Expertise Improvement

Definition

Expertise Improvement

the common task during which a person improves his or her expertise

Objectives

The typical objectives of expertise improvement are to:

• Improve the person's expertise.
• Enable the person to better fulfill his or her role’s responsibilities.
• Enable the person to better perform his or her role’s tasks.

Preconditions

Expertise improvement can typically begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The person has been assigned one or more roles.
• The required expertise for these roles is well-documented.
• People playing roles on the endeavor have been adequately trained (or has sufficient experience) in expertise improvement.

Completion Criteria

Expertise improvement is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The person has increased his or her expertise in appropriate subject areas.

Steps

Expertise improvement typically involves the following roles performing the following steps in an iterative, incremental, and parallel manner:

• Read and study appropriate technical:
  • Journals.
  • Books.
  • Websites.
  • User group postings.
• Attend appropriate:
  • Discussion groups.
  • Training classes.
  • Technical conferences.
• Practice appropriate skills.

Techniques

Expertise improvement can typically be performed using the following techniques:

• Reading.
• Self study.
• Training.
• Attendance at conferences.
• Practice.

Work Products

Expertise improvement typically results in the production of the following work products in an iterative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• None.

Guidelines

• All people on an endeavor should be allocated a minimum amount of time and money to improve their expertise.
• Expertise improvement should be driven by the:
  • Required expertise of the person’s role.
  • Needs of the endeavor in terms of required expertise, schedule, and budget.
  • Person’s intended career path.