This is part of an ongoing series on how to create a learning and development series. You can read the previous article here.

Dave told them that though there are six questions that need to be answered, he will only ask them one more question. The last two questions will be answered by the learning and development team and the answers will be shown to them to review. The fourth and last question for them to answer is:

What must people know and be able to do for the organisational to have those capabilities?

Dave changes the way he gets them to answer this question. Instead of them working in small groups, he puts two sheets of flipchart paper on the wall and titles one skills and the other knowledge. He asks them about the skills and knowledge required for each capability identified in the answers to the previous question. So what people need to know refers to knowledge, while what people need to be able to do are the skills.

Here are the skills and knowledge identified:

Skills

• Manage projects using the agile project management methodology.
• Effective team and personal communication skills
• Design software prototyping for platform
• Apply the lean methodology to design and develop software
• Use the Python and Django framework and MySQL to development backend
• Use JavaScript, Bootstrap and Jquery to develop frontend.
• Use unit testing to test software

Knowledge

• Appropriate theoretical knowledge in all the technological areas mentioned under skills.
• Clear knowledge of the vision for the new platform.

Dave asked them for additional information in relation to question four. First he asked that:

Who needs to be able to do and know what?

In other words which staff members need to have what skills and knowledge?

The LT identified that:

• The company does not currently have a dedicated project manager so they will buy in project management skills by employing a project manager who has experience using agile and has good leadership and management skills.
• The software development team is divided into those who work on the front-end and back-end.
• Those who work on the back-end need skills and knowledge on back-end technologies, although they do need to have a good understanding of how front-end technologies work too.
• Those who work on the front-end needs skills and knowledge on front-end technologies although they need to have a good understanding of how back-end technologies work.
• Both front-end and back-end developers need knowledge of lean software methodologies and how to implement them.
• Both front-end and back-end developers need knowledge of lean software methodologies and how to implement them.
• Both front-end and back-end developers need knowledge agile project management and how it is applied to developing software.
• Both front-end and back-end developers need knowledge of unit testing and must know how to do it.
• Everyone in the organisation needs to have a good understanding of the vision for the new platform. They must be able to speak about it confidently.
• The second bit of information Dave wanted to know was:
• Who are the right people to speak to in order to get more detailed information about the answers to questions four.

The Head of IT said he can provide Dave with more detailed information.