---
title: "Use the Skills Map to Explore and Manage Skill Relationships"
canonical: "https://help.skillpanel.com/space/TBG/3033661483/Use%20the%20Skills%20Map%20to%20Explore%20and%20Manage%20Skill%20Relationships"
format: markdown
---
See how all skills connect, overlap, and support development paths across your organization.

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### When to Use This

- To visualize your or your team’s skills across domains.
- To identify dependencies between related skills.
- When setting skill growth goals or training plans.
- Before defining “desired levels” for employees.

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### Prerequisites

- Access to **SkillPanel**.
- A completed skills framework in your organization.
- Permission to view or edit employee skill profiles.

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### Quick Start

1. Go to **Skills Map** from the left panel.
2. Use **Search** or zoom to locate skill areas.
3. Apply **Filters** to narrow by type or measurement status.
4. Select a skill to view its relationships and proficiency data.
5. Managers: click **Desired Level** to set target proficiency for employees.

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### Detailed Steps

1. **Open the Map Interface**  
The map visualizes all skills by domain (e.g., Cloud, Infrastructure, Data Science).  
Use the search bar to locate a specific skill, or browse through clusters.  
The right-side panel shows your skill areas and expands for detail when a skill is selected.

![image-20251023-071921.png](media://4f668f1d-ddcf-4291-90a0-94dc173a2e68)

2. **Use Skill Filters**  
Open the filter icon next to the search bar. You can filter by:
  - **Core skills** (mandatory for a role)
  - **Additional skills** (optional or supplementary)
  - **Measured / Unmeasured** (based on existing ratings)
  - **Visible / Hidden** (depending on map settings)  
*Why this matters:* It keeps the map readable and focused on actionable data, especially when managing large frameworks.

![image-20251023-071947.png](media://d7997d92-d7a5-4e3f-90d5-74e9119bbdd6)

3. **Search Skills**  
Start typing a name (e.g., *JavaScript*) to see matching skills and subareas.  
Each result shows its position in the hierarchy so you can choose the right level (language, framework, or concept).  
*Why this matters:* It prevents duplicate tracking and ensures consistent naming across the organization.

![image-20251023-072007.png](media://787167da-fe09-405e-ac36-e0a4059013e4)

4. **Browse and Understand Skill Relationships**  
Click a skill (for example, *Java Fundamentals*). The map expands to show related skills and dependencies.
  - Arrows point to prerequisite or dependent skills.
  - Relationship types clarify whether the skill enables, builds on, or depends on another.  
*Why this matters:* Managers can see how mastering one skill supports others—useful for planning efficient learning sequences.

![image-20251023-072113.png](media://6ffd4342-c24c-4a81-8327-8edf5a866dd7)

5. **Set Desired Skill Levels**  
Managers can define what “good enough” means per role.
  - Go to **People → Employees**.
  - Select an employee → **Skills tab → Skills Map**.
  - Choose the target skill. Click **Desired Level** in the side panel.

![image-20251023-072141.png](media://a7336a92-d6cd-47cd-b63e-96ccd0f27458)

6. **Choose and Save a Proficiency Level**  
Select from:
  - **Basic (20%)**
  - **Intermediate (50%)**
  - **Advanced (70%)**
  - **Expert (100%)**  
The chosen level appears as a benchmark for evaluations and training plans.  
*Why this matters:* Setting clear targets aligns development plans with measurable outcomes.

![image-20251023-072209.png](media://43f1ea1c-8513-4f49-ba64-000324098209)

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### Use the Product to Go Faster / Clearer

| Step | Feature | Benefit | How |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exploring the map | **Interactive skills visualization** | Reveals how skills interconnect | Visual clustering shows domains (e.g., “Infrastructure”) with directional links; users see learning paths without consulting spreadsheets. |
| Filtering data | **Dynamic skill filters** | Focus only on relevant skill sets | Filtering by measured/unmeasured instantly highlights missing ratings, no export needed. |
| Searching skills | **Smart search with hierarchy** | Ensures consistent terminology | Results show exact placement within the skill taxonomy, reducing misclassification of similar skills (e.g., Java vs. JavaScript). |
| Analyzing relationships | **Skill dependency mapping** | Plan efficient upskilling | Arrows visualize prerequisite paths; teams can avoid redundant or out-of-order training. |
| Setting proficiency targets | **Desired Level editor** | Aligns goals with measurable standards | Levels (20–100%) provide quantifiable expectations, making performance reviews traceable and comparable across roles. |

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### Examples

- **Example 1:** A manager filters for “Measured” and “Core skills” in Cloud. Gaps in *Azure Security* show two unmeasured team members. The team schedules SkillCheck tests.
- **Example 2:** An employee exploring *Java Fundamentals* sees links to *Java IO System* and *Concurrency*, realizing which areas to train next to reach the 70% “Advanced” target.

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### FAQ

**Q: Why are some skill areas faded?**  
A: They’re not part of your assigned framework or visibility settings.

**Q: Can I compare multiple employees’ maps?**  
A: Not directly here; use the **Talent Tracking → Analytics** view.

**Q: What do arrows mean on the map?**  
A: They indicate directional relationships—what skills build on or enable others.

**Q: Can I hide irrelevant skills?**  
A: Yes. Filter by “Visible” or toggle “Personal skills only.”

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### Pitfalls & Tradeoffs

- **Don’t rely solely on visual density.** A large cluster doesn’t equal higher mastery—it just shows more mapped relationships.
- **Avoid setting all desired levels to 100%.** It inflates targets and skews performance data.
- **Keep filters active.** Viewing everything at once slows navigation and obscures meaningful insights.