Desirable difficulty, a concept championed by Robert Bjork in his seminal 1994 paper, “Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings,” isn’t about making things *hard* for the sake of it. It’s about strategically introducing optimal challenges that push learners just beyond their comfort zones, fostering deeper, more durable learning. Think of it like this: easy tasks lead to quick gratification but shallow understanding; overly difficult tasks lead to frustration and disengagement. Desirable difficulty hits the sweet spot, promoting struggle – that crucial ingredient for long-term retention and skill mastery. It’s about carefully crafting learning experiences that require active recall, spaced repetition, and interleaving of concepts. This isn’t just theoretical; countless studies demonstrate that deliberately incorporating desirable difficulty into educational materials, tutorials, and training videos leads to superior learning outcomes compared to simpler, more comfortable approaches. Consider how interleaving different problem types in a math tutorial, employing spaced repetition flashcards for vocabulary acquisition, or implementing low-stakes testing throughout a training module can all contribute to achieving that ‘desirable difficulty’ – the key to unlocking truly impactful learning.
It’s not about making learners suffer; it’s about optimizing the struggle for maximum learning gain. The “just right” level of challenge fosters a sense of accomplishment upon overcoming obstacles, strengthening motivation and building confidence along the way. This is where the real magic happens, transforming passive consumption of information into active engagement and lasting knowledge retention. The key is finding the optimal balance – a carefully calibrated level of challenge that promotes deep processing and minimizes frustration.
What is the 5 point rating scale for skills?
The ubiquitous 5-point rating scale, a staple in performance evaluations across countless organizations, offers a standardized approach to assessing everything from goal attainment to skill mastery. This seemingly simple tool, however, harbors subtle nuances crucial for effective implementation. The typical breakdown is: 5 – Outstanding (demonstrates exceptional proficiency, exceeding all expectations; often associated with innovation and exceeding benchmarks), 4 – Exceeds Expectations (consistently performs at a high level, surpassing standard requirements; displays initiative and problem-solving skills), 3 – Meets Expectations (performs satisfactorily, fulfilling all assigned tasks and responsibilities to the expected standard; consistently reliable), 2 – Needs Improvement (performance falls short of expectations; requires additional training or support to reach competency levels; needs focused development), and 1 – Unacceptable (performance is significantly below expectations; requires immediate attention and intervention; may necessitate disciplinary action).
While seemingly straightforward, consistent application is paramount. Clear definitions for each level, coupled with specific behavioral examples, are vital to avoid ambiguity and ensure fair and accurate assessments. For instance, “Exceeds Expectations” for a sales role might include exceeding quarterly targets by 20%, while for a software engineer, it might involve independently resolving a critical production bug. The key is contextual specificity. Without it, the scale becomes subjective, undermining its intended purpose.
Furthermore, consider integrating this scale with a competency model. This provides a framework that ties specific skills to each rating level, allowing for more granular and objective evaluations. For example, instead of simply rating “communication skills” as a 3, the rating could be broken down based on specific communication competencies such as active listening, written communication, and public speaking, each rated individually to provide a more holistic picture. This adds depth and supports targeted development plans.
Finally, remember that this scale shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. It should be part of a broader performance management system that includes regular check-ins, constructive feedback, and opportunities for professional growth. The 5-point scale is a valuable tool, but only as one component of a comprehensive, well-designed system.
What is the ideal difficulty curve?
Forget “slightly above.” A truly ideal difficulty curve throws you into the deep end, forces adaptation, and *then* gradually increases the challenge. It’s not about a linear progression; it’s about punctuated equilibrium. Think brutal initial encounters that demand mastery of core mechanics. You should feel a *genuine* sense of accomplishment after surviving the first few hours, not just a sense of relief.
The key isn’t avoiding difficulty, it’s mastering it. A good curve provides regular, substantial power spikes. Not just stat increases, but unlocking new abilities, strategies, and playstyles that completely change your approach. This keeps things fresh and prevents stagnation.
Here’s what separates a good curve from a great one:
- Meaningful Failure: Death shouldn’t just mean reloading; it should teach you something about the game’s mechanics, enemy AI, or your own playstyle. Every death should inform your future strategies.
- Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (Optional): While some purists shun it, a well-implemented adaptive system can be beneficial. Not one that makes the game easier, but one that recognizes player skill and adjusts the challenge accordingly *within* the established curve. Think more frequent encounters or stronger enemies when you’re clearly mastering the current content.
- Escalating Complexity: It’s not just about throwing more enemies at the player. A great curve adds layers of complexity; new mechanics, environmental hazards, strategic elements that require you to think outside the box.
- Surprise and Innovation: The curve should occasionally throw curveballs – unexpected encounters, unique challenges, shifting gameplay dynamics – that constantly keep you on your toes.
Examples of poorly implemented curves involve:
- The “Spiky” Curve: Periods of relative ease followed by sudden, insurmountable difficulty walls.
- The “Linear Grind”: A monotonous increase in enemy stats with no meaningful changes in gameplay mechanics or enemy AI.
- The “Fake Difficulty”: Difficulty achieved through cheap tactics, unfair enemy placement, or poorly designed mechanics rather than skillful challenge.
Ultimately, the ideal difficulty curve should feel like a thrilling, engaging, and rewarding climb. It’s about overcoming significant obstacles, and the sense of accomplishment that follows is what makes it all worthwhile.
What is the level difficulty curve?
The difficulty curve in game design describes the rate at which a game’s challenge increases (or decreases) throughout the player experience. It’s a crucial element impacting player engagement and retention. A well-designed curve gradually introduces new mechanics and escalating challenges, maintaining a satisfying sense of progression and accomplishment. Conversely, a poorly designed curve can lead to frustration (too steep) or boredom (too shallow).
Key aspects of a difficulty curve include:
- Initial difficulty: The starting point significantly influences the player’s first impression. Too challenging, and players might quit immediately; too easy, and they might lose interest quickly.
- Rate of increase: This dictates the pacing. A linear increase might feel predictable, while an exponential curve can create intense spikes in difficulty. Games often employ varied rates, alternating between periods of easier and harder challenges.
- Types of challenges: Difficulty isn’t solely about enemy strength. It also encompasses puzzle complexity, resource management constraints, time limits, and the player’s access to tools and upgrades.
- Skill ceiling: A well-designed curve allows players of varying skill levels to find enjoyment, with a challenging yet achievable skill ceiling for the most dedicated players.
- Difficulty options: Providing adjustable difficulty settings allows players to tailor the experience to their preferred level of challenge.
Different types of difficulty curves include:
- Linear: A steady, consistent increase in difficulty.
- Exponential: A rapid increase in difficulty, often used for intense action games.
- Step-function: Sudden, significant jumps in difficulty, marked by boss battles or major story events.
- Inverted-U-shaped: Starting difficult, then decreasing the difficulty before increasing it again towards the end to challenge the experienced player.
Analyzing a game’s difficulty curve involves examining player progression data, feedback, and observing player behavior to identify points of frustration or boredom, allowing for adjustments and improvements to the player experience.
What’s more difficult, intermediate or moderate?
Moderate is easier. Think of it like this: beginner is a training camp for scrubs, moderate is where you start to actually learn the game, and intermediate is where the real PvP grind begins. You’ll face a wider skill gap in moderate classes; some folks will still be figuring out the basics, while others are already prepping for the jump to intermediate.
Key Differences:
- Pace and Intensity: Moderate classes will ramp up the pace gradually. You’ll still have time to breathe, but the pressure will be higher than in beginner classes. Intermediate classes, however, will be relentless. Expect constant pressure and little room for error.
- Strategy and Tactics: Moderate classes introduce more sophisticated techniques, but rarely the advanced stuff you see at the intermediate level. Think of it as learning fundamental combos and positioning, versus mastering advanced counters and high-risk, high-reward maneuvers.
- Opponent Skill: The skill ceiling in moderate is far lower. You’ll encounter a wider range of players, including those who are still struggling with the fundamentals. Intermediate, on the other hand, will mostly consist of players who’ve mastered the basics and are actively trying to improve their game.
Progression Path: Don’t underestimate the moderate level. Mastering it is crucial for success at the intermediate level. Focus on refining your fundamentals, identifying your weaknesses, and experimenting with different strategies. The lessons learned here will lay the groundwork for your future PvP dominance.
- Dominate the moderate level. Perfect your basic combos and learn to read your opponents.
- Identify your weaknesses and work on them relentlessly.
