Competencies

Setting Up Competency Frameworks

How to import, create, and manage competency frameworks for your organization

2 min read

Competency frameworks define the skills and behaviors your organization values. They serve as the foundation for review questions, calibration heatmaps, and career-level expectations.

Importing System Frameworks

Nami includes four pre-built frameworks you can import with one click:

FrameworkBest For
Engineering LadderSoftware engineering IC and staff tracks
Product ManagementProduct managers and product leaders
People ManagementManagement roles across departments
General (SHRM-style)Universal competencies for any function

Navigate to Dashboard > Templates, click Import Framework, select one, and click Import.

Info

Imported frameworks are fully editable after import without affecting the original system template.

Creating Custom Competencies

Click Add Competency and fill in a Name, Description, Category (Core, Technical, Leadership, Communication, Collaboration, or Problem Solving), and the Core toggle if it applies to every employee.

Mapping Competencies to Levels

Switch to the Matrix view. Rows are competencies, columns are career levels. Click any cell to set expected proficiency (1-5):

ProficiencyLabelMeaning
1BasicAware of the concept; needs guidance
2DevelopingCan apply with some support
3ProficientIndependently competent
4AdvancedCoaches others; handles complex scenarios
5ExpertRecognized authority; shapes org-wide standards

Tip

Leave cells empty for competencies not relevant at a given level. For example, "Organizational Strategy" may only apply at senior and staff levels.

Adding Behavioral Indicators

For each proficiency level, define observable behaviors that describe what that rating looks like in practice. Indicators make reviews more objective by giving reviewers a concrete reference point.

How Competencies Feed into Reviews

  • Cycle creation -- select which competencies to include in the review template
  • Nami DMs -- reviewers rate each competency with its description shown for context
  • Calibration heatmaps -- competency ratings visualized across departments and levels
  • Analytics -- track competency trends over multiple cycles

Warning

Changing competency names or deleting competencies after a cycle has launched will not affect in-flight reviews. Historical data is preserved under the original name.

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