. Business Change Management
E.8. Information Security Management
E.9. IT Governance

On-line Tool for Skills Assessment

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) offers its members free use of an on-line tools to help self assess their current skills and identify areas for improvement. This might be a good model for universities, particularly for postgraduate students and especially those undertaking research, where the program offers little structure for career development.

The ACS tool is called MySFIA with the name derived from the UK based Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). However, the ACS should have chosen a name which does not tie it so closely to the one framework.

The MySFIA tool was produced by PSARN International. The tool guides the member through a series of steps:

1. Self-Assessment
2. Identify Competencies
3. Documentary Evidence
4. Submit for Assessment
5. Certification and Resume

A status panel shows where the member their progress with the assessments, with the stages: Submitted for Assessment, Assessed, Self Assessments Complete and Suggested competencies completed.

At the end of the process the system helps the member identify courses to help with skills development and preparation of a resume.

MySFIA is a standalone system. For students undertaking study, it would be useful if this process was integrated with the e-portfolio system of their institution (ACS uses the Mahara e-Portfolio package). Integration with popular business social networking tools, particaurly LinkedIn would also be useful (LinkedIn has an on-line resume tool).

Skills Framework for the Information Age Version 5

Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) Version 5 was released 1 December 2011. SFIA provides a standard set of skills definitions for ICT professionals. It has seven levels of responsibility and skills in six categories:

1. Strategy & architecture
2. Business change
3. Solution development and implementation
4. Service management
5. Procurement & management support
6. Client interface

The Australian Computer Society uses it for designing training courses, including my course in Green ICT.

ICT Sustainability Book Published

"ICT Sustainability" is now available free on the web, as well as a print on demand paperback and a PDF eBook. This is a new edition of the notes for the postgraduate courses: COMP7310 (Australian National University), Green Technology Strategies (Australian Computer Society) and ACS25 (Open Universities Australia).

Changes from Previous Version

1. Skills descriptions: Two SFIA sustainability skills have (SUST: Sustainability strategy and SUAS: Sustainability assessment) replaced the six ICT skills specified previously.

2. Structure: The course has been divided into two sections, each covering one of the two skills.

3. Assignment Titles: The descriptions of the two assignments have been changed to match the two skills.

4. Reference Changes: The number of links to external sources and also internal links (particularly to the Glossary) has been reduced, to avoid confusing the reader. The list of sources cited has been consolidated into one section at the back and Harvard style references used.

5. Title: ICT Sustainability has replaced Green ICT in the title, to match the skills descriptions used.

ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future

By Tom Worthington

Paperback, 137 pages

ICT Sustainability is about how to assess, and reduce, the carbon footprint and materials used with computers and telecommunications. These are the notes for an award winning course on strategies for reducing the environmental impact of computers and how to use the Internet to make business more energy efficient. This book is designed to be used with an award winning on-line course for professionals, using mentored and collaborative learning techniques.

e-Learning Course on Green ICT Strategies: Part 18 - New Version

After considering formats for the green IT course notes (see Part 17), they are now available as a book "ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future", in limited release as a paperback, with the content also available as a web site. I would welcome corrections and comments.

These are the revised notes for a course offered by the Australian National University (COMP7310), Australian Computer Society (GTS), and Open Universities Australia (ACS25).
The notes have been updated from "Green Technology Strategies: Using computers and telecommunications to reduce carbon emissions" (Worthington, 2009). Changes include:

1. Skills descriptions: Two SFIA sustainability skills have (SUST: Sustainability strategy and SUAS: Sustainability assessment) replaced the six ICT skills specified previously.
   
2. Structure: The course has been divided into two sections, each covering one of the two skills.
   
3. Assignment Titles: The descriptions of the two assignments have been changed to match the two skills.
   
4. Reference Changes: The number of links to external sources and also internal links (particularly to the Glossary) has been reduced, to avoid confusing the reader. The list of sources cited has been consolidated into one section at the back and Harvard style references used.
   
5. Title: ICT Sustainability has replaced Green ICT in the title, to match the skills descriptions used.
   

e-Learning Course on Green ICT Strategies: Part 16 - Sustainability

This is to request comments and suggestions for the revision of "Green Technology Strategies", used in courses run by the Australian National University (COMP7310), Australian Computer Society (GTS), and Open Universities Australia (ACS25). The course has been run successfully twice in the last year. However, changes are needed due to progress with sustainability skills standards and the Australian Government Carbon Emissions Strategy.

