Use an Expert Panel to Build a Basic Competency Model

Using Expert Panels, Focus Groups and Job Analysis Interviews. 

Many small and medium-size organizations want to develop competency models and integrate competencies into their talent management and HR systems. Unfortunately, many are constrained by limited budgets to use consultants or purchase competency dictionaries, software, interview guides, etc. In response to this problem, Workitect developed and began conducting a three-day workshop in 2004 to train internal HR professionals to build their own competency models. More than 1,200 people have attended these workshops and have built models using our methodology.

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 The McClelland/McBer Model-Building Methodology

Our methodology for building job competency models is based on the Job Competence Assessment (JCA) methodology developed by Dr. David McClelland, a pioneer in motivation and competency research and testing at Harvard, and by consultants at McBer and Company in the 1970’s.

The modeling process starts with superior performers in a targeted job being identified, and then studied to identify the personal characteristics, skills, and knowledge that they possess that enables them to be superior performers. The methods used to collect data for building the model, such as behavioral event interviews and expert panels, are designed to get beneath mere opinions about superior performance and superior performers. _____________________________________________________________________________

Thirty years ago, we conducted research on job competence assessment and created a generic competency dictionary that has been tested and has evolved into a practical, comprehensive, and affordable dictionary consisting of 35 foundational competencies (leadership, management, and professional). Many organizations are now using this dictionary to build models and applications.

Still, many organizations are finding it difficult to launch a competency-modeling project, often due to a lack of time, staff, or budget. To help these organizations, we have taken material from our Building Competency Models workshop and developed a program to enable a competency dictionary licensee to build basic competency models using focus groups, supplemented with optional job task analysis interviews.

The program consists of these instructional materials:

1. Overview of Competencies and Competency Models (16 page PDF)

• What is a Competency?
• What is a Competency Model?
  • Example of a Competency Model
• Why Develop Competency Models?

            Integrating Key HR Processes (10 page PDF)
            Competencies 101 (Powerpoint)
            The Case for a Competency-Based HR System (Powerpoint)

2. Planning a Competency Modeling Project (8 page PDF)

• Analyzing and Identifying Stakeholders
  • Stakeholder Analysis Table
• Structure of the Plan
• Communicating with Stakeholders and Employees

        Worksheet for Planning a Competency Modeling Project (13 page PDF)

• Scope of the Project
• Organizational Context
• Selecting the Approach to Model Building
• Building Support for the Project
• Deciding on Data Sources
• Staffing the Model Building Project
• Envisioning the Data Analysis and Model Building
• Reviewing and Revising the Model

3. Collecting Data & Developing a Basic* Competency Model (14 page PDF)            Using Focus Groups and Job Analysis Interviews

• General Data Collection Tasks
• Primary Data Collection Methods
  • Job Analysis Interviews
  • Resource Panels, aka Focus Groups or Expert Panels
    • Instructional manual on facilitating a Resource Panel
    • Alternative Methods
      • Virtual Resource Panel & Job Competency Profile
      • Competency Model Survey

     Resource Materials (separate documents and forms)

• Competency Requirements Questionnaire
• Competency Requirements Questionnaire Tabulation worksheet
• Job Analysis Interview for Jobholders Template
• Job Analysis Interview for Managers of Jobholders Template
• Competency Dictionary

*A full model includes the conducting, analyzing, and coding of structured behavioral event interviews.

• Licensees are expected to attend a future public or onsite workshop to learn how to collect and analyze additional data, including structured behavioral event interviews, and to develop competency-based applications.
• Guidebook users will be given access to all materials in Dropbox folders.
• Word versions of some customizable documents and forms are available.
• Phone or live online coaching from a Workitect consultant is available.

THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE FOR LICENSEES OF WORKITECT’S COMPETENCY DICTIONARY.

Contact Workitect for additional information about this program.

To learn more about our products and services, and how competencies and competency models can help your organization, call 800-870-9490, email edward.cripe@workitect.com
or use the contact form at  Workitect.

©️2019, Workitect, Inc.

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