You want to introduce skill management in your organization, and you are looking for the right scale to access skills? This article explores the most common scales used in talent development and human resources.
What is a skill scale?
I started Judo when I was 6 years old. For my first day I received a white belt, and I saw that my comrades had colored belts instead. I quickly learned the belt system: yellow, orange, green and brown. The black colors were only worn by the teacher and his assistants. To get the next belt color, you had to make Katas successfully in front of teacher, patterns that demonstrate various Judo techniques. I was of course envious of the kinds wearing the green belt, and I was very motivated to get soon my yellow one. As a kid generally needs 18 months to get the yellow belt, teachers used to give stripes to put on our belt to acknowledge progress. I was then proud to wear my first yellow stripe and was eager to get the next one.
A scale is like a progression framework which makes clear development goals. Employees use skill scales to rate their skills, identify their strengths and their improvement potential, and then know what must be learned next.
The skill levels are generally displayed in the skill matrix, enabling the team to identify skill gaps which are putting the delivery capability of the team at risk.
Besides talent management, skill scales may be linked to compensation structures, influencing salary levels like performance evaluations.
The most popular skill scales
Shu Ha Ri
Shu Ha Ri is a concept originating from Japanese martial arts that describes the stages of learning and mastery. It is often applied to various disciplines, including martial arts, craftsmanship, and other forms of skill development. The Shu Ha Ri scale consists of three stages:
| Shu (守) – “Protect” or “Obey” | In the Shu stage, the focus is on learning and following the fundamental techniques and principles taught by the instructor or a master. People adhere strictly to established forms and rules. This stage is characterized by a deep level of respect for the master and a commitment to building a solid foundation. |
| Ha (破) – “Detach” or “Break” | The Ha stage marks a transition where students begin to question, experiment, and explore beyond the strict adherence to the established forms. Practitioners develop a deeper understanding of the underlying principles and may start to deviate from traditional techniques to find what works best for them. It involves breaking away from strict imitation and incorporating personal insights. |
| Ri (離) – “Leave” or “Transcend” | The Ri stage represents the point where practitioners achieve a level of mastery that allows them to transcend the established forms and create their own way. At this stage, the practitioner has internalized the principles and techniques to the extent that they can express them naturally and creatively. They become innovators or masters in their own right. |
The NIH Proficiency scale
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the primary agency for conducting and supporting medical research. It has defined a competency proficiency scale which is used in many Human Resources departments in the US.
| 1 | Fundamental Awareness | You have common knowledge or an understanding of basic techniques and concepts. |
| 2 | Novice (Limited Experience) | You have the level of experience gained in a classroom and/or experimental scenarios or as a trainee on-the-job. You are expected to need help when performing this skill. |
| 3 | Intermediate (Practical Application) | You can successfully complete tasks in this competency as requested. Help from an expert may be required from time to time, but you can usually perform the skill independently. |
| 4 | Advanced | You can perform the actions associated with this skill without assistance. You are certainly recognized within your immediate organization as “a person to ask” when difficult questions arise regarding this skill. |
| 5 | Expert | You are known as an expert in this area. You can provide guidance, troubleshoot and answer questions related to this area of expertise and the field where the skill is used. |
Adept, Specialist, Expert
The Adapt/Specialist/Expert scale is a simple scale which assesses the autonomy of the person and complexity of tasks that can be handled.
| 1 | Adept (or Beginner) | The Adept has partial theoretical knowledge and limited experience. |
| 2 | Specialist | The Specialist is autonomous and requires help from Experts only in complex situations. |
| 3 | Expert | The Expert can handle complex situations, provide guidance, and innovate in his area. |
With a scale of 9 levels, you can introduce 3 different expert levels, according to the scope of the expertise recognition and impact in the Industry.
| 1 | Adept 1 | Basic knowledge of techniques and concepts. |
| 2 | Adept 2 | Limited knowledge and experience. Requires assistance. |
| 3 | Adept 3 | Autonomous in situations with low complexity. |
| 4 | Specialist 1 | Autonomous in situations with medium complexity. |
| 5 | Specialist 2 | Autonomous in situations with high complexity. |
| 6 | Specialist 3 | Autonomous in situations with very high complexity. |
| 7 | Expert 1 | Recognized as Leader and Innovator in his direct Organization. |
| 8 | Expert 2 | Recognized as Leader and Innovator in the Company |
| 9 | Expert 3 | Recognized as Leader and Innovator in the Industry. |
The Adept/Specialist/Expert scale is a simple and generic scale which can be used with 3, 6 or 9 levels. Its limitation: It may be difficult to estimate the complexity of tasks, and therefore it is a good practice to give examples of complex and very complex tasks.
Scale for Soft Skills
As Soft Skills as behavioral and situational, the same scale cannot be applied for hard skills. A person can be an expert in Creativity, but then the Creativity Techniques are meant, which is an hard skill. We can say that one person more creative than the average. This is expressed by demonstrated creative Behaviors in various situations.
Assessment of Soft Skills is based on behavior observation, soft skills are assessed by checking how often a behavior has been applied correctly in situations.
In our Skill Matrix Tool, we use a scale based on how pronounced a behavior is:
- Slightly pronounced
- Somewhat pronounced
- Moderately pronounced
- Pronounced
- Very pronounced
The EQF Scale
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a tool used to compare qualifications across different European countries. It consists of 8 levels, each describing what a learner knows, understands, and can do at the end of a learning process. The levels are defined by a combination of three key types of learning outcomes:
- Knowledge: the degree of depth and complexity.
- Skills: the ability to apply knowledge in practice.
- Responsibility and autonomy: the level of independence in managing tasks.
Here’s an overview of the EQF levels:
- EQF Level 1: Basic general knowledge, simple tasks under direct supervision.
- EQF Level 2: Basic factual knowledge, simple tasks with some autonomy.
- EQF Level 3: Knowledge of facts and principles, responsibility for completing tasks and adapting to changes.
- EQF Level 4: Broad theoretical knowledge and practical skills, some autonomy and supervision responsibilities.
- EQF Level 5: Comprehensive, specialized knowledge, and problem-solving in practice. Can manage and supervise.
- EQF Level 6: Advanced knowledge in a specialized field (often a bachelor’s degree level) with responsibility for decision-making in professional practice.
- EQF Level 7: Highly specialized knowledge, innovation, and research skills, responsible for strategic decision-making (typically master’s level).
- EQF Level 8: The highest level, where learners demonstrate frontier knowledge and the ability to solve complex and unpredictable problems (typically doctoral level).
The EQF allows for the transparency and comparability of qualifications across European countries, making it easier for individuals to study and work across borders.
Conclusion: Choosing the right Competency Scale
Skill scales provide a framework for assessing and rating skills. Choosing the appropriate skill is an important decision. A simple scale makes it easier to assess skills, but does not show the progress of employees.
If you need a skill scale to identify skill gaps and experts in your teams, then a scale with three levels will be sufficient. If you need a scale for tracking and fostering learning progress, then a 5-points scale is the minimum.
If you are a large organization and want to promote industry experts, then a scale with at least 6 levels will be more adapted.
Here is a summary to choose your right skill scale:
| Organization Size / Purpose | Small to Medium | Large |
| Skill Gaps | 3-points | 3-points |
| Learning Progress | 5-points | 6-points to 9 points |