Web 3.0 and the Metaverse is approaching fast - these are digital skills you need to get ahead

Last week the Digital Markets Act started calling-out gatekeeper companies such as Google, Apple and Amazon on their approach to personal data monetization and somewhat bucaneer approach to protecting users personal data. Facebook, whose business model is based upon selling targeted advertising using personal data, recently rebranded as Meta and is now focusing virtual real estate. Many more smaller acts towards decentralization, such as a trend towards open source, are unfolding and will have ripple effects across businesses globally who need to nagivate new waters of opportunity.

A lack of digital skills has topped every skills shortage report I’ve read in the past five years but this year it is more acute as technology advances into Big Data, AI and the Metaverse. A report this week by PwC states that 85% of UK businesses currently have a critical digital skills shortage, followed by a shortage of core business skills such as teamwork, leadership, relationship-building and communication skills, plus softer skills such as empathy, resilience and agility. Businesses want T-Shaped people who have deep expertise and a wide knowledge base.

I lead a multi-disciplined team of ten digital superheroes, all of whom I would consider to be T-Shaped. We’re highly skilled at content creation such as videos, blogs and podcasts. We're also responsible for security, data structure, SEO, UX, maintaining a robust CMS.... however with Web 3.0 and the Metaverse fast approaching, we’ll need to sharpen our digital skills to prepare the future of marketing. But what are those skills? Top online marketing influencer Jeff Bullas recently outlined four key skills digital marketing skills required for Web 3.0 and the Metaverse. These are:

1. Semantic Content Marketing – targeted content that perfectly matches user intent
2. Advanced UI (UX) – creating frictionless experiences
3. Immersive Marketing – creating content which is more participatory and immersive
4. NFT’s aka Non-Fungible Tokens – already possible with gamers now able to sell their virtual assets but imagine if you were Meta and owned a virtual event with millions of visitors.... now that's a great business model.

Forbes cite these as the top skills for Web 3.0 which are applicable across a business, not just in marketing:

1. AI writing assistants
2. Blockchain for the creative economy
3. Creative commons for the creative economy
4. Data democracy for the creative economy

If you are looking to create a digital team or want to know what types of skills your workforce needs, the SFIA Framework is a great place to start. SFIA is the global common reference for skills and competency for the digital world and has clear definitions of what digital roles are, such as acceptance testing, content authoring, data visualisation, marketing, incident management and numerical analysis.

If you want inspiration for job roles Government Digital Services has identified the skills required for Digital, Software Engineering, and Cybersecurity professionals here: Digital, data and technology (DDaT) roles.

The knowledgeable guys at SFIA are mapping APMG certifications to their skills and competencies framework. We hope this will make it easier to find the certifications which have the digital skills you're looking for. For example if you are looking to build XD capability, our Experience Design (XD) Practitioner Course maps to these skills: User Experience Design, User Experience Evaluation, Business Modelling Knowledge.

A full list of the skills are here https://sfia-online.org/en/sfia-8/all-skills-a-z and they will be appearing shortly on the website against each certification.

I have worked at APMG for seven years and have seen a shift in the types of skills employers have been asking for. Agile and Change Management are still highly valued best practice frameworks but recently we’ve added certifications which are vendor-neutral and reference open-source material. There’s also an interest in problem solving, creative and communication skills – all of which are going to be highly sought after as organisations mature digitally.

We’ve a huge selection of certifications at APMG including AI, Agile, Change, Data Analytics and Lean which will help you to develop digital skills and improve business capbility. Here’s an introduction to some of the certifications which will immediately start you on the right path for preparing for Web 3.0 and the Metaverse.

Just landed is our Design Thinking (DTMethod) certification. Launched in partnership with Inprogress Design Lab this well-thought out methodology introduces popular design thinking frameworks such as the Design Council Double Diamond and neatly puts it all together into a unique method to provide organisations with a structured approach to help solve problems, deliver value and eliminate waste.

AgilePM, AgileDS and AgileBA professionals will be familiar with some of the methods such as human centred design (HCD), Minimum Viable Product (MVP), creating user stories and prototypes but would find the tools during the exploration stage useful to collaborate with the wider business. For example, the Challenge Tree, which explores causes and consequences, is a valuable exercise to understand stakeholder requirements before prototyping.

DTMethod also references many agile principles and encourages organisations to build a culture which supports innovation, such as risk taking and eliminating the fear of failure by encouraging experimentation. This is a solid approach for agile organisations who want to develop creativity and problem solving within the business using an evidence-based approach. Examples of skills you will gain include interviewing and structured brainstorming.

Combine XD Practitioner with the DTMethod and you’ll learn the skills to build seamless online and offline journeys. Also, on the Experience Design (XD) Practitioner Course you’ll discover how to design content which seamlessly switches between services and platforms, and build memories for users which ripen with time and truly connect your customers with your brand.

Web 3.0 is all about open source, community and collaboration. Users are going to expect seamless service just like the service in a good restaurant – it’s frictionless, you don’t notice it and it anticipates what you need before you even realise it yourself. To find out what good looks like, Government Digital Services (GDS) has created a huge bank of free resources saving you time and money, and access to best practice. 

GDS has recently added a Design System which is full of helpful advice and components you can use on your website. For example if you need to ask your customers to confirm an email addresses, GDS contains the patterns you need to consider, saving you time scratching your head trying to figure out what happens after each scenario eg can customers can access their email account? What is the emails is sent to spam? There’s also logics that can help branch answers to questions to add as FAQs. 

Agile Digital Services (AgileDS) is based on the best practice manual designed by Government Digital Services (GDS) to help organisations bring together a consistent approach to designing, delivering and evolving your digital service.

Web 3.0 is a natural progression from Web 2.0 which centers on publishing user-generated content such as images, video, testimonials, podcasts etc converging into immersive experiences, enabled by new technologies, such live music concerts steamed into games and Augmented Reality. Metaverse will enable users to seamless move across dimensions without the need to login to different systems owned by different vendors.

No-one knows what Web 3.0 or the Metaverse will look like, but there's a huge opportunity to get ahead. Organisations who can create great immersive experiences where the user can build their own narrative and discover the story themselves will flourish.

"The future belongs to those who prepare for it," Malcolm X