The Sparkbox Developer Career Growth Framework is organized by key areas such as Communication & Leadership, Technical Skill, Impact, etc. We consider growth along the framework to occur in three distinct ways: scope, frequency, and versatility.
Scope can be described in terms of the influence or audience of capabilities in any key area. Capabilities shape the individual contributor early in a career and grow to influence project teams, multiple teams, and the company. Your ability to have a positive impact beyond your personal success is a common theme you’ll see as you read about how capabilities grow through the levels.
Frequency can be described using sometimes, often, and usually. A capability exercised sometimes might be new to an individual, possibly being learned, and at times, the individual might overlook appropriate opportunities to apply that capability. A capability exercised often is comfortable to the individual, exercised well, but often with guidance or reminding. A capability exercised usually is done well, consistently, and is self-initiated.
Versatility can be described in terms of the range of projects, technologies, and situations one is able to reliably have an impact on. Experience, skill, and training shape an individual’s versatility and influence the speed at which an individual can impact a situation. Versatility is a measure of your ability to have a positive impact across project types, technology stacks, layers of the web, business industries, and situations.
Though we are still learning, we expect folks should find themselves at a level where they are exercising most or many of the capabilities described often or usually. We also expect folks will have strengths that they exercise above their level and areas for growth below their level.
As folks are considering the three, distinct growth trajectories, it is helpful to review the Career Growth Framework and complete the statement:
I am at the developer level ______, because I often or usually exercise the following capabilities at the scope described in this level. I have shown an ability to positively impact the following projects using the technologies.