What is a job task analysis, and why is it important to potential CCIFPs? A job task analysis is the process of analyzing a job to identify the tasks, knowledge, and skills required to perform that job successfully. To many, a job task analysis serves as the foundation for selecting the right people for your organization, but it also informs the training and development plans for new employees.
The ICCIFP conducted its initial job task analysis years ago to create solid correlations from the job’s duties and tasks to the exam content. However, as time has passed, the required knowledge and competencies have also changed. Since an output of this is the test specifications document, which includes the list of knowledge statements that qualify a CFM to earn the CCIFP certification and be successful in their profession, it plays a vital role in developing the blueprint for the CCIFP credentialing examination.
In January 2020, ICCIFP Executive Director Veronica Whitehead, along with a team from the Assessment, Education & Research Experts (AERE) led by Manny Straehle, and a task force consisting of 10 CFMs kicked off the ICCIFP’s job task analysis project in Dallas, TX.
The purpose of this two-day meeting was to write and review CCIFP tasks and knowledge statements. Using those knowledge statements, subject matter experts developed a pilot survey that was reviewed by the task force. Once completed, the survey was distributed to 1,155 CCIFP certificate holders. Survey participants were asked to rate the importance of the knowledge statements within their current job, and how well those statements adequately covered the content within the domain. The participants were also asked if any knowledge statements were missing.
The data from the survey was analyzed, and the task force met again to finalize the list of knowledge statements to be included in each domain area. The following are the knowledge domains in the test specifications:
- Accounting & Reporting
- Income Recognition Methods
- Budgeting & Planning
- Risk Management
- Taxes
- Human Resources
- Legal
- Information Technology
While the knowledge statement exercise resulted in some changes from the previous job task analysis, the greatest change in any domain was in information technology (IT). This is not surprising, as the IT world has changed so significantly in the past few years.
As CFMs, we face technology issues every day, including IT strategy, mobility, data transformation, and cybersecurity. This has become even more important since many of our office employees are working remotely as a result of COVID-19.
The updated job task analysis will be reviewed by the ICCFP Officers, and the exam questions will be modified.
I want to thank the ICCIFP subject matter experts and Veronica Whitehead for their commitment and dedication to the ICCIFP and the quality and validity of the exam. This group, along with the AERE, showed their amazing dedication to this project.
Copyright © 2020 by the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). All rights reserved. This article first appeared in July/August 2020 CFMA Building Profits magazine.