Skills Matrix

Baseline at module start versus end-of-module position. Maps competencies and skills to a self-assessed level (Aware, Trained, Semi-Senior, Proficient, Expert) with supporting evidence for each rating.

The Professional Skills Matrix is updated twice during the module: at the start (baseline) and near the end (delta). Each row maps a specific skill to a self-assessed proficiency level and links to evidence on this site that supports the rating. Where the evidence is a Track 1 deliverable, the citation in parentheses resolves to the References page and the corresponding entry in the Evidence Index.

Competency Skill Baseline (May 2026) End-of-module (July 2026) Evidence
Application CRISP-DM operationalisation Aware (cited in UAI essay) Trained: designed and ran a five-script CRISP-DM-aligned pipeline with explicit phase ownership and feedback loops Track 1 design document (Mella, 2026h); five-script pipeline (Mella, 2026l)
Application Decision-register-driven methodology Aware (UAI handover-style notes) Trained: produced D-001 to D-018 register with alternatives, tier and citations per decision Decision register (Mella, 2026g)
Application Three-tier justification framework (T1 / T2 / T3) None Trained: designed and applied throughout Track 1 Three-tier framework (Mella, 2026j)
Application log-transform handling for right-skewed continuous targets Aware Trained: applied via log1p(price) regression target D-011 (Mella, 2026o); cleaning Rule 2.4
Application Categorical encoding (numeric mapping) for tree-free linear and clustering models Aware Trained: room_type_code, neighbourhood_group_code D-011 (Mella, 2026o); cleaning Rule 2.5
Implementation scikit-learn: regression (linear, multiple, polynomial) Aware Trained at module-aligned level (Units 3 to 4) 04_regression.py (Mella, 2026l)
Implementation scikit-learn: K-Means clustering with K-selection (elbow / SSE) Aware Trained at module-aligned level (Units 5 to 6) 05_clustering.py (Mella, 2026l)
Implementation pandas and NumPy: EDA and data cleaning at scale (about 50,000 rows) Trained Reinforced; designed an EDA / cleaning briefing pack pre-loaded with academic justification Briefing pack (Mella, 2026i)
Methodology Workstream split and handover-ready briefing pack design None Trained: produced a self-contained briefing pack consumed by another team member Briefing pack (Mella, 2026i)
Methodology Triple-source evaluation map (brief, tutor, rubric) None Trained: designed and applied Triple-source map (Mella, 2026k)
Methodology British English consistency, Harvard / Cite Them Right Trained Reinforced This e-Portfolio; [Citation Style Guide internal]
Critical thinking Iterative methodology with documented Phase 5 to Phase 1 loops Aware Trained: D-017 demand-mapping pivot as concrete instance Demand-mapping pivot (Mella, 2026m)
Critical thinking Defensive criticality (will-NOT-claim list) Aware Trained: explicit list inserted into the report Will-NOT-claim list (Mella, 2026n)
Communication Executive analytical reporting under tight word limits Trained (IA e-Portfolio at 2,749 words) Trained: different challenge - 1,000 words for executive Airbnb audience with full methodological rigour underneath Track 1 report (in progress)
Team behaviour Coordination and asynchronous-decisions architecture in distributed teams Trained (IA Coordinator role) Trained-plus: extended with the fault-tolerant team architecture frame (loose coupling per Weick, 1976) and applied to Group D’s reliability gradient Unit 2 working agreement (Mella, 2026c); Team Project hub
Team behaviour Equitable contribution documentation in support of fair assessment Aware Trained: maintained the contribution log throughout, with verbatim quotes and timestamps, in line with tutor’s 5 May guidance Contribution log [internal]; Feedback page tutor commendation
Methodology Pre-run design pattern: anticipating CRISP-DM Phase 4 to Phase 3 feedback before modelling starts Aware Trained: produced the EDA pre-run design document (Mella, 2026p) and cleaning script (Mella, 2026q) before the cleaning workstream began EDA pre-run design (Mella, 2026p); cleaning script (Mella, 2026q)
Methodology Risk-aware artefact design for cross-tool handovers None Trained: provided cleaning script as a separate .py file alongside the Word brief to neutralise Word’s smart-quote and indentation issues Cleaning script (Mella, 2026q)
Application Literature-grounded data-cleaning rationale Aware Trained: each of seven cleaning rules anchored to a Tier-1 or Tier-2 citation (Bishop, Brownlee, Crawford, Harmadi, Patil, Tukey, whyalwaysme) EDA pre-run design (Mella, 2026p)
Team behaviour Partial-attendance decision-making with documented async-review rule None Trained: 9 May meeting (3 of 6 attended) ran the pre-agreed rule; decisions locked, summary email circulated within hours, async review opportunity preserved for absent members 9 May meeting notes (Mella, 2026t)
Team behaviour Workspace setup with role-appropriate access permissions Aware Trained: Google Drive workspace structured by workstream with differentiated permissions and explicit external-sharing policy Drive workspace (Mella, 2026r)
Project management Owner-named, dated project plan with input and output columns Trained (IA Coordinator role) Trained-plus: locked Track 1 plan through to 6 June 2026 with explicit dependency chain Project plan and timeline (Mella, 2026s)
Communications Structured written cadence for cross-functional handovers Trained Reinforced: three project emails (8 May, 9 May, 10 May) with named recipients, dated subject lines and explicit asynchronous-review invitations 9 May meeting notes (Mella, 2026t); contribution log [internal]

The matrix feeds the PDP, where each gap between baseline and end-of-module position becomes an actionable development goal.