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CBILLS Formulating The Unit of Competency
CBILLS Formulating The Unit of Competency
Bottom-up Process:
1. Craft critical behaviors
2. Restate similar behaviors, cluster related behaviors and provide a competency title to the cluster
3. The competency title (stated as a noun) is the Unit of Competency. Give it a definition that will
cover its scope, as indicated by the critical behaviors that are listed under it.
4. Critical behaviors are the elements of that competency. Each (and all) critical behaviors refer to a
set of knowledge and skills that (the incumbent in) a position has to have to be able to perform and
deliver outputs and outcomes in the workplace.
5. Hierarchy of concepts
The Competency-Based Training (CBT) Approach looks at designing LDIs tailored to the unit of competency
and the needs of the learners. Each unit of competency lists down the critical behaviors that the incumbent
to a position has to demonstrate to perform successfully at the job. A CBT provides both knowledge and
skills and the demonstration of such knowledge and skills as behavior during the training so the trainee can
apply or demonstrate those behaviors at the workplace.
CBT is therefore conducted in a modular manner, with each module comprised of micro learning units that
respond to development in a critical behavior. Consequently, a modular approach lessens the amount of time a
participant is away from the workplace undertaking the training, is less costly, and more efficient.
There is a standard way of formulating a critical behavior. A critical behavior is presented in the following
manner:
• The qualifier may refer to the quality of the action, the object of the action or the results,
essentially making the critical behavior measurable.
1
• We use the third person, singular, present tense, for the verb. Examples would be: uses, analyzes,
writes, prepares, etc.
• The critical behavior has to pass the video test, meaning it is observable, replicable, and
measurable. Verbs like understand, know, think, etc. are therefore not acceptable since they are
not visible actions.
• Do not use two verbs in one behavioral statement; conjunctives like ‘and’ should not be used. If
these two verbs are necessary, then that means the statement refers to two different actions and
should therefore be divided into two behaviors.
• The critical behavior should be able to provide the following information to the reader:
- Skills requirement
- Knowledge requirement
- Results: desired outcomes of the action
A unit of competency is the specification of knowledge and skill, and the application of that knowledge and
skill, to the standard of performance expected in the workplace. It is the smallest unit that can be assessed
and recognised.
Each unit of competency provides a specification for the standard of performance of a particular work
function. It describes a work outcome. This includes the performance and knowledge requirements for
the work function, the contexts and any conditions related to the work, and the evidence needed to
determine if someone has achieved the unit.
Example 11:
Dimensions of Competence
Input:
Strategic goals, objectives and plans based on technical and/or product/service specialization,
market orientation, knowledge of business and operating environment, policy/procedural
framework, and project management methods, processes, and systems
Process:
Assessment of corporate understanding and executive commitment to realization of
outcomes through the conduct of programs, portfolios and/or projects
Assessment of organizational adaptability to manage change incurred through conduct of
programs, portfolios and/or projects
Aspects of management structure, leadership, power and politics inherent to the organization
Output:
List of endorsed outcomes which are able to be achieved through the conduct of programs,
portfolios and/or projects
1 https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/organizational-competence-management-support-projects-8600
2
Example 22: