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.

correct posture
lighting
type of desk
type of monitor
style of chair
typing position
repetitive strain injury prevention
ventilation
light position
correct lifting method
electrical safety
monitor time
exposure

workstations
personal computers
modems or other connectivity devices
networks
DSL modems
remote sites
servers

dust
heat
extreme cold
temperature stability
air circulation
moisture

cost and quality
robustness
industry standard components
capability for further system upgrades

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

motherboards
CMOS battery
central processing unit (CPU)
CD and DVD drives
interface cards
drives
fax/modem cards
RAM upgrades
CPU upgrades

commercial, in-house, packaged or customised software

handling of mains electricity
handling of high-impedance devices
handling of hazardous material

surge protection
uninterruptible power supplies

Printers, scanners, tape cartridges
Speakers, multimedia equipment
Personal computer fax/modems
Input equipment may include mouse, touch pad, keyboard, pens
Mobile phones, palmtops and personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptops and desktop computers
Bluetooth devices, universal serial bus (USB), Firewire (IEEE 1394)

on-site response
remote diagnostics
return to depot

Linux 6.0 or above
Windows 98 or above
Apple OS 8 or above

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 ensure the ability to establish safe work practices, establish siting requirements for system hardware and associated peripheral devices, establish maintenance practices and determine appropriate hardware quality standards.

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

Hardware
Software and diagnostic tools
Records and reports

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Hardware encompasses all the physical connections that allow electronic communication to take place. Hardware is intertwined with software and this unit addresses software/hardware connections.
The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would cover selecting, adapting and transferring skills and knowledge to new environments and providing technical advice and some leadership in resolution of specified problems. This would be applied across a range of roles in a variety of contexts with some complexity in the extent and choice of options available.

Assessment must ensure:

Performance of a defined range of skilled operations, usually within a range of broader related activities involving known routines, methods and procedures, where some discretion and judgement is required in the section of equipment, services or contingency measures and within known time constraints would be characteristic.
Applications may involve some responsibility for others. Participation in teams including group or team coordination may be involved.

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.

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Understand hardware related issues for safe and secure operation of electronic components
Demonstrate basic theoretical knowledge of hardware and software interoperability
Safely remove and replace hardware components
Conduct maintenance on hardware parts

Additionally, an individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate some relevant theoretical knowledge
Apply a range of well-developed skills
Apply known solutions to a variety of predictable problems
Perform processes that require a range of well-developed skills where some discretion and judgement is required
Interpret available information, using discretion and judgement
Take responsibility for own outputs in work and learning
Communicate with team members to clarify job requirements
Take limited responsibility for the output of others
Maintain knowledge of industry products and services