Sustainability Skills Standards

In Part 15 of this series I mentioned how the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) had introduced sustainability job skills, which I need to align the course with. Version 4 of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) introduced four sustainability skills for IT professionals. SFIA Version 5 is now in preparation, but there are no differences proposed for the sustainability skills:

1. SUST: Sustainability strategy
2. SUMI: Sustainability management for IT
3. SUAS: Sustainability assessment
4. SUEN: Sustainability engineering

Of these, SUST: Sustainability strategy and SUAS: Sustainability assessment fit most closely with the course's intent. The course splits naturally into two parts, with two assignments in the summative assessment:

1. Write a report on the carbon footprint of the ICT operations of your organization.
2. Write a report identify ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your organization.

It would therefore seem reasonable to align these with the corresponding skills:

1. Sustainability assessment: Write a report on the carbon footprint of the ICT operations of your organization (SUAS).
2. Sustainability strategy: Write a report identify ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your organization (SUST).

At the same time the weekly course modules could be rearranged to fit these headings. The current modules are designed to fit with the SFIA categories previously used. However, this results in audit being in the second half of the course, whereas the assignment on assessment (which covers audit) is in the first half, before the students have reached this material.

Here is a proposed restructure, linked to the current chapters:

1. Politics, Science and Business of Sustainability
   • Introduction
   • The Global ICT Footprint
2. Sustainability assessment
   • Energy saving - Data Centres and Client Equipment
   • Materials Use
   • Compliance audit
   • Methods and tools
3. Sustainability strategy
   
   • Enabling ICT
   • Business process improvement
   • Improving Data Centre Energy Efficiency
   • Enterprise Architecture
   • Procurement
   • Energy Star Program and Quality Management

Australian Government Carbon Emissions Strategy

On 10 July 2011, the Australian Government released its "Clean Energy Future" strategy, including an initial carbon price of $23 per Tonne. The carbon price will only be levied on very large carbon emitters, with numerous exemptions and compensation for industry sectors and individuals. It is unlikely that any IT companies will be large enough emitters to be included in the scheme, but IT systems will be needed to assess and audit emissions and implement strategies for reductions.

The course currently uses a 2008 draft of the National Carbon Offset Standard. This was finalized and released in 1 July 2010. The Australian Government strategy says under "Accounting and audit issues":

"The accounting treatment of permits and auditing of carbon pollution will be determined in accordance with international standards, as adopted in Australia, to ensure that the cost of capital is minimised."

The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 provides for greenhouse and energy audits and appointment of Registered Greenhouse and Energy Auditors. , with requriements in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Audit) Determination 2009. There is a National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook (Word 1MB) and Auditor requirements. I have asked the Australian Government if the carbon offset standard is to be used for this. The standard refers to "suitably qualified auditors" and I have asked the government to include any of the postgraduate qualifications which include the green IT course. In any case it would be appropriate to use the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Audit Determination Handbook as a guide for the student's work.

Assessment

The appendix on assessment will need to be generalized as the assessment procedures of ACS, ANU and OU have diverged since the material was drafted (as an example, ACS and ANU use different grading schemes) . However, the questions and overall scheme can be retained.

The format of having weekly discussion questions for formative assessment, plus a mid and end of course assignments for summative assessment worked well. Asking the students what is happening in their organization has worked well. Those students without an organization adopt one. In particular a scheme run with ANU Green, where students are assigned to work with an IT manager from part of the university has worked well.

The two assignment questions could be of value more generally in professional skills courses:

1. How is what is covered in this course done currently in your organization?
   
2. How do you suggest improving it in your organization?
   

Formatting and Reference Changes

While revising the content it would be worth also making some changes to the format of the material. The primary way the students use the material is as a Moodle Learning Management System "Book Module", essentially a web based e-Book.

The e-book within the Learning Management System has worked well and should be retained. However, one change would be to include the URLs (web addresses) of works referenced explicitly in the text. This assists where the student reads the material on paper (and thus cannot click on a link to see what it is). It also helps to show students how formal references should be done.

Other versions of the material were derived from the Moodle Book, including electronic editions as web pages, IMS content package, PDF, Kindle and iPad e-books and print editions: hardback, paperback and large print.

The printed versions of the book have not proved popular. It may be worth retaining the paperback edition, but drop the other print editions. Few are wiling to pay the extra cost for a hardback book and the electronic version is likely to be preferred to large print for those with limited eyesight.

