EFI Professional Development Framework

The EFI-PDF articulates the areas of knowledge, skills, behaviours and values required across five event and festival phases.

What are the 5 phases?

1) Strategising - the period before agreeing and/or winning the right to host;
2) Planning - the lead-up period before live staging;
3) Delivering - the intense live staging period;
4) Evaluating - the immediate post-event reporting period;
5) Leaving a Legacy - the time post-event, split into two parts:
a) Embryonic Legacies (the short-term legacies left)
b) Longitudinal Legacies (the long-term legacies left).

What do we mean by knowledge, skills, behaviours, and values?

Understanding the differences between knowledge, skills, behaviours, and values is crucial because they collectively shape a well-rounded professional. Knowledge provides the foundation, skills enable effective action, behavioursdetermine how those skills are applied, and values guide ethical decision-making. Developing all four ensures professionals can think critically, act competently, adapt to challenges, and uphold integrity, leading to effective leadership, strong stakeholder relationships, and long-term success in the event and festival industry. Specifically, we define all four in the following way:

  • Knowledge refers to theoretical understanding, facts, and principles that a person acquires through education, training, and experience.

  • Skills are learned abilities that enable a person to perform a task effectively. They can be developed through training, experience, and practice.

  • Behaviours are observable actions and attitudes that reflect how a person applies their skills, interacts with others, and approaches their work. Behaviours often stem from personal values, mindset, and workplace culture.

  • Values are deeply held beliefs and principles that guide a person’s decisions, ethics, and professional conduct. They influence motivation, priorities, and the way individuals and organizations operate.

The knowledge, skills, and behaviours required for event and festival delivery will vary based on the size, scale, scope, type of event, and specific role within the team. A large-scale international sporting event will demand advanced strategic planning, governance, and stakeholder management, while a small community festival may require hands-on operational skills and local engagement. Understanding these variations ensures professionals develop the right competencies for their specific context.

Developing EFI-PDF “Lenses”

Over the next 12 months, we will be developing a series of “Lenses” over the EFI-PDF that highlight specific areas for particular types of events (e.g. large-scale major events) and types of roles (e.g. “Leadership”).