The UX Competency Framework Initiative has been created by a collaborative group of academics, practitioners and not-for-profit organisations, such as the UK UPA, to create definitions and guidance for the measurement and safeguarding of User Experience (UX) as a discipline.

Some background
In 2009 Tom McEwan (Edinburgh Napier University) suggested that the community needed to adjust in the “age of competency” and create a framework for User Experience. While there are several frameworks, User Experience is not well served by SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) or National Occupation Standards (NOS).

The UX community is growing rapidly. However, there is a shared consensus within the community that there is a lack of definition for the discipline, and a lack of a framework against which to assess competency. This can create several challenges:

• This lack of definition is unhelpful for anyone seeking to persuade a large organisation to recruit for a role that has no pre-approved specification
• Smaller organisations create their own definitions, which can lead to confusion in the marketplace as to what User Experience is, and how it can be optimised
• Universities and colleges cannot validate degrees without clear evidence of demand
• School leavers will not seek a career in UX, if it does not appear in databases referenced by career advisers, and so on…

Competency definitions form the basis of Human Resource Management. Our jobs are benchmarked against standard definitions, in setting pay scales and comparability within organisations. We are benchmarked against our job specifications in our appraisals. Skills gap analysis help identify the continuing professional development we need to maintain our current level and to progress in our careers.

Activities so far
In February 2010 a group of professionals from various industry and academic groups, including the UK UPA, and co-chaired by Tom McEwan and John Knight, held a workshop to take the first steps towards developing a UX Competency Framework. The workshop included plenary sessions, presented papers and workshop sessions.

The aims of the workshop were to work towards identifying:

• Some ideal person specifications for UX
• Some ideal job descriptions and organisational structures for UX
• Future activities to take the Framework forwards

The first steps have been made, and future events are being planned to enhance the findings of the first workshop. If you would like to participate in future UX Competency Framework events please join the LinkedIn group or check back here.

The organising committee is as follows:

• Tom McEwan – UXCF2010 Co-Chair and Chair, BCS Interaction SG
• Jonathan Earthy – IEEE
• John Knight – BCS
• Chandra Harrison – President of UK UPA
• Tony Russell-Rose – IEHF
• Nigel Bevan

Contact Chandra Harrison if you need more information.