Is testing and learning a methodology or a core skill?

Today I was chatting with Irina and Trilly about implementing the skills framework for product managers at NHS England. Irina had a great idea: she pointed out that the framework didn’t emphasise experimentation enough. There’s a lot of talk about using insights, delivering value and achieving outcomes, but the skills framework we use to shape our roles and assess our performance doesn’t focus on testing and learning. As currently written, the framework doesn’t give talk about exploring ideas, gathering evidence or learning before proceeding. It’s sort of implicit…but is that enough? The framework suggests that everything is predetermined or that you can quickly move from A to B. You frame problems, prioritise towards the ‘right’ outcomes, and make evidence-based decisions. All good things. But it assumes the answers exist and your job is just to deliver it well. It made me wonder if we could completely overhaul the skills framework, to allow experimentation and uncertainty to be more…