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 following is essential:

Assessment must confirm the ability to specify contingencies that minimise down time for business-critical functions.

Assessment must confirm the ability to clearly specify directions on how to handle serious down time.

Assessment must confirm the ability to coordinate, plan and articulate flexible logistics requirements.

To demonstrate competency in this unit the learner will require access to:

A vulnerability assessment and general definition of requirements

Business impact analysis

Acceptance test plan

Information technology security assurance specifications

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this unit of competency could include review of the disaster recovery/contingency plan developed by the learner to ensure the following is covered:

Defined recovery requirements from the perspective of business functions

The impact of an extended loss on operations and key business functions

The contingency plan is understandable, easy to use and easy to maintain

Contingency planning considerations may be integrated into ongoing business planning and system development processes

The disaster recovery plan is not a one-off activity, but rather an ongoing process

The plan should cover:

Physical security

System failure, accident, sabotage (hackers)

Denial of service

Virus attack

Telecommunications failure

Disaster recover plans are critical for organisations that rely on IT for business operations.

The breadth, depth and complexity covering planning and initiation of alternative approaches to skills or knowledge applications across a broad range of technical and/or management requirements, evaluation and coordination would be characteristic.

Assessment must ensure:

The demonstration of competency may also require self-directed application of knowledge and skills, with substantial depth in some areas where judgement is required in planning and selecting appropriate equipment, services and techniques for self and others.

Applications involve participation in development of strategic initiatives as well as personal responsibility and autonomy in performing complex technical operations or organising others. It may include participation in teams including teams concerned with planning and evaluation functions. Group or team coordination may also be involved.

Method of assessment

The purpose of this unit is to define the standard of performance to be achieved in the workplace. In undertaking training and assessment activities related to this unit, consideration should be given to the implementation of appropriate diversity and accessibility practices in order to accommodate people who may have special needs. Additional guidance on these and related matters is provided in ICA05 Section 1.

Competency in this unit should to be assessed using summative assessment to ensure consistency of performance in a range of contexts. This unit can be assessed either in the workplace or in a simulated environment. However, simulated activities must closely reflect the workplace to enable full demonstration of competency.

Assessment will usually include observation of real or simulated work processes and procedures and/or performance in a project context as well as questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. The questioning of team members, supervisors, subordinates, peers and clients where appropriate may provide valuable input to the assessment process. The interdependence of units for assessment purposes may vary with the particular project or scenario.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating theoretical concepts, with substantial depth in some areas

Analyse and plan approaches to technical problems or management requirements

Transfer and apply theoretical concepts and/or technical or creative skills to a range of situations

Evaluate information, using it to forecast for planning or research purposes

Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to broad quantity and quality parameters

Take some responsibility for the achievement of group outcomes

Maintain knowledge of industry products and services

Required skills

Logistic management skills for identified resources and procedures skills (e.g. when IT hardware, software and resources required for disaster recovery are identified and documented according to project specifications and cost constraints)

Negotiation skills in relation to self and other team members and applied to a defined range of predictable problems (e.g. when business-critical functions are identified from project documentation and discussion with client business area and project team)

Project planning skills in relation to scope, time, cost, quality, communications, risk analysis and management (e.g. when business-critical functions are identified from project documentation and discussion with client business area and project team, and when contingency possibilities are identified and evaluated according to project specifications and cost constraints)

Research skills for specifying, analysing and evaluating broad features of a particular business domain and best practice in system development (e.g. when threats to the system are identified, taking into consideration security analysis and internal and external business environment)

Facilitation and presentation skills in relation to transferring and collecting information and gaining consensus on concepts (e.g. when business-critical functions are identified from project documentation and discussion with client business area and project team, and when disaster recovery plan is documented and submitted to higher authorities for review and sign-off

Required knowledge

Broad knowledge of basic engineering (e.g. when evaluating threats)

Broad knowledge of fire/safety knowledge (e.g. when formulating prevention and recovery strategy)

Detailed knowledge of back-up methodologies (e.g. when formulating prevention and recovery strategy)

Broad knowledge of systems engineering (e.g. when evaluating threats)

Specific components of the business planning process relevant to the development of IT business solutions (e.g. when evaluating impact of system on business continuity)

Broad knowledge of the client business domain (e.g. when evaluating impact of system on business continuity)

Detailed knowledge of the system's current functionality (e.g. when evaluating impact of system on business continuity)

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.

Business-critical functions may include but are not limited to:

financial systems

customer service functions

payroll

Documentation may follow:

ISO/IEC/AS standards

audit trails

naming standards

version control

project management templates and report writing

maintaining equipment inventory

client training

satisfaction reports

Project team may include:

solution developers and business clients working together

individual business analysts

a number of third-party solution developers working together

a number of different businesses working in partnership

Software may include but are not limited to:

commercial

in-house

packaged or customised software

Specifications may include but are not limited to:

technical requirements

user problem statement

current system functionality

Constraints may include but are not limited to:

time

budget

resource

hardware

software

policy

legal constraints

System may include but are not limited to:

databases

applications

servers

operating systems

gateways

application service provider

ISP

Appropriate person may include:

supervisor

teacher

authorised business representative

client

Threats may include:

Weather (storms, earthquake)

Security

Information technology failure (hardware, software)

Accident

Espionage

Sabotage (hackers)

Telecommunications network failure

Denial of service

Virus attack

Supplementary questioning of the client may be used during the assessment phase, where necessary, to ensure that all issues relating to threats to the system are considered and appropriate choices made given the need to prevent, limit, recover, respond and recover from disasters

Back-up strategy may include:

hot standby site

warm standby site

cold standby site

mobile van

supplier

bureau

contacts through user group

third parties

Contingency plans will vary in format and content detail, but will typically:

identify weaknesses and provide for the implementation of a disaster prevention program

minimise disruption to business operations

provide a coordinated approach to the disaster recovery process

Cut-over criteria may include:

estimate of time before system is operational

estimate of business impact

authorisations to cut-over

actual system down time

refresher of cut-over plan

Security environment

Includes legislation, organisational security policies, customs, expertise and knowledge that are, or may be, relevant. The security environment also includes the threats to security that are, or are held to be, present in the environment

Statutory requirements

May include legislation (e.g. Privacy Act), industry-imposed controls and standards. In certain organisations (e.g. health and banking), there may be strict laws regarding confidentiality and reporting of data

Commercial requirements

Back-up

Storage and recovery of data

Access to internal network

Passwords/logons

Encryption

Firewalls

Hacking

Confidentiality

Integrity

Availability

Standards may include:

ISO/IEC/AS standards

organisational standards

project standards (for further information refer to the Standards Australia website at: www.standards.com.au )