Assessor Resource

ICAICT707A
Direct research and business response to new ICT technology

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


Chief information officers in medium to large organisations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit to direct the investigation and future business direction of new ICT technology in their organisation.

Their job roles combine high-level management and business skills combined with technical experience to perform investigations into the business direction for new and emerging ICT technologies in their organisation.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to direct the research, and plan the business response, to new and emerging technologies in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. It includes the directing of research, vendor evaluation, feasibility study and proof of concept of these new and emerging ICT technologies.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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 ability to:

research and evaluate appropriate new ICT technology for an organisational need

convey and access conceptual information regarding new ICT technology in relation to organisational needs.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

relevant documentation, feasibility studies and equipment manuals

other site-related documentation.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

the preferred assessment method is through a workplace project or through a simulated medium to large enterprise workplace project

direct observation of the candidate carrying out project work

review of reports and plans completed by the candidate

verbal or written questioning to assess knowledge of organisational procedures

review of a portfolio of the project work undertaken.

Guidance information for assessment

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

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.

In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

analytical skills to evaluate and synthesise information from diverse range of sources

communication skills to:

convey complex and abstract concepts and information in plain English

liaise with internal and external personnel on technical, operational and business-related matters

group facilitation and presentation skills to:

gain consensus on concepts and new proposals

transfer and collect information

literacy skills to:

interpret manuals

process and present written and verbal information to a diverse range of people

write reports, design solutions, summarise findings and recommendations in required formats in plain English

numeracy skills to assess costs, benefits and business options

planning skills to:

estimate scope, time, cost and quality

plan communications and risk management

problem-solving skills to:

resolve unpredictable problems, with reference to the new ICT technology

solve unknown problems in a range of contexts, particularly in developing new approaches with new ICT technology

research skills to:

determine requirements

source information from a diverse range of resources

safety awareness skills to:

apply precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist during work activities

ensure required level of attention to detail to work without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

foresee the possible OHS implications of the new ICT technology

teamwork skills to contribute to investigating new ICT technology for new roles in the workplace.

Required knowledge

business knowledge in:

client business domain, business function, processes and organisation

components of the business planning process relevant to the investigation of the particular new ICT technology

current business practices related to conducting investigation into new ICT technology

customer and business liaison

information gathering and presentation techniques

quality assurance practices, to promote reliable investigation processes

client business needs, with a view to expanding into new possibilities, as presented by new ICT technology

ICT knowledge in:

broad knowledge of vendor product directions

current ICT industry-accepted technologies, including broad knowledge of general features and capabilities, with particular reference to emerging ICT trends

current industry and technology information sources

industry networks, key individuals and organisations within the ICT industry

evaluating new ICT technology.

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.

New ICT technology may include:

hardware technologies:

cloud computing appliances such IBM Cloudburst

hardware enterprise service bus (ESB)

multi-core or multi-threading processors

service-oriented architecture (SOA) appliances

mobile technologies:

third generation cellular radio for mobile technology (3G)

digital signature technology for mobile phone users

global system for mobile (GSM) communications

location-based services for mobiles

networking technologies:

access gateways

Bluetooth chips for wireless connections over short distances

computer telephony integration

enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) to increase GSM network capacity and data rates

fax gateways

general packet radio services (GPRS)

internet telephony

universal mobile telephony system (UMTS)

wireless application protocol (WAP)

xDSL technologies, such as asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)

software technologies:

virtualisation

voice verification technology

web technologies:

cloud computing

business to business electronic data transfer:

United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT)

web browsers

XML via internet.

Business innovation may relate to:

adaptation or change to a process, procedure, product, service or system

new initiatives to the organisation.

Research purpose may be contained in documents:

agreements

business strategy documents

ICT strategy documents

project brief

research brief.

Business opportunities may relate to:

ideas for the general development or advancement of an organisation and its programs, services and products though business process re-engineering

ideas to create profits or assets for an organisation.

