Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment requirements may depend on the work situations available.

What problems and/or opportunities associated with a plant, product or treatment may support undertaking a trial?
Problems and/or opportunities may include cost efficiency, end use, new plants, products and treatments, environmental problems, tolerance levels, OHS, creative use of old products, genetically modified materials, and the patenting of plants, products and treatments.

What trial subject may be identified?
Trial subjects may include individual animal or plant species or cultivars, specified products, and treatments or applications whose performance or responses are measured in relation to defined performance criteria.
Note: The involvement of animals in a research trial may be covered by duty of care provisions in Animal Welfare Acts and codes of practices dealing with animal ethics.

What projected outcomes may be stated prior to the commencement of the trial?
Projected outcomes may include a written statement about the specific outcomes that are expected from the trialing process, and an overall concept of what the trial will achieve in terms of a practical application to enterprise objectives or industry practices.

What available evidence may be relevant to this standard?
Knowledge of trial subjects, related products and treatments, and their uses and performance characteristics may be gained through consultation with team members, senior managers, industry consultants, own knowledge, specific industry, technical and research literature, supplier specifications, catalogues, local historical performance data and industry best practice guidelines.

What performance criteria may be established?
Performance criteria will include the measurable criteria that will be applied to the trial subjects, and against which the measurable data about the response or performance of the trial subject will be collected and compared.

What trial design may be established
The trial design will be in direct relationship to the performance criteria and trial subject and will affect decisions about elements of the trial such as number of applications, season or time of the year for trial implementation, length of trial period, measurable outcomes, and data collection and recording methods.

What trial site factors may be identified?
Site factors will include all micro or macro elements of the growing environment that may affect the interaction between performance criteria and subject, including seasonality, aspect, humidity, shade, sunlight, growing systems, water application, pest and disease vulnerability. Where field trials are undertaken, the site factors of the trial site are identified and managed to minimise inter-site variability invalidating trial outcomes.

What approvals and/or permits may be required to conduct a trial?
These may include approvals to involve animals in trials under animal welfare legislation and codes of practices on bioethics, to use trademarked and patented plants, products or treatments in the trial, to access private, community or government lands as part of the trial, or to conduct trails involving proscribed animal or plant species.

What data collection and recording specifications may be established?
The manner in which data is collected and recorded will relate directly to the trial design and statistical audit guidelines. Comprehensive collection methods that are consistent across replications, accurate and concise will be required (e.g. measurable data collected from replicated turf trial sites may include staged photographic, sampled and measured assessment of wear tolerance, growth density, growth rate, leaf colour, stress tolerance, plant profile and root establishment). Records may include costs, relationship or variables between test plants, plots or sites, trial feasibility and responses to performance criteria.

What elements may be included in the statistical audit of trial results?
The statistical audit of trial results will include a comprehensive analysis of trial outcomes, drawing on all internal and external data collected. A statistical audit may include a weighted comparison of data blocks to minimise the effect of variable inter-site factors, confirming key results, validating the trial processes and key observations, and measuring the statistical significance of trial outcomes and their significance in relation to practical application for the enterprise.

What OHS hazards may be associated with the implementation of the trial?
Hazards may include disturbance or interruption of services, solar radiation, dust, noise, air-, soil- and water-borne micro-organisms, chemicals, biological, radioactive or other hazardous substances, sharp hand tools and equipment, manual handling, slippery and uneven surfaces, and moving vehicles, machinery and machinery parts.

What controls may be introduced to minimise the risk of OHS hazards?
Controls should be introduced according to enterprise OHS policies and procedures and may include identifying hazards; assessing and reporting risks; cleaning, maintaining and storing tools, equipment and machinery; appropriate use of personal protective equipment including sun protection; safe operation of tools, equipment and machinery; safe handling, use and storage of chemicals and hazardous substances; correct manual handling; appropriate use of safety equipment such as signage and protective barriers; basic first aid available on site; personal hygiene, and reporting problems to managers.

What environmental implications may be associated with the implementation of trial procedures?
Inappropriate work procedures, waste handling and disposal, and use of inadequate or inappropriate tools, equipment and machinery may produce damaging or nuisance level noise, particulate emissions and overflow of applied chemicals and water into the external natural, built and/or social environments.

What materials, tools, equipment and machinery may be required for the implementation of the plant nutrition program?
Materials may include plant, product and treatment materials, trialling materials, cleaning materials, and monitoring and data recording consumables.
Tools, equipment and machinery may include laboratory analytical equipment and/or field test kits, large or small-scale cultivation, planting, maintenance, irrigation, treatment application and harvesting equipment and machinery, and manual or technologically assisted statistical analysis, data collection and record keeping equipment.

How may the trial outcomes be assessed for practical application?
Decisions on whether or not to use the trial outcomes may be based on cost effectiveness, how effectively client requirements are met, responses to the identified problem or opportunity, and statistical validity of the trial.

