The Development of a Skills Mapping Assistant to Evaluate Employee's Skills for the Digital Transformation

Abstract

This thesis examines the question of whether the use of a skills assessment tool can help companies identify the individual skill resources and close potential skills gaps. Furthermore, it examines whether the computer-based tool can motivate companies’ workforce to continuously learn and to develop in the digital transformation. The thesis focuses on the people, the driving force for the success of becoming a digital business. Literature review and qualitative interviews showed that the lack of transparency and overall low support of both soft skills and technical skills present new challenges for companies. The prototype "Skills Mapping Assistant" of such a tool was developed as an assessment tool consisting of 133 skills divided into 21 skills groups in soft skills and skills in the technological, business, and innovation environment. The prototype is based on the results from the literature review and four qualitative interviews, which was then tested with 11 test persons to which five persons provided feedback. The results from the testing reveal a need for assistance in the individual skill development and the company's digital transformation. Those results provide different reasons to embed this tool in companies, and they identify the tool’s challenges and opportunities. The findings of this thesis show that the Skills Mapping Assistant could help companies struggling with the skills gap by offering transparency of existing skills within companies and room for skills development on the employee’s side.