Four major activities were at the heart of the project:

● An analysis of existing studies of competencies considered how concepts had been used and defined. It found a considerable degree of inconsistency, pointing to the need for an overarching framework.

● A clarification of the concept of competence aimed to build a common understanding of key concepts.

● The initial selection of a set of key competencies by experts, basing their choices on research. This involved scholars, experts from many different disciplines, who worked together to find common ground that could contribute to defining key competencies with policy relevance.

● Consultation of countries within the OECD to review how each had defined and selected competencies themselves. This allowed the theoretical perspectives of experts to be related to the actual articulation of national education needs and priorities.

A central question underlying this process was whether it is possible to identify a set of competencies that can be considered as key across countries that differ in culture and perspective, or even across cultures that coexist within individual countries.

On the one hand, it was necessary to acknowledge how even common values can be interpreted differently in different cultures. On the other hand, those involved in the DeSeCo Project pointed out that certain countries have been able to identify common values even while acknowledging their differences. The project was able to identify an agreed set of fundamental ideals with which a framework of key competencies needs to be compatible. This reflects a commonality of aspiration while accepting a diversity of application. 

Although this exercise was undertaken in the context of OECD countries, similar challenges may apply to other countries and close co-operation was therefore sought with UNESCO in defining the framework.