System for providing roadmaps for building proficiencies in skill areas

• US 8,708,704 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bielenberg, Daniel R., Lucas, Maeve, Bartilson, Barbara J., Cugini, Jasmine, Gerard, Robert S., McCart, Bryan, Gombar, Michael, Jindrich, William A., Desai, Samir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOSSER, KATHLEEN MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US12/551,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 434/219, 434/236, 434/350
• US Class Current: 434/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A system is described for providing roadmaps for building proficiencies in skill areas. The system may include a memory, interface, and processor. The memory may store skill area and skill level identifiers, and associated job experience data items describing tasks of a user within the skill area and skill level, formal learning data items describing learning activities of a user within the skill area and skill level, and collaborative data items describing collaborative roles of a user within the skill area and skill level. The processor may receive the skill area and skill level identifiers. The processor may retrieve the job experience, formal learning and collaborative data items associated with the skill area and the skill level identifiers. The processor may transform the data items into a roadmap describing the job experience, formal learning and collaborative data items recommended to reach the skill level, and provide the roadmap to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a roadmap for building proficiency in a skill area, the method comprising:

receiving, on a network interface, from a user device, a skill area identifier identifying a skill area of a plurality of skill areas within an organization, and a skill level identifier identifying a skill level of a plurality of skill levels within the skill area;

wherein the skill levels further include;

a trained skill level;

a novice skill level

a proficient skill level;

an advanced skill level; and

an expert skill level;

retrieving, by a processor from a data store, a plurality of job experience data items associated with the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, wherein at least one job experience data item describes a task which is performed by a user within the skill area having the skill level;

retrieving, by the processor from the data store, a plurality of formal learning data items associated with the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, wherein at least one formal learning data item describes a learning activity which is performed by the user within the skill area having the skill level;

retrieving, by the processor from the data store, a plurality of collaborative data items associated with the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, wherein at least one collaborative data item describes a role in a collaborative forum of the user within the skill area having the skill level, wherein

for the trained skill level, the collaborative data item includes identifying and researching collaboration resources;

for the novice skill level, the collaborative data item includes actively participating in collaborative forums;

for the proficient skill level, the collaborative data item includes contributing to collaborative forums or serving as a subject matter expert on projects;

for the advanced skill level, the collaborative data item includes leading a community of practice and events;

for the expert skill level, the collaborative data item includes proactively contacting leaders of communities of practice, assisting or speaking to communities of practice, or surveying relevant audiences on the impact of collaborative activities;

transforming, by the processor, the plurality of job experience data items, the plurality of formal learning data items and the plurality of collaborative data items into a roadmap, wherein the roadmap describes the job experience data items, formal learning data items and collaborative data items recommended to reach the skill level identified by the skill level identifier; and

providing, via the network interface, the user device, the skill area identifier, the skill level identifier and the roadmap.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein transforming, by the processor, the plurality of job experience data items, the plurality of formal learning data items and the plurality of collaborative data items into a roadmap, wherein the roadmap describes the job experience data items, formal learning data items and collaborative data items recommended to reach the skill level identified by the skill level identifier further comprises:

applying, by the processor, the plurality of job experience data items to a job experience framework;

applying, by the processor, the plurality of formal learning data items to a formal learning framework;

applying, by the processor, the plurality of collaborative data items to a collaborative framework; and

transforming, by the processor, the job experience framework, the formal learning framework, and the collaborative framework into a roadmap.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the job experience framework describes a plurality of vendor products the user within the skill area having the skill level should be exposed to.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the formal learning framework describes a plurality of recommended learning resources and reference materials.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the collaborative framework describes a plurality of persons within the skill area the user should network with.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the skill area identifier, the skill level identifier and the roadmap are provided to the user via the network interface, through a web page.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

the trained skill level corresponds to a user that performs basic tasks with direct oversight;

the novice skill level corresponds to a user that performs standard tasks with regular supervision;

the proficient skill level corresponds to a user that performs standard tasks independently and receives supervision on complex tasks;

the advanced skill level corresponds to a user that performs complex tasks and resolves problems; and

the expert skill level corresponds to a user that shapes and delivers solutions to complex tasks.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

for the trained skill level, the job experience data item includes achieving initial exposure to a specific tool;

for the novice skill level, the job experience data item includes building deep skills with a specific tool;

for the proficient skill level, the job experience data item includes broadening exposure to vendor products with a focus on vendor server-side products;

for the advanced skill level, the job experience data item includes articulating differences in products and appropriate usage of the products;

for the expert skill level, the job experience data item includes articulating differences between extensive scope of products and the usage of the products.

