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.
Competitive systems and practices

Competitive systems and practices may include, but are not limited to:
lean operations
agile operations
preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
monitoring and data gathering systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) database, accounting packages, business intelligence or other office process-related database programs
statistical process control systems, including six sigma and three sigma
JIT, kanban and other pull-related operations control systems
supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis
5S
continuous improvement (kaizen)
breakthrough improvement (kaizen blitz)
cause/effect diagrams
takt time
process mapping
problem solving
run charts
standard procedures
current reality tree
Competitive systems and practices should be interpreted so as to take into account:
the stage of implementation of competitive systems and practices
the size of the enterprise
the work organisation, culture, regulatory environment and the industry sector
Pull system
A pull system controls the flow of work by doing what is required by the customer (downstream step) only when/as it is required. Typically implemented through a system of signals to trigger the activity. Signals may include:
visual cues or signs
kanban cards/tickets
computer alerts or computer-based workflows
Pull systems assist in decisions, such as:
what to work on and when to work on it
how to minimise overproduction
where to allocate resources
how to meet service standards (e.g. response time)
Identified demand
Indentified demand is based on:
identifying a process and its internal and external customers
gathering data on rate and amount of demand
Variations and barriers
Variations and barriers may include:
unnecessary movement of work due to physical layout of office
incorrect or incomplete procedures
lack of training or cross-skilling
inadequate or inappropriate equipment
slow or inappropriate communication systems
levels of authority and delegation
incomplete information required to complete task
interruptions
complex and/or unusual situations
bottlenecks
peaks and troughs in demand
Routines and/or systems to level the flow
Routines to level the flow are defined systems and/or work practices that assist in:
minimising bottlenecks
responding to peaks
managing interruptions, non-standard or complex issues
coordinating other tasks/work responsibilities
They may include:
Heijunka boxes
types and location of signals
triggers, such as minimum and maximum queue limits and items that are replaced at particular dates
sequencing (e.g. fly in/fly out (FIFO) and due dates
safety resources
buffer resources
back-up systems, such as maintaining critical hard copy documentation
visual tracking displays
Optimal flow of work
Optimal work is not only work undertaken in minimum time, but also work which keeps all persons/work stations equally busy (not necessarily on the same job).
It can be supported by activities, such as:
calculating takt time and pitch or similar
levelling the flow
allocating resources
allocating and scheduling work
cross-skilling
Takt time
Takt time is the time required to complete one job cycle if the customer’s time and volume expectations are to be met, i.e. the available time divided by the number of units required, and may include, but is not limited to):
time per piece where applied to piece work
time per tonne or litre when applied to bulk product
time per work item when applied to an office or service environment
deadlines required to meet delivery dates when applied to project work
Pitch
Pitch is the takt time averaged over a defined period and with available resources giving the rate of flow required to meet customer demand
Standardised work practices
Standardised work practices include:
defined procedures for how and when tasks are performed and prioritised

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.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:
interpret office processes in terms of customer demand and flow of work
establish and/or optimise office related levelled pull systems
motivate others to implement, sustain and improve office related levelled pull systems.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of performance must be undertaken in a workplace using or implementing one or more competitive systems and practices.
Access may be required to:
workplace procedures and plans relevant to work area
specifications and documentation relating to planned, currently being implemented, or implemented changes to work processes and procedures relevant to the assessee
documentation and information in relation to production, waste, overheads and hazard control/management
reports from supervisors/managers
case studies and scenarios to assess responses to contingencies.
Method of assessment
A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.
Competence in this unit may be assessed by using a combination of the following to generate evidence:
demonstration in the workplace
workplace projects
suitable simulation
case studies/scenarios (particularly for assessment of contingencies, improvement scenarios, and so on)
targeted questioning
reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues (third-party reports)
portfolio of evidence.
In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess underpinning knowledge.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.