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.

Tools may include:
electronic test equipment:
data analyser
oscilloscope
voltmeter
software.
System performance may be related to:
allocation of files across disk space
disk speed
I/O channel availability
imbalances in disk use and available space
memory availability and use
number of concurrent users
physical limitations of system
poor design in a programs
processor use
queue depth
seek time
work load.
Client may include:
employee
external organisation
individual
internal department.
Improving performance may include:
load balancing between servers or other network devices using switches or routers
reducing total load by tuning the operating system
tuning applications to reduce the load they impose
tuning the disk sub-system
using various system tools to adjust system parameters, including hardware or software upgrade.
Appropriate person may include:
authorised business representative
client
project manager
supervisor.
Components may include:
CD and DVD drives
central processing unit (CPU)
complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) battery
fax or modem cards
interface cards
motherboards
random access memory (RAM).
Organisational guidelines may include:
communication methods
content of emails
dispute resolution
document procedures and templates
downloading information and accessing particular websites
financial control mechanisms
opening mail with attachments
personal use of emails and internet access
virus risk.
Documentation may follow:
audit trails
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian Standards (AS)
naming standards
project management templates
report writing principles
version control.

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:
identify inadequacies in system performance
analyse system performance
tune the system to keep the system balanced and performing well.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
system components and software for performance tuning
technical manuals and resources
fault logs
diagnostic tools
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 system tests
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge
review of documentation recording system optimisation process.
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.