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 sufficient knowledge of the client requirements and the business context as well as an ability to present solutions.

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

Client requirements

Report writing template

Client expectations brief

Information on a range of IT business solutions

Future organisational business processes

Budgets for scenarios

There will need to be access to the outcomes of the business analysis process

Context of and specific resources for assessment

The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would cover a broad range of varied activities or application in a wider variety of contexts most of which are complex and non-routine. Leadership and guidance would be involved when organising activities of self and others as well as contributing to technical solutions of a non-routine or contingency nature.

Assessment must ensure:

Performance of a broad range of skilled applications including the requirement to evaluate and analyse current practices, develop new criteria and procedures for performing current practices and provision of some leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning of the skills would be characteristic.

Applications may involve responsibility for, and limited organisation of, others.

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 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, for example:

ICAA4041C Determine and confirm client business expectations and needs

ICAA4047B Determine project specifications and secure client agreement

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts

Apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems

Identify and apply skill and knowledge areas to a wide variety of contexts, with depth in some areas

Identify, analyse and evaluate information from a variety of sources

Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to specified quality standards

Take limited responsibility for the quantity and quality of the output of others

Maintain knowledge of industry products and services

Required skills

Project planning skills in relation to scope, time, cost, quality, communications and risk management (e.g. when preparing and/or publishing feasibility report)

Research skills for identifying, analysing and evaluating broad features of a particular business domain and best practice in system development

Financial modelling skills for identifying, analysing and evaluating a range of solutions (e.g. when examining alternatives against budget constraints)

Plain English literacy and communication skills in relation to analysis, evaluation and presentation of information (e.g. when describing alternative scenarios, articulating assumptions and presenting preferences, and for presenting summary to higher authorities and/or client for project approval)

Report writing skills for business requiring depth in analysis and evaluation of information in a defined range of areas (e.g. when preparing and/or publishing feasibility report)

Questioning and active listening skills (e.g. when establishing reasons for change and detailing scope and function of proposed system)

Required knowledge

Client business domain (e.g. when ensuring the proposed solution is the best reasonable fit)

Two or more current industry systems development methodologies

Role of stakeholders and the degree of stakeholder involvement (e.g. when considering solutions for clients)

Detailed knowledge of the system's current functionality (e.g. when comparing and analysing future business process requirements with current requirements)

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.

Clientrequirements may be in reference to:

problems with or opportunities for a business

system

applications

network

business opportunities

people in the organisation

Appropriateperson may include:

supervisor

teacher

authorised business representative

client

Projectscope may include but is not limited to:

time

budget

resource

hardware

software

policy

legal constraints

features

Sourcesof information may invoice:

change management plans

project management plans

current systems design plans

business strategic plans

Client may include but is not limited to:

internal departments

external organisations

clubs

individual people

internal employees

Related problems refer to:

routine or non-routine problems that may affect the immediate work environment or project outcome, particularly in relation to meeting client requirements

Feasibility includes but is not limited to:

technical feasibility

operational feasibility

economic and schedule feasibility as well as the principal inputs/outputs

expected improvements/impacts

revenue/cost-benefits

risks

physical requirements of each solution

Constraints may include but is not limited to:

time

budget

resource

hardware

software

policy

legal constraints

Project may include:

projects involving a business undertaking a total organisational change

a systems-only change

a business improvement process

an e-business solution involving the total organisation or part of the organisation

Solution may include but is not limited to:

new hardware

hardware upgrades

new software

software upgrades

user training

implementing a new system