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
Team
Team includes any group of office employees engaged in a breakthrough improvement event, such as:
a permanent formally identified team
a sub-group of a team
a specially established group for the breakthrough event (e.g. a combined production/administration/ logistics group convened for a breakthrough event addressing delivery issues)
Boundaries
Boundaries define the extent and limits of the improvement event. Typically they define:
the start and end point of the process being targeted
the steps of the process to be included and excluded
specific job roles or related processes to be included or excluded
timeframe for the event
Sponsor
Sponsor includes:
a person who is committed to achieving improvements and who has the authority to approve and allocate resources to support the activities and ensuing changes. Typically the sponsor will be a middle or senior manager in the organisation or the business owner
Breakthrough improvement
A breakthrough improvement is one that delivers a better ratio of value-add to non-value add from the customer perspective. It is characterised by:
using a formal process
being a discrete targeted activity that is achieved in a relatively short timeframe
delivering significant level of improvement
Mechanisms
Mechanisms to communicate and sustain improvements may include:
scheduled audits
regular monitoring and/or reporting activities
use of visual aids, such as targets and progress boards, process charts and procedure posters
communications, such as standing items for team meetings, email reminders or updates
Imposed exclusions
Imposed exclusions are wastes (muda) that are required but do not add value. They should be formally identified as muda in the competitive systems implmentation. Examples include:
equipment excluded from efficiency or layout review because of budget constraints, licences, and so on
regulatory requirements that do not add value
organisation requirements, policies or procedures beyond the influence of the team

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 value to the customer
identify, analyse and evaluate information from a variety of sources to identify opportunities for breakthrough improvements
lead and motivate others in planning, implementing and sustaining improvements.
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.