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.

Standards may include:
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian Standards (AS)
organisational
project.
System may include:
application service provider (ASP)
applications
databases
gateways
internet service provider (ISP)
operating systems
servers.
Network may include:
data
large and small local area networks (LANs)
private lines
internet
use of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for dial-up modems only
virtual private networks (VPNs)
voice
wide area networks (WANs).
Software may include:
commercial
customised
in-house
packaged.
Documentation may follow:
audit trails
client training and satisfaction reports
ISO, IEC and AS standards
maintaining equipment inventory
naming standards
project-management templates and report writing
version control.
Project may include:
business improvement process
ebusiness solution involving the total organisation or part of the organisation
systems-only change
total organisational change.
Organisational guidelines may include:
communication methods
content of emails
dispute resolution
document procedures and templates
downloading information and accessing particular websites
financial control mechanisms
opening mail with attachments
personal use of emails and internet access
virus risk.
Acceptance criteria may include:
cost implications
technical and logistical considerations
timeframe.
Test and acceptance processes may vary according to:
AS4006-1992 Software test documentation
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian Standards (AS) that are updated and changed on a regular basis
size and type and scope of the project.
Quality benchmarks may include:
benchmarks that cover:
cost savings
performance
quality
technical matters
documented standards for addressing quality in quality-certified organisations
international and Australian standards that are updated and changed on a regular basis, including:
AS3925.1-1994 Software quality assurance - plans
AS4042-1992 Software configuration management plans
AS4043-1992 Software configuration management
AS/NZS14102:1998 Information technology - guideline for evaluation and selection of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools
AS/NZS4258:1994 Software user documentation process
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 12207:1997 Information technology - Software life cycle processes.

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.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the ability to:
develop technical and administrative procedures for use during the software life cycle, system or network reconfiguration or the upgrade process, including:
quality processes
audit trials
version control
configuration management procedures.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
CASE tools
future organisational business processes
organisational standards for documentation and version control
project budget and timeframe
project-management process and hierarchy
legislation and organisational guidelines
technical specifications
test plans
appropriate learning and assessment support when required
modified equipment for people with special needs.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
direct observation of candidate determining the tools and procedures for integration
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of control and monitoring mechanisms
review of requirements for formal control of software products and documentation determined by candidate
evaluation of candidate’s documented control and monitoring mechanisms.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.
In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.