CBOK Underlying Principles

Some underlying guiding principles have evolved over the course of the CIPS Guide to the Common Body of Knowledge for Computing and IT (CBOK) revision process and underlie the general focus of this document.

A common core of knowledge areas can be defined for the IT profession as a whole, despite the large number of roles that an IT professional could fill. This common core shows the areas of knowledge about which all professionals should have at least some basic knowledge. Having this common knowledge means that IT professionals working in teams in organizations will have some understanding of the role of their fellow professionals. Defining the common knowledge will also assist in explaining to the outside world what it is that distinguishes the IT profession;
Balance is aimed at meeting the needs of many stakeholders, including diversity of industry sectors, and between addressing long-term and short-term perspectives on professional development. All perspectives are important and the views of one group of stakeholders are not taken as more important than those of any other group;
The development process is published and fully documented;
Achieving consensus by the profession on a common body of knowledge is a key milestone in all disciplines and has been identified by the CIPS as crucial for the evolution of IT towards professional status;
To ensure wide distribution, the CIPS Guide to the Common Body of Knowledge for Computing and IT (CBOK) may be copied for non-commercial purposesin whole or as part of any form or by any means provided that CIPS is identified as the source of the CBOK.