Structured research plan may relate to:

planning document, outlining the methods and proposed areas of research into the new ICT technology

information on new ICT technology sourced from a wide range:

archives

community organisations

computer data, including internet

discussions with current industry practitioners

discussions with industry personnel, manufacturers, and technical and sales personnel

government departments

industry associations and organisations

industry journals

libraries (such as text, film, video, sound, graphic)

media (such as film, television, radio, newspapers, multimedia)

media archives

museums and galleries

organisational policies, procedures and journals

personal observations and experience

professional organisations

reference books

technical publications and manuals.

Business case may relate to:

analysis of potential impact of research on organisational environment

initial costing and return on investment for the adoption of the technology

report identifying the suitability and potential application of new ICT technology based on the research findings.

Organisational environment may relate to:

legislative, social and environmental:

award and enterprise agreements

copyright laws

defamation laws

industry codes of practice

intellectual property and confidentiality requirements

International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and Australian Standards (AS) standards

legal and regulatory policies affecting ICT

national, state and territory legislative requirements

OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce

privacy legislation

relevant environmental and sustainability legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to industry and organisation

organisational policy and procedures:

business ethics

confidentiality

electronic communication

fraud prevention and detection

human resource management

information management

intellectual property

privacy

risk management

security.

Business stakeholders may include:

customers

departments within organisation

federal government

local government

management

non-government organisations

shareholders

staff

state government

suppliers.

Evaluation criteria may relate to:

measures for monitoring and evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of new ICT technology.

Suppliers and vendors may include:

businesses, organisations or bodies providing new ICT technology to the organisation

commercial or open-source technologies

profit or not-for-profit

local, national or international businesses.

Feasibility study may relate to:

study conducted to determine whether feasible solutions exist to a business problem, prior to the commitment of substantial resources.

Risks may include:

damage to property or equipment

environmental

equipment or system failures

financial, such as economic loss or failure

industrial disputation

natural disasters

OHS, including disease

political events

product failure

professional incompetence

security failure, including criminal or terrorist activities.

Proof of concept refers to:

gathering evidence to demonstrate that new ICT technology is viable in the organisation’s business environment

partially or fully-developed prototype of the application of the new ICT technology.

Project requirements may include:

budget

outage requirements

preferred vendor and vendor product

project plan

SLAs

specific customer requirements

timelines

urgency.

Deliverables may refer to:

unique and verifiable product, result or task that is produced to complete a particular project

measurable, tangible, verifiable item produced as part of a project

agreed upon set of evaluation criteria.

Project plan refers to:

broad project description

cost-benefit studies as a guide to the decision-making process

costing estimates and operating budget

preferred equipment and vendors

proposed project timing

resources.

Business response refers to:

agreed future direction for the business operations of an organisation with respect to the use or implementation of a specific new ICT technology

direction for further research or development.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Establish and implement procedures to identify new ICT technology that may support business innovation 
Confirm research purpose for the evaluation of new ICT technology as it relates to possible business opportunities 
Ensure a structured research plan is prepared in line with the defined research purpose 
Monitor the implementation of the structured research plan to ensure its outcomes meets the identified research purpose 
Formulate business case relating to new ICT technology, including consideration of organisational environment 
Present business case to the business stakeholders so that the future business direction is established and agreed 
Establish evaluation criteria and methods of measurement 
Ensure suitable suppliers and vendors are appropriately evaluated to provide credibility, quality and support for implementation 
Oversee the preparation of feasibility study report into new ICT technology ensuring critical risks are identified 
Ensure feasibility study of new ICT technology is accurately presented to business stakeholders so that the future business direction is established and agreed 
3.1 Ensure vendor's new ICT technology is legally acquired for proof of concept (POC) evaluation of new ICT technology 
Establish project requirements, including deliverables, for POC evaluation 
Endorse project plan for POC evaluation 
Monitor implementation of POC evaluation project to ensure project deliverables are met 
Oversee preparation of report on evaluation of new ICT technology, including the consequences of not implementing it 
Ensure results of new ICT technology evaluation are accurately presented to stakeholders so that the future business response is established and agreed 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICAICT707A - Direct research and business response to new ICT technology
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ICAICT707A - Direct research and business response to new ICT technology

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