- Watch high-level gameplay (intermediate and beyond) to learn advanced techniques and strategies.
- Once you consistently win against moderate opponents, you’re ready for intermediate.
What is an example of a desirable difficulty?
Desirable difficulties? Think of them as strategically inflicted wounds, forcing your brain to adapt and become stronger. They’re not about making things *harder*, but about making them *effectively harder*. It’s about optimizing the struggle.
Retrieval practice isn’t just rereading; it’s actively recalling information from memory. Force yourself to answer questions without looking at your notes – that’s the sweet spot of controlled suffering. The pain builds resilience.
Spaced repetition? Forget cramming. Spread your study sessions across time, allowing for consolidation and the development of robust, long-term memories. This isn’t about efficiency; it’s about building lasting power.
Varied practice crushes the illusion of mastery. Don’t just solve the same type of problem repeatedly. Mix it up – you’ll uncover weaknesses and become more adaptable. This is where true skill emerges, forged in the fires of controlled chaos.
Self-explanation: Don’t passively absorb information. Force yourself to explain concepts in your own words. Identify gaps in your understanding and refine your mental models. This isn’t rote memorization; it’s knowledge mastery through active engagement.
Interleaving? Mastering one skill at a time is amateur hour. Mix different subjects or skill sets during your study sessions. This forces discrimination and strengthens your cognitive control. The struggle to differentiate is the path to superior performance. Embrace the confusion; it’s your ally.
What are the better words to describe difficulty levels?
So, you’re looking for better words than “easy,” “medium,” and “hard,” huh? Been there, done that. Let’s spice things up. Forget basic difficulty levels; we’re crafting an *experience*.
Instead of just “hard,” consider these:
- Hardship: This implies a prolonged struggle, a real test of endurance. Perfect for a late-game grind or a brutally challenging boss fight.
- Obstacle Course: Evokes a sense of overcoming multiple challenges, not just one big hurdle.
- Brutal: Short, punchy, and leaves no doubt about the difficulty. Use sparingly, but when you do, it *hits*.
- Grueling: Suggests an exhausting and demanding experience.
- Intense: For fast-paced action, where the difficulty comes from speed and precision.
For a more nuanced approach, think about the *type* of difficulty:
- Strategic Challenge: Emphasizes puzzle-solving and tactical thinking over raw power.
- Reflex Test: Highlights speed and reaction time as key factors.
- Endurance Run: Long, drawn-out, demanding stamina and patience.
Pro-tip: Don’t just slap a word on a difficulty setting. Consider the overall tone and theme of your game. A “Nightmare” mode fits a horror game, but maybe not a cute platformer. A “Trial of the Ancients” sounds way cooler than “Hard Mode 3,” right?
Beyond the words themselves, consider visual cues. A fiery skull next to “Brutal” conveys the intensity far better than the word alone. Think about player psychology when designing difficulty levels – make them *memorable*.
What are the five levels of difficulty?
The “five levels of difficulty” concept, as applied to explaining complex subjects, can be viewed through a game design lens as a tiered progression system. Each level represents a distinct player (audience) archetype with varying levels of prior knowledge and cognitive capacity. Level 1 (child) focuses on foundational concepts and simple analogies, prioritizing engagement and memorability over detailed accuracy. Think of it as a tutorial, emphasizing core mechanics without overwhelming complexity. Level 2 (teenager) introduces more abstract concepts and expands on foundational knowledge, increasing the complexity gradually through more sophisticated explanations and examples relevant to their experience. This stage mirrors the introduction of new game mechanics and gradually increasing challenge. Level 3 (undergrad) demands a deeper understanding of theoretical frameworks, requiring active participation and problem-solving. Similar to intermediate levels in a game, this requires a strong grasp of fundamental mechanics and the introduction of strategic elements. Level 4 (grad student) delves into research methodologies, nuanced interpretations, and critical analysis. This corresponds to advanced game modes, requiring mastery of core mechanics and a high degree of strategic thinking, coupled with understanding advanced techniques. Level 5 (colleague) assumes complete mastery of the subject, presenting advanced research, cutting-edge discoveries, and open-ended discussions. This is akin to endgame content, for experienced players seeking challenging and rewarding content, focusing on sophisticated strategic nuances and detailed critical analysis.