What problems and/or opportunities associated with a plant, product or treatment may support undertaking a trial?
Problems and/or opportunities may include cost efficiency, end use, new plants, products and treatments, environmental problems, tolerance levels, OHS, creative use of old products, genetically modified materials, and the patenting of plants, products and treatments.

What trial subject may be identified?
Trial subjects may include individual animal or plant species or cultivars, specified products, and treatments or applications whose performance or responses are measured in relation to defined performance criteria.
Note: The involvement of animals in a research trial may be covered by duty of care provisions in Animal Welfare Acts and codes of practices dealing with animal ethics.

What projected outcomes may be stated prior to the commencement of the trial?
Projected outcomes may include a written statement about the specific outcomes that are expected from the trialing process, and an overall concept of what the trial will achieve in terms of a practical application to enterprise objectives or industry practices.

What available evidence may be relevant to this standard?
Knowledge of trial subjects, related products and treatments, and their uses and performance characteristics may be gained through consultation with team members, senior managers, industry consultants, own knowledge, specific industry, technical and research literature, supplier specifications, catalogues, local historical performance data and industry best practice guidelines.

What performance criteria may be established?
Performance criteria will include the measurable criteria that will be applied to the trial subjects, and against which the measurable data about the response or performance of the trial subject will be collected and compared.

What trial design may be established
The trial design will be in direct relationship to the performance criteria and trial subject and will affect decisions about elements of the trial such as number of applications, season or time of the year for trial implementation, length of trial period, measurable outcomes, and data collection and recording methods.

What trial site factors may be identified?
Site factors will include all micro or macro elements of the growing environment that may affect the interaction between performance criteria and subject, including seasonality, aspect, humidity, shade, sunlight, growing systems, water application, pest and disease vulnerability. Where field trials are undertaken, the site factors of the trial site are identified and managed to minimise inter-site variability invalidating trial outcomes.

What approvals and/or permits may be required to conduct a trial?
These may include approvals to involve animals in trials under animal welfare legislation and codes of practices on bioethics, to use trademarked and patented plants, products or treatments in the trial, to access private, community or government lands as part of the trial, or to conduct trails involving proscribed animal or plant species.

What data collection and recording specifications may be established?
The manner in which data is collected and recorded will relate directly to the trial design and statistical audit guidelines. Comprehensive collection methods that are consistent across replications, accurate and concise will be required (e.g. measurable data collected from replicated turf trial sites may include staged photographic, sampled and measured assessment of wear tolerance, growth density, growth rate, leaf colour, stress tolerance, plant profile and root establishment). Records may include costs, relationship or variables between test plants, plots or sites, trial feasibility and responses to performance criteria.

What elements may be included in the statistical audit of trial results?
The statistical audit of trial results will include a comprehensive analysis of trial outcomes, drawing on all internal and external data collected. A statistical audit may include a weighted comparison of data blocks to minimise the effect of variable inter-site factors, confirming key results, validating the trial processes and key observations, and measuring the statistical significance of trial outcomes and their significance in relation to practical application for the enterprise.

What OHS hazards may be associated with the implementation of the trial?
Hazards may include disturbance or interruption of services, solar radiation, dust, noise, air-, soil- and water-borne micro-organisms, chemicals, biological, radioactive or other hazardous substances, sharp hand tools and equipment, manual handling, slippery and uneven surfaces, and moving vehicles, machinery and machinery parts.

What controls may be introduced to minimise the risk of OHS hazards?
Controls should be introduced according to enterprise OHS policies and procedures and may include identifying hazards; assessing and reporting risks; cleaning, maintaining and storing tools, equipment and machinery; appropriate use of personal protective equipment including sun protection; safe operation of tools, equipment and machinery; safe handling, use and storage of chemicals and hazardous substances; correct manual handling; appropriate use of safety equipment such as signage and protective barriers; basic first aid available on site; personal hygiene, and reporting problems to managers.

What environmental implications may be associated with the implementation of trial procedures?
Inappropriate work procedures, waste handling and disposal, and use of inadequate or inappropriate tools, equipment and machinery may produce damaging or nuisance level noise, particulate emissions and overflow of applied chemicals and water into the external natural, built and/or social environments.

What materials, tools, equipment and machinery may be required for the implementation of the plant nutrition program?
Materials may include plant, product and treatment materials, trialling materials, cleaning materials, and monitoring and data recording consumables.
Tools, equipment and machinery may include laboratory analytical equipment and/or field test kits, large or small-scale cultivation, planting, maintenance, irrigation, treatment application and harvesting equipment and machinery, and manual or technologically assisted statistical analysis, data collection and record keeping equipment.

