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.

Specifications may refer to:
medium
purpose
style
target users of products.
Briefs are usually prepared by a commissioning body or organisation and may be:
diagrammatic
verbal
visual
written.
Products may include:
architectural fixtures and fittings
furnishings
furniture
hardware
household and garden products
kitchenware
tableware
toys.
Parameters and constraints may refer to:
budgeting and financing requirements
conditions for use of products
cost of production
number of items
setting
timeframes.
Relevant people may include:
clients
colleagues
industry practitioners
managers
mentors
supervisors.
Information may be about:
considerations, such as:
contractual
copyright
ethical
legal
technology
design standards
health and safety
industry standards
material characteristics and capabilities.
Work space needs may include:
dust extraction
lighting
process-specific space needs
ventilation
wet and dry areas.
Materials may include:
acrylic
binders
cardboard
clay
extenders
fabric
fibre
glass
glazes
inks
lacquers
latex
leather
metal
nails
oxides
paints
paper
plaster
plastics
pulp
resins
rubber
sand
screws
sheet metal
spun fibre
stains
stone
wire
wood and wood-based products.
Tools and equipment may include:
bobbins
brushes
ceramics equipment
computer hardware and software
hand-printing equipment and digital printers
hand tools
hooks
kiln and kiln furniture
loom
measuring tools
moulds and casting equipment
needles
pins
power tools
receptacles
sewing machine
smithing equipment
soldering iron
spatulas
welding equipment.
Preliminary visual representations may involve:
computer-aided drawing
mock-up
sketching
technical drawing.
Approaches may encompass:
aesthetic and stylistic considerations
choice of medium and materials
design solutions
parameters of the brief.
Criteria may include:
access to materials, tools and equipment required for making products
access to specialist fabricators
consistency with product briefs
ease of manufacture
personal affinity with medium and materials.
Strategies to test techniques may involve:
exploring techniques by making practice pieces, test pieces, mock-ups or samples
testing materials by applying stress tests and colour tests.
Techniques may include:
binding
cabinet making
carpentry
casting
ceramics and glass forming
digital imaging
fusing
knotting
leatherwork
metalwork
moulding
photography
printing
sewing
smithing
weaving.
Process followed to refine the design approach may involve:
adjustment to design considerations
adjustment to design solution
adjustment to use the extended capabilities of the techniques.
Process used to document the approach may involve:
final drawings
illustrations
material samples
models
photographs
plans
specifications for fabrication
written rationale or description.

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:
test and use a range of approaches and techniques for the design of products in response to a brief
produce a prototype of at least one product
apply knowledge of the processes and techniques used to design products.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
briefs on which to base the design of products
equipment and tools used to produce prototypes of products.
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 design or prototyping work in progress, including exploration of, and experimentation with, techniques
evaluation of items designed by the candidate
questioning and discussion about the candidate’s intentions and the work outcome
review of portfolios of evidence
review of third-party reports from experienced practitioners.
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy) and the needs of particular groups (e.g. people with disabilities and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties, such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
BSBDES401A Generate design solutions
BSBDES402A Interpret and respond to a design brief.