[LINK] New Core Body Of Knowledge for the ICT Profession

[steve jenkin]

Tom Worthington wrote on 28/6/07 11:22 AM:

1. Without a Taxonomy of the Fields of Practice, as distinct from fields
of Study (CE, CS, SE, IT, IS) within IT/ICT, it's not possible to create
a meaningful Body of Knowledge.
This Taxonomy must also describe the various skill/capabilities for each
level [eg tradesman, technician, para-professional, 'engineer',
specialist].  This might be very similar to a set of Job Titles.

2. ITCRA, the IT Recruiters Association, have a need for exactly this
Taxonomy & set of Job Titles. They should be included on the board.

3. AIIA, as *the* body representing IT/ICT employers has a very strong
interest in this.  They already have a strong presence in Education and
should be involved as well.

4. IT/ICT, like Music/Art, Surgery, Aviation and Architecture, is a
"performance discipline" - What you know & can be tested on is a
necessary but not nearly sufficient condition of being a competent
practitioner. A degree is a *entry* to the profession, but no more.
- Appendix B. recognises different levels of 'practitioner' - but
doesn't go nearly far enough.
- The two Accounting Professional associations require post-degree
professional training and assessment to be licensed.
- Psychologists require a 4-year (honours) degree plus a Masters *plus*
some years of 'supervision' to be licensed.
=> A requirement for a strong accreditation  system  is professional
training and assessment.
=> The Psych Society has achieved two outcomes: higher consulting rates
and Medicare rebates.

5. The IT/ICT Profession (via the ACS etc) must be able to *demonstrate*
the value to employers & the community of practitioners achieving
accreditation. This can't be an ambit claim, but solid proof so that
CEO's and Boards can trust the accreditation of a CIO. "If you hire
someone with this qualification, they're good in the field".
Like Cisco CCIE's (and the opposite of MCSE).

6. The 5 'Computing Disciplines' covered in the ACM does [and brought
forward] don't cover a number of Practice Disciplines:
- CIO's
- DBA, Sys Admin, Operations Managements, ITSM (IT Service management)
- Security, Performance, Usability
- Web Designers, Editors, ...
- Auditors, Governance, Site Assessors/Stocktakes
=> A Taxonomy of Fields of Practice would identify these areas and point
to underpinning disciplines
=> These disciplines could be taught through Professional Associations,
like ITIL and COBIT.

7. Commercial IT/ICT is about automating Business Processes, not about
storing and shuffling bits.
- The Core Competencies of all IT practitioners need to include training
and demonstrated knowledge.
- IT practitioners need to understand many different sorts of
businesses: Manufacturing, Transport, Financial Services, Government,
National Security, Telecommunications, Energy, Mining, Accounting, ...
Specific practitioner training, possibly by professional associations is
required.
- Good IT Governance requires strong 'Business Alignment'. Every IT
practitioner needs solid base in this.

8. Problem Solving,  Logic, Quality Systems, Design:
- These are common across all IT practices, but seldom taught.
- A high degree of competency in each of these fields is necessary to
provide high-standard IT services.

regards
stevej



> The Australian Computer Society have released a Discussion Paper
> "Redefining And Building The ICT Profession: Core Body Of Knowledge
> Review" (21 June, 2007 Version 2.0).
>
> In January the ACS combined its Accreditation, Assessment and Appeals
> Board and Membership Standards Board into a new Professional Standards
> (PS) Board. The new Board is reviewing the ACS Core Body of Knowledge
> (CBOK) by June 2008. The Board has invited comment on the Discussion
> Paper (details in the paper):
> <http://www.acs.org.au/attachments/acs_CBOK_Position_Paper.pdf>.
>
> Contents:
>
> List of Acronyms
> 1. Introduction
> 2. Core Body of Knowledge revision process
> 3. Defining the ICT/Computing Profession
> 4. Rationale for the ACS Core Body of Knowledge
> 5. Current Core Body of Knowledge
> 6. Some initial common ground
> 7. Moving forward
> 8. Remaining issues
> 9. References
> Appendix A Professional Standards Board Membership
> Appendix B ACS Qualifications Framework for ICT
> Professionals
>
> Don't miss the diagram "A Framework for ICT Professional Careers and
> Supporting Knowledge", which explains it all on page 10.  ;-)
>
> ps: I have an interest in this, as I chair the ACS's  Professional
> Development Board: <http://www.acs.org.au/cpeprogram/>.
>
>
>
> Tom Worthington FACS HLM tom.worthington at tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150
> Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd            ABN: 17 088 714 309
> PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617                http://www.tomw.net.au/
> Visiting Fellow, ANU      Blog: http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/atom.xml 
> _______________________________________________
> Link mailing list
> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
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>
> .
>


-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

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