This layered approach mirrors effective game design principles, gradually increasing complexity and challenge while maintaining engagement and relevance for each player archetype. It ensures accessibility while retaining depth and intellectual stimulation for the most experienced “players.” The key lies in tailoring the language, examples, and level of detail to suit the cognitive capabilities and prior knowledge of each audience segment. Ignoring this crucial aspect may lead to information overload and frustration in lower-level players and a lack of sufficient challenge for higher-level players. A successful implementation of this methodology results in a comprehensive and engaging learning experience for all participants.
What is the ideal normal curve?
Alright chat, so you wanna know about the ideal normal curve? Think of it as the ultimate bell curve, the Platonic ideal of data distribution. First, it’s perfectly symmetrical – a mirror image on either side of the center. You could fold it in half and it’d match perfectly. No skew, no weird bumps. Just pure, unadulterated symmetry.
Second, the mean, median, and mode are all the same. This means the center point is the average value, the middle value, and the most frequent value. This is crucial because it indicates a perfectly balanced distribution – no outliers pulling the average way off to one side. It’s all snug and centered around that sweet spot.
Now, here’s the kicker. This perfect curve is a theoretical construct. Real-world data rarely, if ever, perfectly fits this ideal. We use this ideal as a benchmark, a comparison point. How far your data deviates from this perfect curve tells you a lot about the underlying distribution and potential biases or outliers. Think of it as the ultimate goal, a shining example of statistical perfection. We strive for it, but it’s rarely, if ever, achieved.
How do you say difficult in a positive way?
Instead of simply saying “difficult,” a seasoned esports analyst would leverage more nuanced vocabulary to convey the intensity and complexity of a situation. This allows for a more sophisticated and engaging analysis. Consider these alternatives, each with specific esports connotations:
- Challenging: This is a classic and broadly applicable term. In esports, a “challenging” match might involve a highly skilled opponent, a complex map, or a meta shift requiring strategic adaptation. It implies a worthy opponent and a rewarding struggle.
- Tough: Similar to “challenging,” but often suggests a greater degree of adversity. A “tough” series might involve facing multiple setbacks, overcoming technical issues, or enduring intense pressure. Think of a team fighting back from a significant deficit.
- Hard-fought: This emphasizes the effort and dedication required. A “hard-fought victory” speaks volumes about the team’s resilience and determination, highlighting their ability to overcome obstacles.
- Rigorous: This term suggests a high level of precision and discipline. A “rigorous training regime” is essential for top-tier esports performance, demanding a significant commitment from players.
- Demanding: This focuses on the high standards and expectations involved. A “demanding” meta necessitates continuous learning, adaptation, and refinement of strategies. The constant evolution of the competitive landscape demands this constant refinement.
- Formidable: This highlights the strength and skill of the opponent. A “formidable opponent” inspires respect and acknowledges the significant challenge ahead. It’s a term reserved for truly exceptional teams or players.
Note: “Sensitive,” and “problematic” are less suitable for describing difficulty in a positive light within the context of competitive gaming. They often imply negativity or weakness, rather than the inherent challenges of high-level competition.
- Analyzing “Difficult” situations: Instead of stating a game was “difficult,” consider breaking down the specific elements that contributed to the perceived difficulty. Was it the opponent’s superior strategy? A technical malfunction? A player’s off-day? Specific examples add depth to your analysis.
- Highlighting resilience and adaptation: Focus on how teams or players overcame the challenges. Did they adapt their strategy? Show remarkable teamwork? Did individual players step up and carry the team? This showcases the positive aspects even within a tough match.
What is an example of difficulty?
Difficulty manifests in diverse ways, impacting individuals and organizations alike. Consider these examples, showcasing the multifaceted nature of struggle:
Internal Struggle: “With great difficulty he learned to restrain himself” illustrates the arduous process of self-control, a common internal battle requiring significant willpower and often resulting from ingrained habits or emotional turmoil. This highlights the inherent difficulty in modifying deeply rooted behavioral patterns, a challenge demanding consistent effort and potentially professional guidance.
Financial Distress: “That panel would encourage firms in financial difficulties to go to it for advice” demonstrates the complexities of economic hardship. Financial difficulty isn’t simply a lack of funds; it’s a systemic issue potentially involving debt, cash flow problems, market fluctuations, and strategic mismanagement. The panel’s existence acknowledges the need for specialized support in navigating this intricate landscape.
