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
Just in Time (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
5S
5S primarily covers organising how work is done. In the office environment it usually focuses on the physical and/or virtual workspace to ensure that information, equipment, materials needed for the job are available where and when they are needed. Originally developed in Japan it is based around five housekeeping principles, usually translated as:
sort
set in order
shine
standardise
sustain
Items in work area
Items in an office work area include all equipment and accessories, including:
office supplies
materials
paperwork
furniture
storage systems and cabinets
lighting, wiring, plumbing and other services designed to support a working environment in the office
manuals
personal items (e.g. bags, phones, lunch boxes, clothing, photos and ornaments)
safety and personal protective equipment
any other item which happens to be in the work area
Appropriate place
Appropriate places may include areas designated for:
recycling
rubbish removal
staff room/lunch room/kitchen
office supplies, filing and other storage
functions, such as printing/copying
holding until status is confirmed
Target work area
The target work area may be identified as a physical and/or virtual work space:
used by a person, a team or a cross-functional group
common to part/s of a process or value stream (already defined)
shared by people who undertake a defined procedure or set of procedures
needed to support a particular function
The work area includes all areas where aspects of the job are performed and that are under the direct control of the employee. In a team environment 5S should be applied to all work areas under the control of the team.
Best location
The best location may include:
making changes to the layout of furniture, equipment, services and personnel in order to facilitate the smooth and continuous flow of work through process steps
Sort
Sort involves keeping only what is absolutely necessary for the work processes that comprise the job and may include:
equipment and supplies that are used frequently
Set in order
Set in order includes:
assigning required equipment and materials appropriate locations in the work area
Shine
Shine includes:
keeping the work area clean at all times. This should be carried out to a regular daily schedule against allowed time, usually at the end of the day or of a particular process
keeping work area, including virtual work area, organised
Cleaning includes:
noting any signs of wear, damage, leakage, safety risks or other issues that require immediate attention
Standardise
Standardising includes:
activities that help maintain the order and the 5S standards
using procedures and checklists developed from a procedure
Sustain
Sustain includes:
making sure that daily activities are completed every day regardless of circumstance
undertaking inspections, including:
informal inspections that should be carried often, at least weekly
formal inspections that should be carried out at least monthly
Procedures
Procedures may include:
work instructions
standard operating procedures
checklists
regulations
standards
guides and similar instructions that define the performance and standards for 5S or activities in which 5S is embedded
Procedures may be:
written, verbal, computer-based, visual depictions or in some other format
Conformance
Conformance refers to correct application of 5S procedures, including:
any daily tasks, scheduled inspections and continuous improvement procedures

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:
identify the scope of the services and/or functions supplied by the office and the deliverables expected by customers
identify own tasks and responsibilities and relate them to organisation and customer requirements
identify and explain the stages of 5S
implement 5S in own work area
identify waste (muda) in the work area.
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 response 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.