The essential dictionary to adopt a "Skills-First" or "Skills-Based Organization" approach.
The approach to managing organizations through skills or "skills-based organization" or "SBO" is multidimensional. This is what stakeholders in this type of project quickly realize. To avoid becoming unwieldy and getting lost, a phased implementation strategy is always required. And to start well, you must understand the dimensions of a skills-based approach.
Mastering the "SBO" vocabulary is therefore essential to communicate effectively with your teams, your technology partners and your consultants.
This comprehensive dictionary offers you a clear and precise definition of the fundamental concepts that shape the future of talent management.
Whether you are a CHRO, talent director, or organizational development expert, this guide will allow you to navigate with confidence in the roadmap of your SBO transformation.
How this dictionary is organized:
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This dictionary constitutes a comprehensive reference to navigate in the universe of "Skills-Based Organizations".
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Each concept interconnects with others to form a coherent ecosystem that will transform your approach to skills management, talents and organizational capabilities.
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At NexaRH, we master these concepts and accompany you in their practical implementation to enhance your SBO transformation.
Table of Contents
SECTION 1 – Skills-based management philosophies
1 – Skills-Based Organization
2 – Skills-Based Organization Strategy
3 – Skills-Based Recruiting
4 – Skills-Based Learning
5 – Skills-Based Succession
6 – Skills-Based Workforce Planning
7 – Agile Skills Matching & Allocation
8 – Skills-Based Performance and Goals
9 – Task Intelligence
10 – Inventory of Organizational Capabilities
11 – Dynamic Skills Intelligence
12 – Talent Intelligence
13 – Precision Training / Precision Training
14 – Skill Signals
15 – Multi-dimensional Skills Assessment
SECTION 2 – The driving forces to adopt an "SBO" approach
16 – Upskilling
17 – Reskilling
18 – Skills Supply & Demand Analytics
19 – Emerging Skills
20 – Speed Skilling
21 – Learning in the Flow of Work / Learning in the Flow of Work
SECTION 3 – Concepts specific to the "SBO" approach
22 – Competency Framework
23 – External Taxonomy
24 – Internal Taxonomy
25 – Skills Ontology
26 – Skills Inference
27 – Skills Adjacency
28 – Cross-Functional Skills
SECTION 4 – The foundations to deploy and operate an "SBO" approach
29 – Job Architecture
30 – Position Architecture
31 – Skills Architecture
32 – Skills Data
33 – Job Description
34 – Job Posting
SECTION 5 – Talent management practices supporting the "SBO" approach
35 – Internal Mobility
36 – Career Aspiration
37 – Career Path
38 – Personal Development Plan
39 – Learning Academies
➡️ SECTION 6 – Technological capabilities in intelligent skills management
40 – Self-Declaration
41 – Skills Suggestions
42 – Training Suggestions
43 – Talent Opportunity Marketplace
44 – Skills Intelligence Platforms
45 – Competencies and Skills in Workday HCM
SECTION 7 – "SBO" governance
46 – Skills Governance
47 – Skills Risk Management
48 – Jobs & Skills Observatory
49 – Strategic Workforce and Skills Planning
50 – Skills Ecosystem
SECTION 6 – Technological capabilities in intelligent skills management
40 – Self-Declaration
Definition : A method by which employees directly indicate their skills in a talent management system.
What you need to know : Self-declaration allows employees to complete or correct their skills profile. While it promotes engagement and data ownership, it carries a risk of inaccuracy or overestimation. In an SBO, this practice must be supplemented by validation mechanisms (skills indicators, cross-assessments, AI). When properly managed, it becomes a lever for empowerment, transparency, and accountability in talent management.
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Related concepts: Skill Signals, Multi-dimensional Skills Assessment , Skills Governance.
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NexaRH Resources: Skills Roadmap or SBO
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External reference: 365Talents, Self-declaration of skills: advantages and points of vigilance, (2021 ).
41 – Skills Suggestion
Definition: Automated recommendation of potential skills by a talent management platform.
