Making Competences Visible: Collecting Puzzle Pieces of Evidence to Capture, Show, and Explain What You Know, Can Do, and Value
Type
digital resource
Date Issued
2026-03-21
Author(s)
Abstract
Knowledge workers solve problems, make decisions, and learn continuously—yet much of the "knowledge" they produce in the form of personal notes and sense-making artifacts largely remains invisible to the public, as it is usually kept personal. Notes are taken, files are stored, and insights accumulated, but it often remains unclear how work done in the past translates into competences in future that others can understand, trust, or meaningfully evaluate.
This session shows how Tools for Thought—in this case [Obsidian.md](http://obsidian.md/)—can help bridge this gap. Rather than focusing on tools or workflows for their own sake, we address what knowledge workers actually need: ways to capture work-related outcomes, connect them coherently over time, and present them in forms that make competences visible and credible.
We demonstrate how connected note environments can support four practical moves:
- Capturing key decisions, insights, and work artifacts as they occur
- Reflectively connecting these materials so patterns of practice and capability emerge over time
- Validating skill claims with concrete examples instead of vague self-descriptions
- Presenting knowledge, skills and experience in ways that others can follow and assess
Using personal examples from research, teaching, and project-based work, we show how Tools for Thought can function as a personal competence record: a living resource that supports reflection, collaboration, and professional communication—without turning knowledge work into bureaucratic reporting.
Format: Talk with short examples and discussion
**References (Selection)**
- Dilger, B. & Strate, M. (2025). Brückenbau zwischen individuellen Kompetenzen, Weiterbildungsangeboten und Anforderungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt durch KI-gestützte Kompetenzportfolios in der beruflichen Weiterbildung. bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, 48, 1–19. https://www.bwpat.de/ausgabe48/dilger_strate_bwpat48.pdf
- Hartig, J., Klieme, E. (2006). Kompetenz und Kompetenzdiagnostik. In: Schweizer, K. (eds) Leistung und Leistungsdiagnostik. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-33020-8_9
- Siegel, S. T., & Lohner, D. (2024). Wissensmanagement von Lehrenden mit „Digital Tools for Thought“: Potenziale, Grenzen und Einsatzmöglichkeiten. Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre (NHHL), 114, 1–20.
- Siegel, S. T., Lohner, D., & Arnold, M. (2025). Reimagining Teaching Portfolios Through Personal Knowledge Management with Digital Tools for Thought. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.21240/zfhe/20-3/11
This session shows how Tools for Thought—in this case [Obsidian.md](http://obsidian.md/)—can help bridge this gap. Rather than focusing on tools or workflows for their own sake, we address what knowledge workers actually need: ways to capture work-related outcomes, connect them coherently over time, and present them in forms that make competences visible and credible.
We demonstrate how connected note environments can support four practical moves:
- Capturing key decisions, insights, and work artifacts as they occur
- Reflectively connecting these materials so patterns of practice and capability emerge over time
- Validating skill claims with concrete examples instead of vague self-descriptions
- Presenting knowledge, skills and experience in ways that others can follow and assess
Using personal examples from research, teaching, and project-based work, we show how Tools for Thought can function as a personal competence record: a living resource that supports reflection, collaboration, and professional communication—without turning knowledge work into bureaucratic reporting.
Format: Talk with short examples and discussion
**References (Selection)**
- Dilger, B. & Strate, M. (2025). Brückenbau zwischen individuellen Kompetenzen, Weiterbildungsangeboten und Anforderungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt durch KI-gestützte Kompetenzportfolios in der beruflichen Weiterbildung. bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, 48, 1–19. https://www.bwpat.de/ausgabe48/dilger_strate_bwpat48.pdf
- Hartig, J., Klieme, E. (2006). Kompetenz und Kompetenzdiagnostik. In: Schweizer, K. (eds) Leistung und Leistungsdiagnostik. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-33020-8_9
- Siegel, S. T., & Lohner, D. (2024). Wissensmanagement von Lehrenden mit „Digital Tools for Thought“: Potenziale, Grenzen und Einsatzmöglichkeiten. Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre (NHHL), 114, 1–20.
- Siegel, S. T., Lohner, D., & Arnold, M. (2025). Reimagining Teaching Portfolios Through Personal Knowledge Management with Digital Tools for Thought. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.21240/zfhe/20-3/11
Funding(s)
Language
English
Keywords
competences
pkm
pim
value
knowledge
skill
observability
management
evidence
development
tools for thouhgt
notemaking
sensemaking
learning
HSG Classification
contribution to education
Refereed
No
Event Title
Personal Knowledge Management Summit 2026
Event Location
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Division(s)
Contact Email Address
stefan.siegel@unisg.ch
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
Siegel et al 2026 Making Competences Visible.pdf
Size
50.59 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
f2cd7d3924013b6f9cb41c91e61e9d5e