The TenC Competence Observatory: The TenC Competence Observatory: An Enabling Technology for Common An Enabling Technology for Common

Description of Competences Description of Competences

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Panayiotis Zervas (pzervas@iti.gr)Panayiotis Zervas (pzervas@iti.gr)

Pythagoras Karampiperis (pythk@iti.gr)Pythagoras Karampiperis (pythk@iti.gr)

Demetrios Sampson (sampson@iti.gr)Demetrios Sampson (sampson@iti.gr)

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OutlineOutline

• IntroductionIntroduction– Problem DefinitionProblem Definition– Paper Contribution Paper Contribution

• TenC Competence ObservatoryTenC Competence Observatory– ScopeScope– Target Groups Target Groups – Scenarios of UseScenarios of Use– Main FunctionalitiesMain Functionalities– Supportive FunctionalitiesSupportive Functionalities– Exemplary screenshotsExemplary screenshots

• Joint Model for Describing CompetencesJoint Model for Describing Competences• ConclusionsConclusions

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Problem DefinitionProblem Definition

Competence-based approaches have proved to be a critical tool in Competence-based approaches have proved to be a critical tool in many organizational functions, such asmany organizational functions, such as– workforce and succession planning workforce and succession planning – performance appraisalperformance appraisal

Competence-based approaches in the field of formal or non-formal Competence-based approaches in the field of formal or non-formal education and trainingeducation and training– are becoming more commonare becoming more common– appear to offer the opportunity to develop training programmes that meet appear to offer the opportunity to develop training programmes that meet

needs of learners, trainers and potential employersneeds of learners, trainers and potential employers

However, different organizations may define the same competences in However, different organizations may define the same competences in different ways due to different organizational processesdifferent ways due to different organizational processes

Enabling technologies and infrastructures for facilitating the Enabling technologies and infrastructures for facilitating the synchronization for the creation of common competences descriptions synchronization for the creation of common competences descriptions are missingare missing

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Paper ContributionPaper Contribution

Thus, in this paperThus, in this paper We present the use of TenC We present the use of TenC

Competence Observatory, an Competence Observatory, an enabling technology that aims to enabling technology that aims to support the creation of common support the creation of common description of competences that have description of competences that have to be acquired in different to be acquired in different professional and academic fieldsprofessional and academic fields

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The TenC Competence Observatory The TenC Competence Observatory ObjectivesObjectives

TenC Competence Observatory is a web-based environment, TenC Competence Observatory is a web-based environment, which is being developed under the context of the which is being developed under the context of the TENCompetence project.TENCompetence project.

TENCompetence project aims to support individuals, groups and TENCompetence project aims to support individuals, groups and organizations in Europe in Lifelong Competence Development.organizations in Europe in Lifelong Competence Development.

TenC Competence Observatory scope is:TenC Competence Observatory scope is: To store and monitor the competences that have to be To store and monitor the competences that have to be

acquired in different professional and academic fieldsacquired in different professional and academic fields To provide interoperable mechanisms for expressing and To provide interoperable mechanisms for expressing and

exchanging the competences that must be met in order to exchanging the competences that must be met in order to obtain different jobs/functionsobtain different jobs/functions

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The TenC Competence Observatory The TenC Competence Observatory Target GroupsTarget Groups

The groups that the TENC Competence The groups that the TENC Competence Observatory tries to targetObservatory tries to target are:are:

Enterprises or OrganizationsEnterprises or Organizations, who are , who are interested in defining the desired interested in defining the desired competences for their employees’ job roles.competences for their employees’ job roles.

IndividualsIndividuals, who have a specific profession , who have a specific profession and they want to compare their own and they want to compare their own competences with reference ones (defined by competences with reference ones (defined by an organization or enterprise) for their an organization or enterprise) for their profession.profession.

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Usage scenario for an Usage scenario for an Organization/EnterpriseOrganization/Enterprise

• Specify relevant job roles:Specify relevant job roles: the organization/enterprise define the organization/enterprise define the different job roles for their employees the different job roles for their employees

• Specify the relevant job levels: Specify the relevant job levels: the job roles can be the job roles can be performed at one or more job levels, so the performed at one or more job levels, so the organization/enterprise define the different levels for the organization/enterprise define the different levels for the previous defined job roles previous defined job roles

• Define the required competences: Define the required competences: every job role has a set every job role has a set of competences that define the minimum requirements for that of competences that define the minimum requirements for that job rolejob role

• Use the collaboration tools: Use the collaboration tools: the organization/enterprise can the organization/enterprise can use the collaboration tools of the TenC Competence use the collaboration tools of the TenC Competence Observatory, in order to share experiences about the Observatory, in order to share experiences about the Competences of a specific job with other members of the Competences of a specific job with other members of the system system

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Usage Scenario for an IndividualUsage Scenario for an Individual

• Search for desired job roles: Search for desired job roles: the individual searches for the individual searches for desired job roles that wants to become competent desired job roles that wants to become competent

• Select a specific job level for this job role: Select a specific job level for this job role: the individual the individual selects specific job levels for the desired job rolesselects specific job levels for the desired job roles

