Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Competitive systems and practices

Competitive systems and practices may include, but are not limited to:
lean operations
agile operations
preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
monitoring and data gathering systems, such as Systems Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Materials Resource Planning (MRP) and proprietary systems
statistical process control systems, including six sigma and three sigma
Just in Time (JIT), kanban and other pull-related operations control systems
supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis
5S
continuous improvement (kaizen)
breakthrough improvement (kaizen blitz)
cause/effect diagrams
overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
takt time
process mapping
problem solving
run charts
standard procedures
current reality tree
Competitive systems and practices should be interpreted so as to take into account:
the stage of implementation of competitive systems and practices
the size of the enterprise
the work organisation, culture, regulatory environment and the industry sector
Process capability
Process capability is:
the measurable ability of a process to reliably produce within calculated limits (the limits depend on the variation of the process)
Variation
All processes have variation. The approach in this unit is to separate random variation (no assignable cause) from non-random variation (which has an assignable cause). By finding and eliminating assignable causes, total variation is reduced and process capability will be improved
Six sigma
Six sigma refers to:
a statistical tool for recording defects and determining capability. Six sigma limits equate to 3.4 defects per million opportunities for each product or service transaction. Six sigma is also used as a general term covering a competitive systems and practices approach. Six sigma training typically covers several units of competency in this Training Package
Three sigma
Three sigma refers to:
a traditional statistical process control. Three sigma limits equate to 3 defects per thousand opportunities for each product or service transaction
Required data
The calculation of three sigma or six sigma limits requires process data. The data required depends on the nature of the limits being calculated
Assignable cause
Any non-random variation is said to have an ‘assignable cause’. The methods of data analysis common to statistical capability analysis as well as other methods of root cause analysis should be used to determine the cause of this non-random variation
Improved process capability
Improvements to process capability result from eliminating the causes of non-random variation. The improvements made may be:
as a result of continuous improvement with the process capability being recalculated periodically
as a result of an improvement project with the process capability recalculated as part of that project
Procedures

Procedures may include:
work instructions
standard operating procedures
formulas/recipes
batch sheets
temporary instructions and similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant
good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (e.g. good manufacturing practice (GMP) and responsible care)
government regulations
Procedures may be:
written, verbal, computer-based or in some other format

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:
analyse process information
calculate process capability/trial limits
improve process capability (or organise for it to be improved)
analyse revised process information and recalculate process capability.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of performance must be undertaken in a workplace using or implementing one or more competitive systems and practices.
Access may be required to:
workplace procedures and plans relevant to work area
specifications and documentation relating to planned, currently being implemented, or implemented changes to work processes and procedures relevant to the assessee
documentation and information in relation to production, waste, overheads and hazard control/management
reports from supervisors/managers
case studies and scenarios to assess responses to contingencies.
Method of assessment
A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.
Competence in this unit may be assessed by using a combination of the following to generate evidence:
demonstration in the workplace
workplace projects
suitable simulation
case studies/scenarios (particularly for assessment of contingencies, improvement scenarios, and so on)
targeted questioning
reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues (third-party reports)
portfolio of evidence
In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess underpinning knowledge.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.