What you need to know: Skill suggestions use AI algorithms and ontologies to infer implicit skills from experience, tasks performed, or similar roles. They enrich employee profiles and reduce self-reporting bias. In an SBO, they improve inventory completeness and accelerate data updates. Adopting this mechanism increases matching accuracy and enhances the value of talent marketplaces.
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Related concepts: Skills Inference, Self-Declaration, Dynamic Skills Intelligence.
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NexaRH Resources: Maps of HRIS and Talent Management solutions in North America (free download).
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External reference: LinkedIn, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog
42 – Training Suggestions
Definition: Personalized training recommendations based on the gap between skills held and those required.
What you need to know: Training suggestions use algorithms to analyze skill profiles and suggest tailored content: microlearning, online courses, and hands-on projects. They also incorporate individual preferences and industry trends. This personalization increases the relevance of learning paths, improves knowledge retention, and reduces the time to mastery. In an SBO, they ensure a better match between training offerings and strategic needs.
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Related concepts: Learning in the Flow of Work, Precision Training, Upskilling.
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NexaRH Resources: Maps of HRIS and Talent Management solutions in North America (free download).
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External reference: Coursera, 2023. https://www.coursera.org/articles/ai-personalized-learning
43 – Talent Opportunity Marketplace
Definition: Internal platform that connects talents with available project, mission or position opportunities.
What you need to know: The talent marketplace functions as an “internal market” where employees apply or are assigned missions based on their skills and aspirations. Powered by AI, it promotes horizontal mobility, accelerates matching, and improves engagement. In an SBO, it becomes a strategic lever to optimize resource allocation, reduce external recruitment costs, and develop a culture of continuous learning.
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Related concepts: Internal Mobility, Agile Skills Matching & Allocation, Dynamic Skills Intelligence.
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NexaRH Resources: Maps of HRIS and Talent Management solutions in North America (free download).
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External reference: Deloitte, 2021. https://www2.deloitte.com/insights
44 – Skills Intelligence Platforms
Definition: Technological solutions centralizing, analyzing and exploiting skills data to guide talent management.
What you need to know: These platforms use AI to infer skills, map proximities, detect emerging trends, and recommend HR actions. They are the technological engine of an SBO, connecting HCM, LMS, ATS, and other HR systems. They improve strategic visibility of skills and increase the organization's ability to respond to market changes. Their adoption requires robust governance, high data quality, and seamless integration with the existing ecosystem.
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Related concepts: Skills Governance, Talent Intelligence, Skills Ecosystem.
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NexaRH Resources: Skills Intelligence Platform Solutions Mapping (available for free download).
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External reference: Fosway, 2023. https://www.fosway.com/research
45 – Competencies and Skills in Workday
Definition: Proprietary skills management model integrated into Workday HCM.
What you need to know: Workday offers native skills management via the Skills Cloud. This model unifies skills data, leverages AI to infer new know-how, and powers HR processes (recruiting, training, mobility, performance). Companies that use it benefit from continuous updates and native integration with the entire Workday suite. However, it must be adapted to the organization's specific culture and needs to avoid technology lock-in.
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Related concepts: Skills Intelligence Platforms, Internal Taxonomy, Skills Governance.
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NexaRH Resources: Pre-project support for HRIS implementation and Jobs, Positions and Skills Architecture
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External reference: Workday, Skills and Competencies Management .
Resources at Your Disposal
🟣 3- Detailed article on the development of HRIS, AI in HR and Skills (Skill-based Organization) roadmaps
🟣 4- Our mapping of intelligent skills management solutions. Unique on the market. Available for free download.
Why Choose NexaRH to Develop Your Skills Roadmap?
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Specialized expertise in position architecture, job architecture, skills architecture, taxonomies, and skills ontologies.
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In-depth analysis of artificial intelligence technologies applied to talent and skills management, enabling an HRIS roadmap that integrates the most advanced market concepts.
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Technology neutrality and exhaustive knowledge of the intelligent skills management solution vendor ecosystem, ensuring objective recommendations based on your specific needs rather than commercial partnerships.
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Proven SBO transformation methodology with personalized support that considers your organizational maturity, technology constraints, and strategic objectives to guarantee successful and sustainable adoption.