• View competences related with a specific job level: View competences related with a specific job level: compare their own competences with reference ones that have compare their own competences with reference ones that have been defined from an organization or an enterprisebeen defined from an organization or an enterprise

• Use the collaboration tools: Use the collaboration tools: the individual can use the the individual can use the collaboration tools of the TenC Competence Observatory, in collaboration tools of the TenC Competence Observatory, in order to share experiences with other members of the system order to share experiences with other members of the system about the competences he/she possessesabout the competences he/she possesses

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TenC Competence ObservatoryTenC Competence ObservatoryMain Main Functionalities (1/2)Functionalities (1/2)

• Create/Search Jobs/FunctionsCreate/Search Jobs/Functions• Create/Search Competences descriptionsCreate/Search Competences descriptions• Assign required Competences to Assign required Competences to

Jobs/FunctionsJobs/Functions• Export and Import in XML representation Export and Import in XML representation

Competences Descriptions based on IMS Competences Descriptions based on IMS RDCEO and HR-XML specificationsRDCEO and HR-XML specifications

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TenC Competence ObservatoryTenC Competence ObservatoryMain Main Functionalities (2/2)Functionalities (2/2)

Search Competences

Create Competences Descriptions

Search Jobs/Functions

Create Jobs/Functions

Assign Competences to Jobs/Functions

Jobs/Functions Repository

Competences Repository

User

IMS RDCEO, HR-XML

Export/Import XML

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TenC Competence ObservatoryTenC Competence ObservatorySupportive FunctionalitiesSupportive Functionalities

Information Services: Information Services: for informing the members for informing the members of TenC Competence Observatory for newly of TenC Competence Observatory for newly created jobs/functionscreated jobs/functions

Search Engines:Search Engines: for searching the contents of the for searching the contents of the TenC Competence Observatory TenC Competence Observatory

Communication Tools: Communication Tools: includes forums, chats includes forums, chats and wikisand wikis for discussing about jobs/functions and for discussing about jobs/functions and the competences of these jobs/functions.the competences of these jobs/functions.

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Create Jobs/FunctionsCreate Jobs/Functions

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Create Job/Function LevelsCreate Job/Function Levels

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Search a Job/FunctionSearch a Job/Function

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View Required Competences for a View Required Competences for a Specific Job/FunctionSpecific Job/Function

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Collaborations ToolsCollaborations Tools

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View the XML Representation of View the XML Representation of CompetencesCompetences

IMS RDCEO XML Representation

HR-XML Representation

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Importing and exporting Importing and exporting Competences in XML format Competences in XML format

• The TenC Competence Observatory supports The TenC Competence Observatory supports the current state of the art description models the current state of the art description models for competencies namely, IMS RDCEO and for competencies namely, IMS RDCEO and HR-XML by importing and exporting HR-XML by importing and exporting competencies descriptions based on these competencies descriptions based on these specificationspecification

• In order to achieve this, we have created a In order to achieve this, we have created a joint model for describing competences by joint model for describing competences by mapping the elements of IMS-RDCEO and HR-mapping the elements of IMS-RDCEO and HR-XML XML

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Main Elements of the Joint Model for Main Elements of the Joint Model for Describing CompetencesDescribing Competences

Joint Model

Identifier

Title

Description

ProfociencyLevel

Classification

Relation

A globally unique label that identifies this definition of competence.

A short name for this competence. The “Title” may be repeated in multiple languages.

A narrative description of the competence. The “Description” may be repeated in multiple languages.

The proficiency level of the competence. There may be multiple instances of this category. The “ProficiencyLevel”

category may include different types of proficiency Level such as “Knowledge Level”, “Skill Level” and “Attitude Level”.

Reference to taxonomies where this competence falls within a particular classification system. To define multiple

classifications, there may be multiple instances of this category.

Competences can be recursive. A competence may refer to other competences.

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Conclusions and Future WorkConclusions and Future Work

In this paperIn this paper• we present the TenC Competence Observatory an we present the TenC Competence Observatory an

enabling technology that aims to support the creation enabling technology that aims to support the creation of common description of competences for different of common description of competences for different job rolesjob roles

• we demonstrate the usage of the system and its we demonstrate the usage of the system and its capability to support the creation of common capability to support the creation of common competences descriptions competences descriptions

Future WorkFuture Work• Promote the usage of the systemPromote the usage of the system• Enrich the competences and jobs/functions of the Enrich the competences and jobs/functions of the

systemsystem• Further development (usability, interfaces)Further development (usability, interfaces)

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Contact DetailsContact Details

Demetrios Sampson (sampson@iti.gr)Demetrios Sampson (sampson@iti.gr)

Advanced e-Services for the Knowledge Society Advanced e-Services for the Knowledge Society Research Unit (ASK)Research Unit (ASK)

Informatics and Telematics Institute (ITI)Informatics and Telematics Institute (ITI)

Center for Research and Technology Hellas Center for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) (CERTH)

(http://www.ask4research.info)(http://www.ask4research.info)