How may the trial outcomes be assessed for practical application?
Decisions on whether or not to use the trial outcomes may be based on cost effectiveness, how effectively client requirements are met, responses to the identified problem or opportunity, and statistical validity of the trial.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in designing and conducting field-based research trials requires evidence that a person is able to plan and conduct trials of plants, products and treatments, analyse outcomes, draw conclusions, and report outcomes and conclusions based on appropriate evidence and reasoned arguments.
The skills and knowledge required to designing and conducting field-based research trials must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, this could include different trial subjects, objectives, assessment methods and treatments.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

growth habits, physiological properties and taxonomic specification of animals/plants involved in the trial
physical and biochemical properties of products involved in the trial
properties and current, best practice application of treatments involved in the trial
scientific and mathematical trialling, data collection, processing and analytical techniques and procedures
auditing and reporting procedures
the enterprise business and marketing plans
enterprise work team management guidelines
bio-ethics (where animals are involved in the trial).

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

communicate and negotiate orally and in writing with enterprise staff, managers, contractors, suppliers and consultants
research and evaluate information
calculate the cost and spatial and logistical requirements of components of the trial
enter, analyse and organise data in a mathematically sound and accurately graphed, charted or tabled representation, consistent with the trial design
produce written reports on trial outcomes and conclusions based on appropriate evidence and reasoned arguments
comply with legislative requirements.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

growth habits, physiological properties and taxonomic specification of animals/plants involved in the trial
physical and biochemical properties of products involved in the trial
properties and current, best practice application of treatments involved in the trial
scientific and mathematical trialling, data collection, processing and analytical techniques and procedures
auditing and reporting procedures
the enterprise business and marketing plans
enterprise work team management guidelines
bio-ethics (where animals are involved in the trial).

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

communicate and negotiate orally and in writing with enterprise staff, managers, contractors, suppliers and consultants
research and evaluate information
calculate the cost and spatial and logistical requirements of components of the trial
enter, analyse and organise data in a mathematically sound and accurately graphed, charted or tabled representation, consistent with the trial design
produce written reports on trial outcomes and conclusions based on appropriate evidence and reasoned arguments
comply with legislative requirements.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

Communicating ideas and information
Oral and written communication with enterprise staff, senior management, suppliers, contractors, consultants, government agencies or industry contacts will be required. There is likely to be negotiation between the developer of the trial and senior management to achieve the trial objectives. (3)

Communicating ideas and information
Oral and written communication with enterprise staff, senior management, suppliers, contractors, consultants, government agencies or industry contacts will be required. There is likely to be negotiation between the developer of the trial and senior management to achieve the trial objectives. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information about trial design, subject and criteria will be obtained through literature research and consultation. Trial design should be organised and presented as trial site plans, statements of projected outcomes, written work procedures, a timeline chart, and schedules for implementation activities. All information generated by the trial should be organised and presented according to enterprise standards and industry best practice. (3)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information about trial design, subject and criteria will be obtained through literature research and consultation. Trial design should be organised and presented as trial site plans, statements of projected outcomes, written work procedures, a timeline chart, and schedules for implementation activities. All information generated by the trial should be organised and presented according to enterprise standards and industry best practice. (3)

Planning and organising activities
The planning and design process, implementation of the trial and organisation and presentation of outcomes should proceed in a logical, orderly and efficient manner. Timely and appropriate information needs to be available for decision-making. The trial design should reflect the activities required to effectively and accurately obtain objective results. (3)

Planning and organising activities
The planning and design process, implementation of the trial and organisation and presentation of outcomes should proceed in a logical, orderly and efficient manner. Timely and appropriate information needs to be available for decision-making. The trial design should reflect the activities required to effectively and accurately obtain objective results. (3)

Working with others and in teams
The planning, conduct and auditing of the trial will involve working with other members of a team to achieve the trial objectives. (3)

Working with others and in teams
The planning, conduct and auditing of the trial will involve working with other members of a team to achieve the trial objectives. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematical concepts will be required to measure quantities, distances and depth, calculate areas, resources, costs, ratios, scales and application rates, and conduct statistical analysis of data from the trial. (3)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematical concepts will be required to measure quantities, distances and depth, calculate areas, resources, costs, ratios, scales and application rates, and conduct statistical analysis of data from the trial. (3)

Solving problems
Problems relating to trial design, the variable nature of trial sites, availability of materials, tools, equipment and machinery, costs, environmental issues and monitoring of the trial implementation may arise as the trial proceeds and require remedial action. (3)

Solving problems
Problems relating to trial design, the variable nature of trial sites, availability of materials, tools, equipment and machinery, costs, environmental issues and monitoring of the trial implementation may arise as the trial proceeds and require remedial action. (3)

Using technology
Technology will be required to record, store and communicate ideas and information consistently, reliably and accurately. It will also be used to research relevant information, obtain and analyse data from site evaluation tests, and to produce the trial design, trial analysis and concluding report. (3)

Using technology
Technology will be required to record, store and communicate ideas and information consistently, reliably and accurately. It will also be used to research relevant information, obtain and analyse data from site evaluation tests, and to produce the trial design, trial analysis and concluding report. (3)