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.

Problem may include:
issues affecting immediate work environment:
servers
workstations
routine and non-routine problems.
Client may include:
employees
external organisations
individuals
internal departments.
Support agreements may include:
cost
performance from escalated support levels
replacement
time
warranty.
Organisational guidelines may include:
client-liaison policy
contracting arrangements relating to IT purchasing
logged call procedures
maintenance agreements
preventative maintenance and diagnostic policy
security procedures
warranties.
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).
Environmental guidelines may include:
appropriate disposal or recycling of e-waste:
cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors
printed circuit boards
redundant hardware
recycling of packaging:
cardboard
paper
polystyrene.
Maintenance requirements may include:
on-site response
remote diagnostics
return to depot.
Solution may include:
hardware:
new
upgrade
implementing a new system
software:
new
upgrades
user training.

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:
document network-related problems and determine the required resources
solve client problems or escalate the problem according to organisational guidelines
maintain the network with minimal disruption to clients.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
network
hardware
diagnostic tools, components and software
records and reports
organisational guidelines and procedures
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:
identifying client problem and verifying the scope of support agreements
conducting diagnostic tests and carrying out maintenance support
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of organisational escalation procedures
review of documentation provided by candidate about client’s problem and maintenance requirements.
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.