Systematic Barriers: “Women inspectors were appointed to deal with that difficulty” points to difficulties arising from systemic inequality and bias. The “difficulty” wasn’t inherent to the task itself but stemmed from societal structures preventing women’s participation in such roles. This example underscores the importance of addressing systemic obstacles to achieve equity and fairness.
Physical and Mental Health Challenges: “They have great difficulty getting out of bed in the mornings and are exhausted all day” illustrates the debilitating impact of physical or mental health issues. This pervasive difficulty affects daily functioning, productivity, and overall well-being. It emphasizes the significance of recognizing and addressing underlying health conditions impacting one’s ability to cope with daily life. The struggle highlights the need for appropriate medical attention and supportive care.
What is the meaning of difficulty rating?
Difficulty ratings in trail systems, and games for that matter, are subjective metrics representing the anticipated challenge a user will face. While seemingly straightforward, the calculation is complex and often incorporates multiple weighted factors. For trails, this commonly includes elevation gain and loss (vertical difficulty), trail length and gradient (horizontal difficulty), trail surface condition (technical difficulty, impacting required skill), and environmental factors (weather, exposure, etc.). These factors are often normalized and combined using algorithms, sometimes proprietary, to generate a numerical or categorical rating (e.g., easy, medium, hard, expert). The “average user” is a critical, yet ill-defined, component; the rating implicitly assumes a certain level of fitness and experience. Consequently, individual experiences may vary widely, even for the same trail and rating, depending on the user’s actual physical condition, skill level, and equipment. Further complicating matters, many rating systems lack transparency in their weighting schemes, limiting reproducibility and comparability across different platforms and trail networks. A thorough understanding of the rating system’s methodology is vital for accurate self-assessment and effective trail selection. Finally, subjective user reviews and feedback mechanisms are increasingly employed to refine and validate automated difficulty ratings.
What are the 5 levels of performance rating?
In competitive esports performance analysis, a five-level rating system offers a granular approach to evaluating player skill and contribution. While a simple 1-5 scale might seem rudimentary, the nuanced interpretation is crucial. Level 5 – Outstanding represents exceptional performance significantly exceeding expectations, often showcasing innovative strategies and game-changing plays. Think Faker’s legendary outplays or a support player consistently enabling team objectives perfectly. Level 4 – Exceeds Fully Successful denotes consistent high-level performance exceeding baseline expectations, marked by consistent strong decision-making and efficient execution. This level showcases players consistently performing well above average in their role. Level 3 – Fully Successful represents meeting all reasonable expectations, delivering solid contributions without significant flaws. This is a reliable, consistent player demonstrating proficiency in their role. Level 2 – Minimally Satisfactory signifies performance that barely meets expectations, often characterized by inconsistency and reliance on teammates. Players at this level need improvement to be truly effective. Finally, Level 1 – Unsatisfactory indicates performance falling significantly short of expectations, frequently hindering team success. This often involves significant mechanical errors, poor decision-making, and negative impact on team dynamics. The specific metrics used to define each level should be role-specific and adapted to the game in question.
Beyond the basic ratings, a complete esports performance analysis goes further, incorporating statistical data (KDA, damage dealt, objective control etc.) and qualitative assessments of decision-making, teamwork, and adaptability under pressure. The context of each match – opponent strength, game state, and team composition – should also be considered.
What are the five levels of proficiency?
So, you wanna know about those five proficiency levels? Think of it like leveling up in your favorite RPG. We got 1-5, plus a special “NA” for when a skill just doesn’t apply. Level 1 is Fundamental Awareness – you know the basics, like recognizing a boss’s attack pattern, but you’re not exactly dodging it yet. Level 2, Novice, means you’ve actually *tried* to dodge, maybe even successfully once or twice, but you’re still a bit clumsy. Level 3, Intermediate, is where you’re actually *using* that skill in real gameplay. You’re consistent, you’re reliable, you’re clearing content.
Then we hit Level 4, Advanced. This is where theorycrafting comes into play. You understand the *why* behind the skills, optimizing your build, maybe even teaching others how to do it better. You’re not just playing, you’re mastering the game. Finally, Level 5, Expert. You’re not just mastering the game, you’re setting the pace for everyone else. You’re the one people look to for guides, strategies, and the absolute best performance – a true recognized authority on the subject. NA? That just means this skill isn’t relevant to your current gameplay or build, move along to something else!
