Behavioural Competency Assessment: Scheme Background

Behavioural competencies are soft skills that can be described as the traits, abilities and motivations needed to deliver effective performance and predict future success in a workplace. Without realizing organizations have already been looking for specific behavioural competencies to carry out certain roles. For example, during selection or hiring, personnel with great analytical skills are more important for someone in investigations roles, rather than good communication skills which may be more important for someone in sales roles.

In information security domain, information security practitioners are tasked to:

1. Protect confidentiality of information
2. Preserve integrity of information
3. Ensure availability of information to authorised personnel while prevent unauthorised access.

Therefore, in order to perform these roles effectively, information security practitioners should possess certain behavioural traits such as high ethical standards, compliance, reliability, and adaptability. If these traits can be identified and measured, these can indicate a prospect's current capabilities and future career development.

Behavioural Competency Assessment (BCA)
BCA is a psychometric test designed to measure behavioural competency that contribute to professional excellence in information security roles.

BCA Framework
BCA measures FIVE factors influencing high performance in information security roles.

Behavioural Competency Assessment is developed to:

• Provide a scientific method to measure competency that contribute to professional excellence in information security roles
• Assist in reporting performance feedback in a structured, consistent and systematic way
• Provide an assessment that is factual rather that a ‘gut-feel’ upon selection and/or assignment of information security roles.

For organizations:

• Build a clear, shared understanding of performance standards and expectations in terms of skills, behaviour and knowledge for information security roles
• Create a consistent selection process for information security roles, which includes recruitment, promotions, performance management, learning and development, succession management and workforce planning
• Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement

For employees or individuals:

• Allow individuals to learn about themselves
• Opportunities to explore own strengths and work on weaknesses which may stand in the way of success
• Able to manage career progress and set targets based on performance