The scope of agencies' efforts to identify the skills and competencies
needed for their future workforces varies considerably, depending on
the needs and interests of a particular agency. Whereas some agencies
may decide to define all the skills and competencies needed to achieve
their strategic goals, others may elect to focus their analysis on only
those most critical to achieving their goals. The most important
consideration is that the skills and competencies identified are
clearly linked to the agency's mission and long-term goals developed
jointly with key congressional and other stakeholders during the
strategic planning process. If an agency identifies staff needs without
linking the needs to strategic goals, or if the agency has not obtained
agreement from key stakeholders on the goals, the needs assessment may
be incomplete and premature.