Government Analysis Function

Government Analysis Function (AF) Learning Curriculum #

Summary #

This document is designed for analysts across the civil service. It is available under the OGL3.

It is divided into five areas:

  • Ability
    • Gain aptitude or potential to perform to the required standard – “I need to learn how to do something now”
  • Technical
    • Demonstrate specific professional skills, knowledge or qualifications – “I want to get better at doing something”
  • Behaviours
    • Actions and activities that people do which result in effective performance in a job – “I want to change a behaviour”
  • Strengths
    • The things we do regularly, do well and that motivate us – “I want to learn from the experiences and strengths of others”
  • Experience
    • The knowledge or mastery of an activity or subject gained through involvement in or exposure to it – “I want to experience something that will help me grow”

70 : 20 : 10 learning model #

The learning opportunities on the Learning Curriculum are grouped according to the 70:20:10 Learning Model. This framework suggests that in the workplace:

  • 70% of learning is experiential. It happens through daily tasks, challenges and practice
  • 20% of learning is social. It happens with and through other people, like colleagues
  • 10% of learning is formal. It happens through structured training courses and programs

This is a key insight in the current context and elsewhere and illustrates how important it is to:

  1. give analysts opportunities to practise their skills
  2. give analysts the opportunity to network and learn from each other

Formal training makes up a very small proportion of the value in learning.

Technical #

The technical part of the curriculum lists the following topics:

  • Data analysis
  • Data management
  • Data science
  • Data visualisation
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • Modelling tools and techniques
  • New systems and ways of working
  • Operational research
  • Quality assurance, validation and data linkage
  • Software programming, tools and techniques
  • Survey design