The Association of Professionals in the Game Operations and Development Industry (APRIORI) has prepared what are known as competency maps for gaming specialists. These are tables listing the professional skills of game development employees.
Currently, the maps have been created for three specialties: "game development," "game graphics," and "game design." Each map lists both general skills for the specialty and skills for more specific professions (developer profiles). For example, in the "game development" map, you can also find skills for professions like "gameplay developer" and "engine developer," and in the "game design" map, skills for "narrative designer" and "level designer."
APRIORI emphasizes that the competency maps are primarily intended for educational institutions. Universities, colleges, and other establishments can use them as methodological recommendations when teaching their students. Employers may also find the maps useful.
"Currently, there is no standardization of specialties in the game development sphere, but there are three interested parties: universities, which want to know what to teach; students, who want to know what to learn; and future employers, who want to know what to expect from recent graduates. Competency maps help set clear expectations for professionals in the gaming industry. They are not just a tool but a strategic resource for building strong teams and creating quality games," said Alexander Mikheev, CEO of APRIORI.
The maps were developed, in part, by the group of companies VK, which is part of APRIORI. Specifically, its divisions VK Play and VK Education were involved. During the preparation, they consulted with representatives from both universities and various gaming companies.
You can view the competency maps here.