Of the electronic editions, the PDF version can be created as a byproduct of the print edition (which uses PDF for typesetting). The web pages, IMS content package, Kindle and iPad e-books are all easily created from the Moodle book module.

An improvement would be to provide the web version as one web page, rather than splitting the document into a web page per chapter. This would reduce the effort required to produce the material as Moodle can export the entire book as one web page. This would also allow the reader to easily save a copy of the whole document. At less than 1 Mbyte, the file will not be excessively large.

Course Title

Both the SFIA skills and the Australian government policy refer to "sustainability", so it may be worth replacing "green" in the course title with a title such as: "Sustainable Technology Assessment Strategies".

No Changes to Sustainable IT Skills

Version 4 of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) introduced four sustainability skills for IT professionals. SFIA Version 5 is now in preparation. So before I updated the learning objectives of my "Green Technology Strategies" course with these, I thought I should check what changes have been proposed from version 4 for version 5. I used the "compare document" feature of LibreOffice to compare the text of the skills descriptions, word by word and there are no differences:

1. SUST: Sustainability strategy
2. SUMI, Sustainability management for IT
3. SUAS, Sustainability assessment
4. SUEN, Sustainability engineering

Use of the Skills Framework for the Information Age by Australian Governments

The "Whole-of-government ICT strategic workforce plan 2010-2013" from the Australian Public Service Commission The whole-of-government strategic ICT Workforce Plan was underpinned the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA originated in the UK and so, not surprisingly there are many more mentions of it on UK government web pages (97) than the USA (2). What is surprising is that there are even more on Austrlaian governments web pages (127). However, 90 of these are from the Queensland Government, 6 from the SA Government. Of the 6 federal government references, three are in APSC reports, one is the ACS Submission on Higher Education, and one an archived discussion if the UK's use of SFIA. There appears to be only one instance of the Austrlaian Government mentioning SFIA in a job related web page (by IP Australia).

Structuring the e-Document Course

Previously I grouped 8 SFIA Skills for an Electronic Document and Records Management course at the ANU under three headings:

1. Strategy & architecture
   • Information strategy
     • Information management
     • Information policy formation
     • Information content publishing
2. Business change
   • Business change management
     • Business analysis
3. Solution development and implementation
   • Systems development
     • Data analysis
     • Database/repository design
   • Human factors
     • Usability evaluation

This is still too much to do in a six week course. The third heading was also a little too technical for this sort of course, so I dropped"Solution development and implementation".

This leaves:

1. Strategy & architecture
   • Information strategy
     • Information management
     • Information policy formation
     • Information content publishing
2. Business change
   • Business change management
     • Business analysis

Under these I have to fit the topics:

Somewhere in here I need to discuss:

1. Records Management
2. Metadata
3. Information Structures
4. Electronic Document Formats
5. Social Networking/Web 2.0/Gov 2.0
6. Implementation in Business

I could fit most of these topics under the SFIA headings:

1. Strategy & architecture
   • Information strategy
     
     • Information policy formation Module 1: Overview and Statement of Principles; Towards an Australian Government Information Policy
     • Information management Guidelines and Functional Requirements for Electronic Records Management Systems
     • Information content publishing Australian Government Recordkeeping Metadata Standard Version 2.0 National Archives of Australia page 13, Chapter 5 "5 FEATURES OF THE METADATA SET"
2. Business change
   • Business change management
     • Business analysis Guidelines and Functional Requirements for Records in Business Systems
     • recordkeeping risks associated with cloud computing
   • Electronic Document Formats:
     Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment Policy mandating of the Office Open XML, rather than the Open Document Format.
   • Social Networking/Web 2.0/Gov 2.0:The AGIMO Government 2.0 Primer; Online Consultation Guidelines; AGIMO Blog; govdex community

But e-Document Formats and Social Networking/Web 2.0/Gov 2.0 do not appear to fit anywhere in the SFIA scheme. This may be similar to the situation when I designed a Green ICT course and SFIA had no categories for such skills. SFIA responded by adding the categories, but it took more than a year from my making the request to implementation.

