Map skills supply and evidence
Course overview · 4 min reading + 12 min practice, estimated
Principles and method
Describe capabilities at the level needed to perform work. A job title is not evidence of a specific skill. Build a matrix showing capability, proficiency evidence, current availability and development lead time. Agree what each proficiency level means in observable work. Ask people and managers to verify the record; historical project exposure can be incomplete or outdated. Do not use a skills inventory as a covert performance ranking. Separate individual development discussions from aggregated planning views, with access appropriate to the purpose. The useful gap is between required capability and deployable capability within the planning period.
Worked example
Eight engineers appear available, but only two have recent evidence of signing off a regulated test. A third can qualify in six weeks with supervision. The plan records that development route instead of assuming all eight are interchangeable.
Put it into practice
Build a fictional four-person matrix for three capabilities and identify a time-bound gap.
Use fictional information and keep your work in your own notes.
Compare your approach: self-review guidance
Use evidence such as a recent assessed task, not self-rating alone. Record a development date and supervisor. Distinguish unknown evidence from confirmed lack of capability; they require different follow-up.
Sources and further reading
Original Academy teaching and fictional examples. These references provide context, not endorsement. Edition 2026.09; updated 2026-09-24.
- CIPD: Workforce planning
Further reading on workforce demand and supply.
- CIPD: Recruitment
Professional context for the recruitment lifecycle.