The Evolution of HELIX: A Competency Model for Complex Problem Solving

Abstract

AbstractToday's systems are continuing to increase in complexity, and employers have placed a premium on critical and systems thinking skills. The World Economic Forum (WEF) reports that an increasing share of jobs are focused more heavily on soft skills or a combination of soft and technical skills. The WEF 5‐year survey of most desired job skills highlight the growing focus on the cognitive and relationship‐building aspects of the future workspace. “Complex Problem Solving” has topped the list in both the 2015 and 2020 reports. This paper consolidates and proposes a common framework for lifelong learning in the engineering domain, targeted at practical tools that help engineers solve complex problems, think and learn more holistically, and apply that learning to team leadership. Although the work has been focused on engineering roles, it may be generally applied to any domain where complex problem solving is at a premium. The framework identifies five complex problem‐solving competency sets: sensemaking, adaptive and computational thinking, a design mindset, system architecting and communicating, and leading teams through cycles of learning. These competencies are developed through the experience of a learning infrastructure which integrates learning with the work do be done, through facilitating learning and performance in systems thinking, team leadership and personal learning power and self‐leadership. This paper presents the framework, the background research that led to its development, and how it might be delivered through teaching and mentoring on complex projects.