Web 2.0 Education to Rescue Governments from Social Networking Chaos

Rob Obrien at Asia Pacific FutureGov asked if I would like to write 1400 words on how my new course "Electronic Document and Records Management" (COMP7420) could help Asian governments. So I thought I would draft it here:

Web 2.0 Education to Rescue Governments from Social Networking Chaos

WikiLeaks has shown the embarrassment which can be caused to government from the unauthorised release of electronic information. But it is not just the deliberate unauthorised release of information which can cause problems, there is also inadvertent release of information via social networking web sites. Government power is under threat from so-called Web 2.0 tools, taking on the role of coordinating discussion of community issues.

President Obahama has popularised the idea of using the Internet to inform and consult citizens with Whitehouse 2.0, using numerous social networking web sites, including Facebook and Twitter.com. However, behind this seeming effortless announcements are public officials with years of practical experience of dealing with public communication online. These are rare skills in most government agencies.

Simply announcing that Facebook and Twitter will be used for communicating with citizens can lead to disastrous results, with many public officials discovering the dangers of making an ill considered remark online.

Also citizens soon tire of having government announcements simply thrust at them via social networking sites. These are supposed to be about two way communication and the citizens want to have a genuine say in what government does. Such demands can be threatening for public officials who are used to controlling the discussion.

A genuine public discussion of issues also requires information about what government knows and has done in the past. New governments tend to make grand announcements about "openness" but then quickly close off information access when they realise how difficult this can be to manage. But government are quickly realising that Internet access to information is difficult to control.

On 16 July 2010, Lindsay Tanner, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, in the Australian Government issued a Declaration of Open Government. This stated three key principles for informing citizens, engaging with citizens and making government more participative. To make this concrete, on on 1 November 2010 changes to Freedom of Information legislation came into force to provide greater access to government information and an Office of the Australian Information Commissioner was created to oversee this. In addition, the Intellectual Property Principles for Australian Government agencies were changed by the Attorney General's Department, 1 October 2010.

The Australian Government changes are closely bound up with concepts developed for, and promoted via, information technology. The new government IP principles call for the use of a Creative Commons licence, allowing citizens to freely use government information. FOI laws assume online access to government information. The first Freedom of Information Commissioner appointed is Dr James Popple an Adjunct Lecturer in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the Australian National University, with expertise in artificial intelligence applied to the law.

Recognising the need for government staff to be familiar with information technology, the Australian National University has created a course on how the use of the Internet effects an organization's electronic document and records management strategy.

Electronic Document and Records Management (COMP7420), is being offered by the ANU from 14 February 2011. The six week course is conducted course entirely online via the web, with students able to take part from anywhere in the world. Online forums give students the opportunity to practice discussing complex issues in a safe, controlled environment.

Web 2.0 and social networking have created a demand for rapid access to information in commercial and not-for-profit organisations. Government 2.0 provides open access and greater involvement in the decision making of government. Smart phones and tablet computers using wireless networks allow mobile access to cloud computing resources world wide. This poses a challenge for organisations to provide access and input, while maintaining the security and integrity of records, and the privacy of personal information. Students can investigate how traditional records management techniques and document formats have been adapted to the Internet era.

The use of web technology for practical e-commerce and e-publishing applications is emphasised using case studies, standards and guidelines of real organisations. Emphasis is placed on the information needs of Australian government agencies, but is also applicable to the private sector. This course identifies the steps that can be taken to accelerate the uptake of electronic documents by government, in conjunction with small and medium-sized enterprises. It enables the participant to learn practical skills for incorporating e-commerce into their organisation. The focus is on document representation, knowledge discovery, storage and retrieval.

Course designer, Tom Worthington, previously headed an Australian Government committee which developed electronic document management policy for government agencies. He brings to the task decades of experience at dealing with complex legal, social and policy issues in an online environment.

Traditional courses assume the student will work on set exercises and then after graduation go out into the world. In this course students are encouraged to bring their day job into the virtual classroom. Students are asked to relate what they are studying to what they are doing in the workplace. Assignments are written from the point of view of the employer, with the intention that developed policies and strategies will be submitted to the student's supervisor.

Electronic Document, Records and Social Networking

In defining skills for an Electronic Document and Records Management course at the ANU, I previously looked at using the UK Government Knowledge and Information Management Professional Skills Framework, SFIA, and the ASA/RMAA Statement of Knowledge for Recordkeeping Professionals. Then I talked to people from National Archives of Australia and RMAA. Last of all I talked to people who enquired about doing a course. The last group is most important, being the potential students, but before I could talk to them I need to have something to offer them.

