Building Stronger Education Programs with Competency Frameworks
Getting started with a competency framework can bring massive benefits to your organization. In our recent webinar, Echtus CEO, Vicky Kennedy, shared how companies can build a competency framework that defines the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed for success in roles across an organization.
Here’s a look at what competency frameworks are, how to structure them, and why they’re essential for both customer and employee education.
What is a Competency Framework?
A competency framework is a model that defines the roles within an organization and outlines the skills and knowledge required to perform those roles successfully.
Think of it as a blueprint for what “good” looks like in a given role. Instead of just listing tasks or tools, a competency framework paints a complete picture of what proficiency means. Competency frameworks typically take the shape of a matrix that maps competencies against proficiency levels, making it possible to track and measure progress, identify skill gaps, and support employee growth.
At its core, a competency framework should answer the question: What does someone need to know and be able to do in order to succeed in this role?
How to Structure a Competency Framework
While competency frameworks can vary across industries and roles, most share a consistent structure comprised of the following segments:
Domains: broad categories of knowledge or performance (Communication, Technical Expertise, Customer Insight).
Competencies: measurable areas within each domain that are specifically defined (File Management: Can keep files organized and navigate them seamlessly).
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): the granular elements that define what proficiency looks like (Formatting, Table Creation).
Here’s an example for an administrative role:
Domain: Office Skills
Competency: Word Processing: Can produce documents for relevant business purposes
KSAs: Typing, formatting, using tables and headings
This layered approach provides clarity. For instance, someone may excel at creating spreadsheets but struggle with file management, and a competency framework makes that distinction visible.
When designing one for customer or employee education, focus on competencies tied directly to your product or solution, while still considering broader workflows. Keep the scope balanced: too broad and it becomes vague, too detailed and it risks being unmanageable.
Why Competency Frameworks Are Important
Competency frameworks are the foundation for scalable, measurable, and impactful learning. Here are some specific use cases that demonstrate why competency frameworks are so important:
Talent Development & Assessment
Competency frameworks provide a clear lens for identifying skills gaps, tracking growth, and supporting employee performance reviews.
Scalable, Modular Curriculum Design
Instead of building training in silos, competency frameworks allow you to map content to competencies, making it easier to see what content can be repeated across different roles or segments.
Gives Credibility to Certification Programs
Any credible certification is built on a competency framework. Without one, exams risk becoming a test of memory rather than proof of real-world capability.
Learning Measurement & ROI
Because competency frameworks define outcomes at multiple levels (KSAs → Competencies → Domains), they naturally serve as a measurement model. You can track whether learners achieve proficiency, if their behavior changes, and how that drives business outcomes.
Cross-Functional Value
On the customer education side, competency frameworks help you align training with customer workflows and personas, making your programs more relevant and impactful. On the employee side, they give HR and L&D teams a powerful tool to guide workforce development and training.
Ultimately, frameworks make it clear which skills need improvement and provide a measurable way to achieve true learning, rather than just surface-level training.
Ready to Develop your Competency Framework?
Getting started with a competency model is simpler than it seems. To learn more, check out the full webinar recording to go even more in-depth into competency frameworks and learn practical steps for putting them into action.
