It's very cool, but some complaints:<p>- I shouldn't have to know advanced database management to do AJAX or user authentication. Seems like a dependency bug.<p>- The tree emphasizes jQuery effects to an odd degree (three levels) and it doesn't depend on JS mastery. Seems obscure and out of place.<p>- There's too much specificity in a lot of the descriptions and links. I'd focus less on tools and more on skills. For example, instead of "You can use frameworks like Ember.js,...", say "you can build a complete, highly interactive SPA". Instead of "You can use mod_rewrite", say "You are comfortable deploying, configuring, and maintaining high-traffic sites in a complex environment." The User Testing and Prototypes skills are much better in this regard.<p>- I'm not sure I love the Web Development Mastery skill, because I'm not sure what it captures besides "I checked off all the other boxes".<p>Edit: removed use of "just" that makes it sound more critical than I meant it.
Content aside, I love the idea of visualizing various skills and their relationships in this World of Warcraft - like style! Nicely done.<p>Khan Academy could be taking notes and inspiration to replace their current Knowledge Map:<p><a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/exercisedashboard" rel="nofollow">https://www.khanacademy.org/exercisedashboard</a><p>Perhaps this would be a little over the top with gamification, but it could be cute to have a character sheet for every student with their level, experience points, skills and talent specs listed out in tabs. It's fun to look at Online Education as being essentially an MMORPG.
Not a skill tree, but this reminds me of the challenge map from <a href="http://hacker.org" rel="nofollow">http://hacker.org</a>.<p>EDIT: To add, the intent of the challenge map is that many of the challenges build directly or indirectly on past challenges. Basic crypto challenges (by basic, I mean simple substitution ciphers) to simple XOR ciphers with increasing levels of difficulty (intended, sometimes there are shortcuts the designer didn't perceive). Programming challenges using their own esoteric languages or solving problems with potential exponential algorithms (until you figure out the shortcuts) and the like.
Things seem aimed a bit more at designers than developers. If it was to be more developer-centric it would definitely need some references to things like GoF patterns, dependency injection, code reuse, testing/testability, loose coupling, etc. Someone could have a perfect score on this and potentially be terrible, even at web development specifically. If someone had a perfect score on the programmers competency matrix, however, they would be a sure thing.<p><a href="http://sijinjoseph.com/programmer-competency-matrix/" rel="nofollow">http://sijinjoseph.com/programmer-competency-matrix/</a><p>The best sort of skill tree is one where it is hard enough that you cannot make it down every path in the time that it takes to play the game (in this case a career). Someone needs to create a new competency matrix with a broader scope.
What if a company implemented this in their workplace?<p>They would have different classes for general positions in the company, and you could get a skill by passing a rigorous test. Each skill point would get you a raise. You get promotions or change roles based on your class specialization and level.<p>I know, I know, it'd be a disaster. But maybe there could be lower stakes at hand to encourage employees to learn new skills, like cashing in XP for little perks.
jQuery Effects is a pre-req for the ultimate (Web Development Mastery) but jQuery Effects does not arrow into the ultimate. Instead, Web Design Mastery, which is a pre-req for jQuery Effects, does. This appears to be a bug. You could resolve it by moving WDM up a level and moving jQuery Effects into its current position.
Very interesting concept, but it is very limited currently. I'd like to see some other 'classes'.<p>A class for Ops/DevOps, and for Technical Management for instance
Myself: <a href="http://www.dungeonsanddevelopers.com/#_a2b2cde3hijklm2nopqxy2_15_Nick" rel="nofollow">http://www.dungeonsanddevelopers.com/#_a2b2cde3hijklm2nopqxy...</a><p>This is actually an interesting way to display credentials. You could potentially put this up as supplementary on your LinkedIn profile or something along those lines.
I love this! I think there's some real mileage in something like this realised a little better. For example:<p>- Let users upload their own portraits<p>- Sort out the skill dependencies to be more logical. Why do the 3 levels of jQuery effects not depend on JS mastery for example?<p>- Less emphasis on specific tools and more on types of skill, as pointed out by some other commenters<p>- Let us pick classes, perhaps with two components to the class, e.g. "Frontend ranger", "Devops Paladin", "Database barbarian", "Data Scientist High Elf" etc.<p>- Sort out the ugly looking pushState url to something cleaner that people would be proud to link to
This is fun! Great work.<p>One small suggestion: consider using replaceState instead of pushState, pressing the back button just removes one skill point when it should probably leave the site (or at least remove all skill points).
This is fun as a "what don't I know" test. I think we all know of some professional software developers who wouldn't pass the advanced database talent. I might be one!
Any MMORPG player would tell you that a build tree decreases flexibilty and annihilates creativity as only 2 or 3 major "build trees" end up being viable.
This is pretty cool but shows up how unrealistic talent trees are in real life.
Will be a pretty good idea for a customised CV in game industry, though... :-P
This is awesome, but makes no sense without:<p><pre><code> * Business Skills
* Social Skills
* Mastery of a Start-up
* Entrepreneur Skills
* Organizational Skills ($ and PM)
* Marketing Skills (most importantly)
</code></pre>
Unfortunately I know that I mastered all of these topics on site already more or less, but not the mentioned ones.