Architects are a relatively small population, and we felt we could do something similar for IT specialists, who obviously comprise a much bigger part of our profession, explained Ron Tolido, Capgemini CTO for Continental Europe and Asia Pacific, who is also a board member at The Open Group.
In essence, the certifications would go beyond pure technical skills that you would pick up by studying guides to elements like database administration or network management. It essentially looks at how you’ve applied your skills. We want them to demonstrate that they have skills that are outside their respective technology specializations, said Phil Stauskas, worldwide IT specialist and distinguished engineer at IBM.
In fact, having test-based certifications, such as being an Oracle certified DBA or Microsoft-certified Professional would not necessarily be prerequisites for what the Open Group is proposing.
In essence, you would submit written evidence of the projects that you have executed, which would be supplemented by oral interviews that are similar to defending a thesis.
In effect, the programs would formalize what many larger IT consulting firms already conduct to certify the skills of their own consultants. It’s quite amazing how the programs of IBM, EDS and Capgemini fir well together, noted Chris Moyer, EDS’s CTO for EMEA.
At this point, the working group has identified 17 specialties, but the list has yet to be finalized. The certification proposal is to be submitted for discussion at the next Open Group meeting, which will be in Budapest next month. The working group expects that the proposed certifications should be finalized by Q1 of next year, and plan to open the program then.
Our View
The Open Group, which evolved from the Open Software Foundation of nearly 20 years ago, has thrived in its niche of enterprise architecture. Clearly the new proposal has mercenary and practical aspects: as a 300-member group, the Open Group would clearly like to broaden its footprint among member organizations, not to mention its member base across the IT world at large.
It also provides recognition that for every architect, you need practitioners who have more than book knowledge. Sometimes simply getting a project done is its own reward.
As a practical matter, these certifications are likely to have more appeal to IT consultants as opposed to internal IT staff for several reasons. One, it formalizes what leading consulting firms practice already, which is to certify their most experienced professionals. It makes IT consultant careers even more portable, as they could get an industry, as opposed to an IBM or EDS certification for their experience.
