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Skills Matrix Tool
Rate everyone, yourself included, on the skills the work needs, and see which skills only one person has.
This tool also runs as a stage in a playbook, which takes you through several tools in order:
- Delegate as your team grows Stage 1 of 6: who can do what today? Start at stage 1
Not following the playbook?
The people
Everyone who could take on part of the work, and you. A name or a role.
The skills the work needs
Write them as the work, such as "Client estimates" or "Release sign-off". Start with the ones waiting in your inbox. Eight to twelve is plenty.
Your notes never leave your browser
Names, skills and ratings stay on your computer and in your progress file. To write the diagnosis, only the numbers are sent to our server, by place in your list. How it works
Rate each person on each skill
Rate yourself too. The scale matters less than honesty.
- 0 none · 1 aware · 2 can do it unaided · 3 does it well · 4 can teach it
- Tell people, in writing, that the grid will not feed pay reviews. Ratings are more honest that way.
- Not sure? Ask them to rate themselves, then compare with yours.
The skills matrix
0 none · 1 aware · 2 can do it unaided · 3 does it well · 4 can teach it
Where each skill stands
Save your progress
Download your progress file to continue from this point any time, on any computer: choose it under "Coming back?" at the start of the tool. Each new file includes everything so far, including the earlier stages when they are connected, so keep the latest one. Your work stays in this browser only until you close it.
Not saved yet.
Take your results with you
A PDF of the grid, where each skill stands, and the diagnosis.
About the tool
Why it exists
Find out who could take it before handing anything over
A skills matrix lists the skills the work needs down one side and the people across the top, and rates each person on each skill. It shows who can do what, and where a team is thin.
This tool works on its own, and as stage 1 of our playbook for delegating as your team grows, where the grid goes on to the delegation matrix in stage 2. For the method, see our guide to the skills matrix.
The method
How the tool works
A five-point scale. 0 none, 1 aware, 2 can do it unaided, 3 does it well, 4 can teach it. A skill counts as done well at 3 or 4.
Rate the leader too. The point is to find the skills only the leader has, because those are the tasks stuck in the leader’s inbox.
Where each skill stands. Only you: nobody else does it well, so train someone before handing it over. You and one other: it can go to them. Only one person: a risk if they leave. Nobody: build it, bring it in, or accept the gap on purpose. Covered: two or more people besides you.
What leaves your computer. Names, skills and ratings stay in your browser and your progress file. To write the diagnosis, the page sends our server only the numbers, by place in your lists, and the server keeps nothing.