What potential students seemed to want was:

1. Reassurance they could do a university course: Many in the records management area have a qualification gained years ago from a TAFE. They are not sure if they would be accepted by a university, particularly by the ANU, Australia's leading university. What I have to do is reassure them that if they have experience at working in an organisation, writing documents, they will be able to do the course.
2. Guide as to what to do: The course I am designing is only six weeks long. This provides a useful introduction to further studies, but does not provide a complete qualification. The ANU doesn't offer a complete program in records management, but does have Graduate Studies Select , where students can pick subjects from across the university and from University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and Charles Darwin University (CDU) as well.
3. Integration of records management with content management systems: A common question asked was about the integration of a records management system (mostly Trim or RecordPoint) with a content management system (mostly SharePoint).
4. Social Networking: The typical comment is that e-mail is integrated with the records management system, but that is about all. So only about 5% of the electronic documents of the organisation are in the corporate records system. What to do with Twitter and the like has not even been thought about.

Previously I identified 8 Skills in SFIA relevant to the course (plus Procurement and the Quality management skills). There is not room in six weeks for all of that. So cutting it down further, I have:

1. Strategy & architecture
   • Information strategy
     • Information management
     • Information policy formation
     • Information content publishing
2. Business change
   • Business change management
     • Business analysis
3. Solution development and implementation
   • Systems development
     • Data analysis
     • Database/repository design
   • Human factors
     • Usability evaluation

This is getting close to something usable.

Somewhere in here I need to discuss:

1. Records Management
2. Metadata
3. Information Structures
4. Electronic Document Formats
5. Social Networking/Web 2.0/Gov 2.0
6. Implementation in Business

Records Management in the Cloud

In defining skills for an Electronic Data Management Course at the ANU, I previously looked at using the UK Government Knowledge and Information Management Professional Skills Framework, SFIA, and the ASA/RMAA Statement of Knowledge for Recordkeeping Professionals. Just to complicate things further, on Saturday I bumped into Senator Kate Lundy, who suggested looking at Web 2.0 and geo-locationally enabled mash-ups in the course. Also she asked for some brochures about the course, so perhaps it is time to work out exactly what this is about.

Electronic Data Management (COMP7420) is planned as a 3 unit course. That is six weeks, half the length of a typical unviersity subject. If the same format as the successful course, Green Information Technology Strategies (COMP7310), is used, this will require the course content to be broken up into six topics, each of one week duration, with a small assessment item after each (called formative assessment in the jargon of pedagogy). The topics of the green ICT course are brought together in two assignments the students undertake (summative assessment).

In the case of Green ICT there are two seemingly simple assignment questions:

1. Write a report on the carbon footprint of the ICT operations of your organisation ...
   
2. Write a report identify ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your organisation ...
   

Can I reduce the wide range of subject related to data management into six topics and one or two assignment questions? One thing which is seems worth retaining is the idea of basing assignments on an organisation context (students who do not have an organsation they can talk about simply adopt one).

At level 5 SFIA I identified 8 Skills relevant to records management (plus Procurement and the Quality management skills):

1. Information management
2. Information policy formation
3. Information content publishing
4. Methods and tools
5. Business analysis
6. Data analysis
7. Database/repository design
   • Usability evaluation

The SFIA version 4 groups skills in six broad categories:

1. Strategy & architecture
   • Information strategy
     • Information management
     • Information policy formation
     • Information content publishing
   • Technical strategy and planning
     • Methods & tools
2. Business change
   • Business change management
     • Business analysis
3. Solution development and implementation
   • Systems development
     • Data analysis
     • Database/repository design
   • Human factors
     • Usability evaluation
       
4. Service management
   • No skills relevant for this course
     
5. Procurement & management support
   • Supply management
   • Quality management
   • Resource management
   • Learning and development
6. Client interface
   • No skills relevant for this course
     

Information Professional Skills Framework

The UK Government National Archives issued a Government Knowledge and Information Management Professional Skills Framework in April 2009. This is intended for recruiting and developing knowledge and information management professionals in the UK government. It has been suggested as something I could use for defining skills for an Electronic Data Management Course.

The framework defines four levels of roles, from lowest to highest: Practitioner, Manager, Leader and Strategist.
SFIA has seven levels, from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest): 1. Follow, 2. Assist, 3. Apply, 4. Enable, 5. Ensure/advise, 6. Initiate/influence, 7. Set strategy/inspire/mobilise.

It would seem to be reasonable to match "Strategist" to SFIA 7, as the word "strategy" is in the SFIA description.

