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.

IT organisations
vendors of IT products and services
IT professional bodies
industry publications and government departments involved in IT industry promotion
employer organisations
relevant unions

workstations
personal computers
modems and other connectivity devices
printers
DSL modems
hard drives
monitors
switches
hubs
personal digital assistant (PDA)
other peripheral devices

Linux 7.0 or above
Windows 2000 or above
Apple OS X or above

commercial software applications
organisation-specific software

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 following is essential:

Assessment must confirm the ability to effectively integrate into and operate in the IT environment of an organisation. An individual would be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the organisation's IT policies, systems, management structure and operating arrangements.

To demonstrate competency in this unit the learner will require access to:

A Workstation

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Information systems areas within organisations play an increasingly important role in helping the business achieve it core objectives. When joining and working within an organisation in an IT capacity, it is important to understand the role of IT and the type and extent of IT assets managed by the IT area and staff.
The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would prepare a person to perform in a range of varied activities or knowledge applications where there is a clearly defined range of contexts in which the choice of actions required is usually clear. There would generally be limited complexity in the range of operations to be applied.

Assessment must ensure:

Performance of a prescribed range of functions involving known routines and procedures and some accountability for the quality of outcomes would be characteristic.
Applications may include some complex or non-routine activities involving individual responsibility or autonomy and/or collaboration with others as part of a group or team.

Method of assessment
The purpose of this unit is to define the standard of performance to be achieved in the workplace. In undertaking training and assessment activities related to this unit, consideration should be given to the implementation of appropriate diversity and accessibility practices in order to accommodate people who may have special needs. Additional guidance on these and related matters is provided in ICA05 Section 1.
Competency in this unit should be assessed using summative assessment to ensure consistency of performance in a range of contexts. This unit can be assessed either in the workplace or in a simulated environment. However, simulated activities must closely reflect the workplace to enable full demonstration of competency.
Assessment will usually include observation of real or simulated work processes and procedures and/or performance in a project context as well as questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. The questioning of team members, supervisors, subordinates, peers and clients where appropriate may provide valuable input to the assessment process. The interdependence of units for assessment purposes may vary with the particular project or scenario.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

ICAW2002B Communicate in the workplace

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate basic operational knowledge in a moderate range of areas
Apply a defined range of skills
Apply known solutions to a limited range of predictable problems
Perform a range of tasks where choice between a limited range of options is required
Assess and record information from varied sources
Take limited responsibility for own outputs in work and learning
Maintain knowledge of industry products and services