9. A computer implemented method for providing a roadmap for building proficiencies across multiple skill areas, the method comprising:

receiving, on a network interface, a plurality of skill area identifiers describing a plurality of skill areas within an organization and a skill level to be obtained by the user within each skill area;

wherein the skill levels further include;

a trained skill level;

a novice skill level

a proficient skill level;

an advanced skill level; and

an expert skill level;

retrieving, by a processor from a data store, a plurality of job experience data items associated with each skill area identifier and the skill level to be obtained by the user within each skill area, wherein at least one job experience data item associated with each skill area identifier and the skill level identifier describes a task which is performed by a user within the skill area having the skill level;

retrieving, by the processor from the data store, a plurality of formal learning data items associated with each skill area identifier and the skill level to be obtained by the user within each skill area, wherein at least one formal learning data item associated with each skill area identifier and skill level describes a learning activity which is performed by the user within the skill area having the skill level;

retrieving, by the processor from the data store, a plurality of collaborative data items associated with each skill area identifier and skill level to be obtained by the user within the skill area, wherein at least one collaborative data item associated with each skill area identifier and skill level describes a role in a collaborative forum of a user within the skill area having the skill level, wherein

for the trained skill level, the collaborative data item includes identifying and researching collaboration resources;

for the novice skill level, the collaborative data item includes actively participating in collaborative forums;

for the proficient skill level, the collaborative data item includes contributing to collaborative forums or serving as a subject matter expert on projects;

for the advanced skill level, the collaborative data item includes leading a community of practice and events;

for the expert skill level, the collaborative data item includes proactively contacting leaders of communities of practice, assisting or speaking to communities of practice, or surveying relevant audiences on the impact of collaborative activities;

transforming, by the processor, the plurality of job experience data items, the plurality of formal learning data items and the plurality of collaborative data items into a roadmap, wherein the roadmap describes the job experience data items, formal learning data items and collaborative data items recommended to reach each skill level identified by each skill level identifier; and

providing, via the network interface, to the user device, the skill area identifier, the skill level identifier and the roadmap.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein transforming, by the processor, the plurality of job experience data items, the plurality of formal learning data items and the plurality of collaborative data items into a roadmap, wherein the roadmap describes the job experience data items, formal learning data items and collaborative data items recommended to reach each skill level identified by each skill level identifier further comprises:

applying, by the processor, the plurality of job experience data items to a job experience framework;

applying, by the processor, the plurality of formal learning data items to a formal learning framework;

applying, by the processor, the plurality of collaborative data items to a collaborative framework; and

transforming, by the processor, the job experience framework, the formal learning framework, and the collaborative framework into a roadmap.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the job experience framework describes a plurality of vendor products the user within the skill area having the skill level should be exposed to.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the formal learning framework describes a plurality of recommended learning resources and reference materials.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the collaborative framework describes a plurality of persons within the skill area the user should network with.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein the skill area identifier, the skill level identifier and the roadmap are provided to the user, via the network interface, through a web page.

15. A system for providing a roadmap for building proficiency in a skill area, the system comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of job experience data items, a plurality of formal learning data items, and a plurality of collaborative data items associated with a skill area identifier identifying a sill area of a plurality of skill areas within an organization, and a skill level identifier identifying a skill level of a plurality of skill levels within the skill level, wherein at least one job experience data item describes a task which is performed by a user within the skill area having the skill level, at least one formal learning data item describes a learning activity which is performed by the user within the skill area having the skill level, and at least one collaborative data item describes a role in a collaborative forum of a user within the skill area having the skill level;

wherein the skill levels further include;

a trained skill level;

a novice skill level

a proficient skill level;

an advanced skill level; and

an expert skill level;

a network interface operatively connected to the memory, the network interface operative to communicate with a device of a user;

a processor operatively connected to the memory and to the network interface, the processor operative to receive, from the device of the user via the network interface, the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, retrieve the plurality of job experience data items associated with the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, retrieve the plurality of formal learning data items associated with the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, retrieve the plurality of collaborative data items associated with the skill area identifier and the skill level identifier, transform the plurality of job experience data items, the plurality of formal learning data items and the plurality of collaborative data items into a roadmap, wherein the roadmap describes the job experience data items, formal learning data items, and collaborative data items recommended to reach the skill level identified by the skill level identifier, and providing, via the network interface to the device of the user, the skill area identifier, the skill level identifier and the roadmap, and wherein

for the trained skill level, the collaborative data item includes identifying and researching collaboration resources;

for the novice skill level, the collaborative data item includes actively participating in collaborative forums;

for the proficient skill level, the collaborative data item includes contributing to collaborative forums or serving as a subject matter expert on projects;

for the advanced skill level, the collaborative data item includes leading a community of practice and events;

for the expert skill level, the collaborative data item includes proactively contacting leaders of communities of practice, assisting or speaking to communities of practice, or surveying relevant audiences on the impact of collaborative activities.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to apply the plurality of job experience data items to a job experience framework, apply the plurality of formal learning data items to a formal learning framework, apply the plurality of collaborative data items to a collaborative framework, and transform the job experience framework, the formal learning framework, and the collaborative framework into a roadmap.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the job experience framework describes a plurality of vendor products the user within the skill area having the skill level should be exposed to.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the formal learning framework describes a plurality of recommended learning resources and reference materials.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the collaborative framework describes a plurality of persons within the skill area the user should network with.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the skill area identifier, the skill level identifier and the roadmap are provided to the user through a web page.