There are then six SFIA levels to match with three GKIMPS Roles. The simplest solution is to match each GKIMPS role with two SFIA Levels:

Proposed Alignment of SFIA Levels with GKIMPS Roles

SFIA Level	GKIMPS Roles
1. Follow	Practitioner
2. Assist
3. Apply	Manager
4. Enable
5. Ensure/advise	Leader
6. Initiate/influence
7. Set strategy/inspire/mobilise	Strategist

These may seem obvious, but on my first attempt I had for Practitioner matched to SFIA Levels 1 to 3, Manager Levels 4, 5 and for Leader just SFIA Level 6. But that then did not give SFIA Level 5 (which is the level of the course I am designing) enough responsibility. The new arrangement is not perfect as it suggests that managers should "apply", when that is really a job for a practitioners.

A diagram is provided showing the structure of the skills framework:

A one page Overview (PDF 17.6 KB) is provided, which expands on the structure giving more detail.

There are four categories of skills in the framework, each applying to all roles:

1. Strategic planning for knowledge and information management
2. Using and exploiting knowledge and information
3. Managing and organising information
4. Information governance

Previously I identified the four ASA/RMAA Knowledge Domains in their "Course Accreditation Check-list":

1. Purposes and characteristics of records and recordkeeping system
2. Context
   
3. Recordkeeping processes and practices
4. Underpinning Knowledge Domain: Recordkeeping theories and principles

Also I identified level 5 SFIA Skills relevant to records management:

1. Information management
2. Information policy formation
3. Information content publishing
4. Methods and tools
5. Business analysis
6. Data analysis
7. Database/repository design
8. Usability evaluation

This is not counting Procurement and the Quality management skills I was not sure about including. I am not sure how to reconcile these three views.

The Government KIM Professional Skills Framework – Full Version is 31 page (PDF, 321 KB).

Contents
Using the Government Knowledge and Information Management Professional Skills Framework .... i
Acknowledgements .... iii

1. Strategic planning for knowledge and information management ... 1
   1. Organisational planning for knowledge and information management .... 1
   2. Demonstrating the value of knowledge and information management .... 5
   3. Strategic development of knowledge and information management capability ... 6
   4. Selection and procurement of knowledge and information management resources ... 8
2. Using and exploiting knowledge and information 9
   1. Knowledge sharing and collaboration .... 9
   2. Information re-use and information sharing . 12
   3. Information analysis ... 14
   4. Integrating knowledge and information management capabilities into the business process ... 16
3. Managing and organising information .... 17
   1. Information architecture and information control.... 17
   2. Creation and maintenance of information and records .... 19
4. Information governance ... 22
   1. Information risk management... 22
   2. Compliance with information legislation, regulation and corporate standards ... 24
   3. Ethics.... 26

There is also a set of Frequently Asked Questions for the Knowledge and Information Management Function (121 KB).

Learning Outcomes for Electronic Data Management

In "Refining Skills for Electronic Data Management" I trimmed down the list of Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) skills applicable to an ANU course in Electronic Data Management (COMP7420). But how does this list of skills relate to the ASA/RMAA Statement of Knowledge for Recordkeeping Professionals. TSFIA is from IT professioanls and may not match what archivists or records managers thin important.

ASA/RMAA list four Knowledge Domains in their "Course Accreditation Check-list". I have highlighted some of the words I find interesting:

1. Purposes and characteristics of records and recordkeeping system
   
   
   
   1. Purpose of records
      
   2. Characteristics of records
      
   3. Purpose of recordkeeping systems
      
   4. Characteristics of recordkeeping systems
      
   
   
2. Context
   
   
   
   1. Expectations and needs of individuals,
      organisations, communities and society in
      the past, now and in the future
      
   2. Characteristics of the jurisdictions in
      which recordkeeping activities occur
      
   3. Influence of technology on recordkeeping
      
   4. Influence of advances in best practice on
      recordkeeping
      
   5. Influence of continuity and change on
      recordkeeping and the value of records
      
   6. Culture and language of individuals,
      organisations or communities
      
   7. Risk management
      
   8. Perspectives and needs of stakeholders in
      that domain where there is a responsibility to identify requirements
      and educate
      
   9. Expertise and knowledge of agents and users of records
      
   10. Role of recordkeeping processes,
       practices and recordkeeping systems
   11. Respect for provenance
       
   12. Legal mandates and ownership of business processes
       
   13. Principles of risk
       
   14. Information management frameworks
       
   15. Principles of administrative change where records follow function
       


3. Recordkeeping processes and practices
   
   
   
