1. What Is an IDP?
An IDP is a short, written plan.
• You and your manager write it together.
• It lists the skills you want to gain, actions to take, and dates to check progress.
• It looks forward, not backward, so it is not a performance review.lattice
2. Why Use an IDP?
Benefits for team members
• Shows a clear path for growth.thrivesparrow
• Speeds up skill building for the next role.engagedly
• Raises engagement and helps people stay longer.dodea
Benefits for leaders
• Builds a ready bench of skilled talent.peoplebox
• Links each person’s growth to team goals, boosting output.peoplespheres
• Gives data for training and promotion choices.dodea
3. Six Simple Steps
- Reflect. The employee lists strengths, gaps, and dream roles.
- Set 2-4 goals. Make them SMART: clear, measurable, and time-bound.
- Pick actions. Use the 70-20-10 mix:
• 70 % on-the-job tasks
• 20 % coaching or mentoring
• 10 % courses or books - List support. Add budget, tools, and people who can help.
- Add dates. Plan monthly or quarterly check-ins.
- Review and update. Adjust the plan as goals change.
4. Sample IDP for a Data Engineer
Table
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Employee | Alex Kim |
| Aim | Become Senior Data Engineer in 18 months |
| Goal 1 | Build a Kafka streaming pipeline by Q4 |
| Actions | • Finish “Kafka Basics” course • Shadow a senior engineer • Demo results to the team |
| Measure | Pipeline runs at 50 K msgs/sec in test |
| Goal 2 | Cut Snowflake costs 15 % by Q3 |
| Actions | • Audit current spend • Join FinOps workshop • Apply one saving idea |
| Goal 3 | Mentor a junior engineer for six months |
| Actions | • Join company mentor program • Lead one retro each quarter |
5. Tips to Keep It Alive
• Book a short IDP chat every month.
• Celebrate small wins in team meetings.
• Refresh goals each year to stay aligned with business needs.
A clear, simple IDP turns vague ambition into focused action—for both the employee and the leader.