Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
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.
Client may include but is not limited to:
internal departments
external organisations
individual people
employees
Problem may be in reference to:
business
system
application
network
people in the organisation
Requirements may be in reference to:
business
system
application
network
people in the organisation
Constraints may include but is not limited to:
time
budget
resource
hardware
software
policy
legal constraints
Advice and support may include provision of:
client documentation
manuals and documentation from vendor.
Advice on software used by the organisation may include but is not limited to formatting spreadsheets, creation of graphs, setting up of word processing documents for printing, setting up an email system; advice on hardware supported by the organisation, including but not limited to operation of printers, setting of screen resolution, formatting of disks, and configuration of printers and scanners.
Organisational guidelines may include but are not limited to:
use of emails and internet access
content of emails
downloading information and accessing particular websites
opening mail with attachments
virus risk
dispute resolution
document procedures and templates
communication methods
financial control mechanisms
Maintenance may include:
on-site response
remote diagnostics
return to depot
business hours only support
24 hour, 7 days per week support
telephone support
real-time on on-line support
second-level support
Components may include:
motherboards
CMOS battery
central processing unit (CPU)
CD and DVD drives
interface cards
drives
fax/modem cards
RAM upgrades
CPU upgrades
Environmentalguidelines may include but is not limited to:
recycling
safe disposal of packaging (e.g. cardboard, polystyrene, paper, plastic)
correct disposal of redundant hardware (e.g. hard-drives, circuit boards)
Appropriate person may include:
supervisor
teacher
authorised business representative
client

EVIDENCE GUIDE
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 record and prioritise client support activities, determining the required resources, solving the client problem or escalating according to organisational guidelines or practices.

To demonstrate competency in this unit the learner will require access to:
Hardware
Software and diagnostic tools
Documentation for records and reports
Context of and specific resources for assessment
The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would cover a broad range of varied activities or application in a wider variety of contexts most of which are complex and non-routine. Leadership and guidance would be involved when organising activities of self and others as well as contributing to technical solutions of a non-routine or contingency nature.

Assessment must ensure:
Performance of a broad range of skilled applications including the requirement to evaluate and analyse current practices, develop new criteria and procedures for performing current practices and provision of some leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning of the skills would be characteristic.

Applications may involve responsibility for, and limited organisation of, others.
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:
ICAS4112B Optimise system performance
ICAS4113C Identify and resolve common database performance problems
ICAS4127B Support system software
ICAT4221B Locate equipment, system and software faults

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:
Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts
Apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems
Identify and apply skill and knowledge areas to a wide variety of contexts, with depth in some areas
Identify, analyse and evaluate information from a variety of sources
Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to specified quality standards
Take limited responsibility for the quantity and quality of the output of others
Maintain knowledge of industry products and services