   1. Arrangement and description
      
   2. Preservation
      
   3. Custody and storage
      
   4. Metadata schemas
      
   5. Business and systems analysis
      
   6. Functional approaches to recordkeeping
      
   7. Appraisal of records and functions
      
   8. Reference and access
      
   
   
4. Underpinning Knowledge Domain: Recordkeeping theories and principles
   
   1. Systems of control
      
   2. Provenance
      
   3. Original Order
      
   4. Classification systems
      
   5. Custody principles
      
   6. Records continuum theory
      
   7. Life cycle theory
      
   8. Accessibility of records
      
   9. Arrangement and description
      
   10. Mandate and ownership of business processes
       
   11. Risk principles
       
   12. Administrative change
       
   13. Appraisal theories
       
   14. Ethics
       
   15. Code of practice
       
   16. Advocacy
       
   17. Education of value of records for memory

Some of these terms are familiar from SFIA. But some, such as Business risk management, are ones I previously removed from consideration, thinking them not relevant. So I might need to go back two steps and try to align the ASA/RMAA knowledge domains with SFIA. However, most of the ASA/RMAA requirements should fit under the SFIA Information strategy subcategory, in particular Information management, Information policy formation.

While it is not normally thought of as part of the record's managers job, I would like to include Information content publishing. Both records managers and librarians make the mistake of thinking they are passive collectors of electronic records which other people devised. In my view they would provide a much better service (and have an easier time) if they were to actively promote good formats for electronic information and were involved in the creation of electronic documents.

Perhaps what I need to do is is take the ASA/RMAA Knowledge Domains and see if I can fit them under the SFIA skills categories.

Refining Skills for Electronic Data Management

In "Skills for Electronic Data Management" I looked at which of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) skills would be applicable to an ANU course in Electronic Data Management (COMP7420). The list I came up with was too long for a 6 week course, so I need to trim it down. The largest area of applicable skills is under the category "Strategy and architecture", subcategory "Information strategy", followed by "Business change". But I need to cut out some of these.

The first to go is Corporate governance of IT in SFIA, this applies only at levels 6 and 7, above the level level 5 I am aiming for. In other words, this is a skill at a higher level than applicable to this course.

Information management appears very applicable, at Level 5, the description is:

Takes responsibility for planning effective information storage, sharing and publishing within the organisation. Maintains and communicates the organisation’s information management strategy. Devises and implements document and record systems, including classification, retrieval and retention processes. Maintains an inventory of information subject to data protection and other appropriate legislation. Reviews new business proposals and provides specialist advice on information management, including advice on and promotion of collaborative working and assessment and management of risk. Responsible for ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures and overall information management strategy.

Information policy formation also looks relevant:

Drafts and maintains the policy, standards and procedures for compliance with relevant legislation. Reviews information systems for compliance with legislation and specifies any required changes. Ensures that formal information access requests and complaints are dealt with according to approved procedures. Creates and maintains an inventory of data which is subject to data protection legislation. Prepares and reviews the periodic notification of registration details and submits it to the data protection authorities.

However, the next, Information security, looks too specialised and so I have dropped that, as does Information assurance. The skill "Information analysis" appears to be one applicable to the companion course to this one Data Mining and Matching (COMP7410).

As to if "Information content publishing" is applicable is debatable. The record manager will have a hand in the publishing but not doing it all, but for the moment, I will leave this in:

Develops standards and procedures to support content publishing. Designs overall support information structures. Takes responsibility for publishing assignments, including, for example, design of the overall structure and graphical style for substantial, complex or high-profile web sites. Selects appropriate tools, templates and standards for publication in various forms, appropriate to customer expectations (differentiating, for example, between needs such as optimisation and ease of modification). Sets design and coding standards, taking into account bandwidth and compatibility.

Solution architecture and Continuity management are too specialised and technical and can go.

Methods and tools is a bit vague, but I will leave it for the moment:

Promotes and ensures use of appropriate techniques, methodologies and tools.

Portfolio management is about timetables and targets which I don't find every interesting and will drop.

Project management is about taking "full responsibility" for "medium-scale projects" over 6-12 months, with 3-5 staff. This is more than I can teach in a short course ( there are numerous ANU courses on project management).