What is a good difficulty index?
The “good” difficulty index depends entirely on your design goals. Are you crafting a challenge only the most skilled players can conquer, or a hurdle that separates the wheat from the chaff? For a truly mastery item – think boss fights demanding perfect execution – an index between 0.80 and 1.00 is ideal. This indicates a question or challenge only the top players consistently overcome. A lower success rate here isn’t necessarily bad; it signifies a fitting challenge for experts. A high difficulty doesn’t automatically equate to good design; it needs to be fair and rewarding upon completion.
Conversely, if you’re aiming for a discriminating question, one that effectively separates proficient players from novices, the sweet spot is between 0.30 and 0.70. This range ensures a substantial portion of players succeed, offering a sense of accomplishment, while also presenting a meaningful obstacle for the less experienced. It’s crucial to remember that this index relies on comparing the top and bottom 27% of players – a critical detail often overlooked. A perfectly balanced game doesn’t necessarily mean every challenge falls within this range; varied difficulty throughout the experience is often key to player engagement. Too many items clustered in the mid-range can lead to predictable and ultimately boring gameplay. Think of it like a well-crafted level design; a mix of challenging obstacles and rewarding moments keeps players invested.
What is the difficulty 5 point scale?
The 5-point Likert scale is a staple in research and design, providing a simple yet effective method for gauging opinions and experiences. Understanding its application is crucial. Let’s break down its usage in three common contexts:
Desirability (5-point): This assesses how appealing or attractive something is. The scale ranges from “Very undesirable” (1) representing strong negative feelings, through “Undesirable” (2), “Neutral” (3), “Desirable” (4), to “Very desirable” (5) indicating strong positive feelings. Consider using this when evaluating feature preferences, product appeal, or user satisfaction with a particular outcome.
Difficulty (5-point): This measures the perceived level of challenge or ease associated with a task or process. It progresses from “Very difficult” (1), representing significant hurdles and frustration, to “Difficult” (2), “Neutral” (3), “Easy” (4), and finally “Very easy” (5), indicating effortless completion. This is invaluable for usability testing, game balancing, or assessing the complexity of instructions.
Frequency (5-point): This quantifies how often an event or behavior occurs. The scale runs from “Never” (1) indicating complete absence, through “Rarely” (2), “Sometimes” (3), “Often” (4), to “Always” (5), representing consistent occurrence. This is useful for tracking habits, usage patterns, or the prevalence of specific actions within a system.
Pro-Tip: When designing surveys or questionnaires using a 5-point Likert scale, ensure clear and concise wording for each option to prevent ambiguity. Pilot testing your instrument is essential to confirm its clarity and effectiveness. Remember, consistent application across your research is key for meaningful data analysis.
What is a difficulty score?
Yo what’s up, gymnasts and viewers! Let’s break down this D-score thing, because it’s way more complex than it looks. Basically, it’s the difficulty rating of a gymnastics routine – the higher the D-score, the harder the routine. Think of it like your game’s difficulty setting, except instead of choosing Easy, Medium, or Hard, the gymnasts are building their own insane difficulty level.
The D-score is calculated from 8 elements, and it gets tricky. They don’t just pick any 8; it’s the 8 elements with the highest Difficulty Value (DV) from the official code of points. That DV is like a point value for each move, each skill, each insane twisty thing they do. Check your rules for the current DV, it changes!
- Difficulty Value (DV): This is the core. Each element has a pre-assigned DV based on its technical difficulty, risk, and originality. The higher the DV, the harder the skill. Think of it as skill points in an RPG.
- Eight Highest-Value Elements: They don’t just throw in random moves. It’s the eight *best* moves, the eight most challenging ones that add up to the final D-score. It’s strategic element selection!
- The Dismount is Crucial: The landing – the dismount – counts as one of those eight elements. Nail that landing, or your whole D-score suffers. A killer dismount can seriously boost your score.
So, to recap: It’s not just about *doing* hard skills, it’s about strategically selecting the *eight hardest* skills, including that crucial dismount. Get the highest DV for those eight moves and BOOM! You’ve got a high D-score. Think of it as maximizing your build in a character creator; only the strongest skills matter.