Introduction
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the need for robust and effective cybersecurity training has never been more critical. With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, the success of your organization’s defense hinges on the skills and preparedness of your cybersecurity team. That’s why we’ve introduced powerful new training planning tools in CYBER HEAT MAP, designed to streamline skill assessments and optimize training strategies for your team.
In the 5-minute video below, Chris Schreiber, the creator of CYBER HEAT MAP, walks you through the latest updates and demonstrates how these tools can revolutionize your team’s skill development and enhance your organization’s cybersecurity planning.
Building a Comprehensive Skills Inventory
Creating a comprehensive skills inventory is the foundational step to using CYBER HEAT MAP’s new training planning tools effectively. This inventory provides a granular look at your organization’s current cybersecurity capabilities by capturing the specific expertise of each team member, from none to expert. Chris Schreiber highlights the importance of accurate self-assessment in his video, stressing that most team members will fall within the basic to advanced range, with very few reaching the expert level—reserved for those capable of teaching the subject matter.
Key Features of the Skills Inventory:
- Skill Ratings: Assess team members’ expertise from none to expert.
- Interest Indicators: Team members can express their interest in learning more about specific topics.
- Notes and Comments: There is space to add notes and contextual comments about individual capabilities.
- Tool Integration: See the relevant solutions from your organization’s inventory that support each capability for quicker, more accurate assessments.
By building this detailed skills inventory, you can create a precise training roadmap tailored to both individual and team needs.
The Impact of Skill Inventory Changes
Updating your skills inventory is more than just a routine process—it’s crucial for keeping your capability assessments accurate and actionable. As Chris demonstrates, whenever a skills inventory update occurs, CYBER HEAT MAP automatically flags your organization’s capability assessment with a “Needs Review” prompt. This ensures that every update, whether it’s adding a new team member or revising someone’s skill level, is reflected in your overall assessment.
Keeping your inventory up-to-date helps maintain an accurate picture of your organization’s cybersecurity readiness, preventing vulnerabilities from going unnoticed.
Utilizing Reports for Informed Decision-Making
CYBER HEAT MAP’s planning tools don’t just assess skills—they provide actionable insights to drive your cybersecurity strategy forward. The tool’s recommendation engine offers two distinct approaches:
- Technology-Focused Recommendations: Based solely on the technology you’ve deployed and where improvements are needed.
- Skill-Integrated Recommendations: Incorporates your team’s current skill levels into the analysis to provide even more refined suggestions on training and tool adoption.
By combining these two approaches, CYBER HEAT MAP helps you make better-informed decisions about both the tools your organization needs and the skills your team should develop to maximize those tools’ effectiveness.
Training Recommendations Reports
CYBER HEAT MAP generates two key reports that help guide your training priorities and improve team performance:
Skills Inventory Report
This report provides a clear overview of your team’s current skills, displaying each member’s capability level and their interest in learning more. It gives you a snapshot of your organization’s strengths and potential skill gaps, making it easier to plan targeted training initiatives.
Training Recommendations Report
The more dynamic of the two, this report aligns training priorities with team members’ current skill levels and interest in further development. As Chris explains in the video, this report allows you to:
- Sort recommendations based on each individual’s interests and skill levels.
- Identify internal cross-training opportunities, where senior team members can mentor junior staff on specific capabilities.
This holistic approach ensures that your team’s training is not only relevant but also personalized to their growth interests and your organization’s needs.
Conclusion: Stay Ahead with CYBER HEAT MAP
These new training planning tools are just the beginning. By leveraging CYBER HEAT MAP’s enhanced features, your organization can ensure that its cybersecurity team stays ahead of emerging threats. Chris Schreiber and the CYBER HEAT MAP team are continuously rolling out updates, with additional features like manager feedback tools on the horizon.
Start exploring how CYBER HEAT MAP can transform your training strategy today and equip your team with the skills they need to protect your organization’s digital infrastructure.