Business analysis is applicable, as records need to support what the business is doing:

Takes responsibility for investigative work to determine business requirements and specify effective business processes, through improvements in information systems, information management, practices, procedures, and organisation change. Applies and monitors the use of required modelling and analysis tools, methods and standards, giving special consideration to business perspectives. Conducts investigations at a high level for strategy studies, business requirements specifications and feasibility studies. Prepares business cases which define potential benefits, options for achieving these benefits through development of new or changed processes, and associated business risks. Identifies stakeholders and their business needs.

But Business process testing is getting a little specialised, as is Organisation design and implementation , Benefits management and Business modelling.

Data analysis is directly applicable:

Sets standards for data analysis tools and techniques, advises on their application, and ensures compliance. Manages the investigation of corporate data requirements, and co-ordinates the application of data analysis and data modelling techniques, based upon a detailed understanding of the corporate information requirements, in order to establish, modify or maintain data structures and their associated components (entity descriptions, relationship descriptions, attribute definitions).

Requirements definition and management is too much on the business side.

Database/repository design may be a little too technical but I will leave it in for the moment l (this is what I originally trained in at the Australian Bureau of Statistics):

Maintains and applies up to date, specialist knowledge of database concepts, object and data modelling techniques and design principles, and a detailed knowledge of the full range of database architectures, software and facilities available. Analyses data requirements, to establish, modify or maintain a data model. Takes account of specialist requirements (e.g. geocoding, for geographic information systems). Interprets the model into an appropriate database schema within set policies. Demonstrates, installs and commissions selected products.

Information content authoring is about creating the content and so is less applicable and I have dropped that.

Usability requirements analysis and Human factors integration are too specialised. However Usability evaluation is of use. One problem I have found with many records management systems is unusable interfaces. Under this category can also be covered accessibility for the disabled and access on portable devices (smart phones and tablet computers, such as the Apple iPad):

Advises on what to evaluate and type of evaluation. Ensures that the results of evaluations are understood by system developers.

Capacity management and Availability management are topics I would like to cover, but don't have room for.

This then leaves a cluster of skills under "Procurement & management support", mostly user "Quality management". I need to pause and consider if these are relevant.

Category	Subcategory	Skill
Strategy and architecture	Information strategy
		Information management
		Information policy formation
		Information content publishing
	Advice and guidance
	Business/IT strategy and planning
	Technical strategy and planning
		Methods and tools
Business change	Business change implementation
	Business change management	Business analysis
	Relationship management
Solution development and implementation	Systems development
		Data analysis
		Database/repository design
	Human factors
		Usability evaluation
	Installation and integration
Service management	Service strategy
	Service design
	Service transition
	Service operation
Procurement & management support	Supply management	Procurement
	Quality management	Quality management
		Quality assurance
		Quality standards
		Compliance review
		Safety assessment
		Technology audit
	Resource management
	Learning and development
Client interface	Sales and marketing
	Client support

Skills for Electronic Data Management

The ANU asked me to run a course in Electronic Data Management (COMP7420). Previously I tried to align my Green ICT course with the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). So I went through a list of the skills in the latest version of SFIA (V4), deleting those not applicable. The table below shows what was left. The largest area of applicable skills is under the category "Strategy and architecture", subcategory "Information strategy", followed by "Business change". These are too many skills to teach in a 6 week course and I will need to trim the list down further.

Category	Subcategory	Skill
Strategy and architecture	Information strategy	Corporate governance of IT
		Information management
		Information policy formation
		Information security
		Information assurance
		Information analysis
		Information content publishing
	Advice and guidance
	Business/IT strategy and planning
	Technical strategy and planning	Solution architecture
		Continuity management
		Methods and tools
Business change	Business change implementation	Portfolio management
		Project management
	Business change management	Business analysis
		Business process testing
		Organisation design and implementation
		Benefits management
		Business modelling
	Relationship management
Solution development and implementation	Systems development
		Data analysis
		Requirements definition and management
		Database/repository design
		Information content authoring
	Human factors
		Usability requirements analysis
		Usability evaluation
		Human factors integration
	Installation and integration
Service management	Service strategy
	Service design	Capacity management
		Availability management
	Service transition
	Service operation
Procurement & management support	Supply management	Procurement
	Quality management	Quality management
		Quality assurance
		Quality standards
		Compliance review
		Safety assessment
		Technology audit
	Resource management
	Learning and development
Client interface	Sales and marketing
	Client support