Short answer
Skills intelligence brings together what a task requires, what someone has demonstrated, and what remains uncertain. A useful record separates a skill label from its supporting example, the conditions of the work, the reviewer, and the person’s interests. This worksheet helps prepare a development discussion; it is not a certification or an automatic judgement of readiness.
Copy this skills evidence card
Use an existing approved document or HR system. Keep the fields separate so another reviewer can understand both the example and its limits.
- Work question: which task or development decision needs evidence?
- Skill definition: what observable work would demonstrate it?
- Example: what happened, when, and what did the person personally do?
- Conditions: which tools, colleagues, instructions or support were involved?
- Evidence and review: what approved record or work sample can be checked, by whom?
- Limits: which parts remain unobserved, disputed or out of date?
- Interest: does the person want to use, develop or share this experience?
- Optional contribution: if the person wants to share, agree the audience, format, paid work time and what they permit others to reuse. Keep declining separate from capability.
- Next step: agree an owner, a practice opportunity and a review date.
Keep evidence states separate
Record whether an item is self-reported, supported by an example, reviewed for a particular task, or awaiting an update. These are descriptive states, not a ranking of employees. A reviewed example remains bounded to its task and conditions.
- Keep the employee account distinct from the reviewer’s interpretation.
- Ask about a difficult or unsuccessful case to understand limits.
- Let the person correct the record and explain who can see it.
Choose a proportionate next step
Decide whether to gather another example, arrange supported practice, identify learning, or leave the question open. Where the decision concerns hiring, promotion or safety-critical work, use the organisation’s appropriate assessment and approval process instead of treating this card as sufficient evidence.
Why this guide is useful
Use this card when a broad label such as problem solving or customer service is too vague to support the next development conversation. Complete it for one task before attempting an organisation-wide inventory.
What a profile cannot establish on its own
A taxonomy helps people use consistent names. A profile, self-report, course completion or generated summary does not by itself establish proficiency in a new context. OPM’s job-analysis guidance connects work tasks with the competencies they require. The worksheet below applies that distinction to a development discussion, not a formal selection assessment.
Concrete example
Fictional example: a support specialist describes resolving a recurring billing handover problem. The card records the steps, an approved procedure note and a colleague who can review the account. It supports a supervised practice session with another team. It does not establish expertise in every billing system or an interest in changing jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a skills evidence card a skills assessment?
- It organises evidence for discussion. It does not validate proficiency or replace an assessment designed for a particular role, decision or safety requirement.
- Does an employee’s interest prove readiness?
- No. Interest, availability and demonstrated capability are different fields. Discuss all three before agreeing an opportunity.