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.

OHS standards may include:
electrical safety
ergonomics in the workplace:
correct posture
style and adjustments of chair
type of desk
type of monitor
working position
length of time in front of computer
lighting level
placement of light fittings
repetitive strain injury (RSI) prevention
safe lifting methods
ventilation.
Hardware may include:
communications equipment:
modems or other connectivity devices, including digital subscriber line (DSL) modems
wireless access points
network equipment:
cables
hubs
racks
routers
servers
switches
personal computers (PCs)
remote sites
servers
workstations.
Safe work practices may include:
codes of practice
hazards and hazardous material
manual handling
physical separation of data cables and mains cables
reporting and following OHS procedures
testing and tagging electrical mains cables.
Environmental conditions may include:
air circulation
dust
extreme cold
heat
moisture
temperature stability.
System protection devices may include:
line conditioning
surge protection
uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
Peripherals may include:
Bluetooth device
Firewire (IEEE 1394) device
keyboard
laptop
mobile phone
modem
mouse
multimedia kit
pen
personal digital assistant (PDA), such as palmtop
printer
scanner
speaker
tape cartridge
touch pad
universal serial bus (USB) device
wi-fi router.
Equipment may include:
DSL modems
hard drives
hubs
modems or other connectivity devices
monitors
other peripheral devices
PCs
PDA
printers
switches
workstations.
Maintenance may include:
faulty components returned to depot
on-site response
planned maintenance:
dust and grease removal from filters and components
lubrication of fan and blower bearings
remote diagnostics.
Components may include:
CD and DVD drives
central processing unit (CPU)
complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) battery
fax or modem cards
interface cards
motherboards
power supply
random access memory (RAM).
Software may include:
application:
database
internet browser
spreadsheet
word-processing
commercial
customised
in-house
programming:
assembler
compiler
development tools
system:
computer security software
device drivers
OS.
Operating systems may include:
GNU and Linux
Mac OS X
Microsoft Windows
Unix-like operating systems:
HP-UX
IBM AIX
Silicon Graphics IRIX
Sun Solaris.
Business requirements may include:
capability for further system upgrades
cost and quality
existing facilities
industry standard components
installation:
ease
lead time
licensing issues
reliability
robustness
service level agreements (SLAs)
technical support required:
in-house
vendor.

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:
perform diagnostic functions by replacing components, reloading software and by using operating system and other diagnostic tools
establish siting requirements for system hardware and associated peripheral devices
implement safe work practices
determine maintenance requirements and establish maintenance schedule
apply appropriate quality standards to computer hardware and peripherals.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
computer hardware
software and diagnostic tools
warranty records and reports, maintenance schedules, vendor documentation and safe work practices
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 performing a range of diagnostic tasks
review of maintenance schedule documentation completed by candidate
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of:
quality standards applied to computer hardware and peripherals
safe work practices.
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.