Assessor Resource

ICAS3031B
Provide advice to clients

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit defines the competency required to provide advice and support to clients including the communication of comprehensive technical information.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

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

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 following is essential:

Assessment must confirm the ability to convey comprehensive technical information to clients in a clear, concise and coherent manner. Assessment must confirm the ability to access technical manuals and help documentation and to convey this information to the client in a concise and jargon-free manner. Information conveyed enhances client efficiency.

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

Peers and supervisors for obtaining information

Software, hardware and networks

Helpdesk repository

Context of and specific resources for assessment

The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would cover selecting, adapting and transferring skills and knowledge to new environments and providing technical advice and some leadership in resolution of specified problems. This would be applied across a range of roles in a variety of contexts with some complexity in the extent and choice of options available.

Assessment must ensure:

Performance of a defined range of skilled operations, usually within a range of broader related activities involving known routines, methods and procedures, where some discretion and judgement is required in the section of equipment, services or contingency measures and within known time constraints would be characteristic.

Applications may involve some responsibility for others. Participation in teams including group or team coordination may 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 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 some relevant theoretical knowledge

Apply a range of well-developed skills

Apply known solutions to a variety of predictable problems

Perform processes that require a range of well-developed skills where some discretion and judgement is required

Interpret available information, using discretion and judgement

Take responsibility for own outputs in work and learning

Take limited responsibility for the output of others

Maintain knowledge of industry products and services


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

Writing macros and templates

One-to-one instruction

Client needs assessment methods

Interpretation of technical manuals

Verbal and non-verbal communication skills for conveying and clarifying complex information

Customer service skills in a range of contexts at various levels

Required knowledge

Operating systems supported by the organisation

Advanced features and functions of software

Information sources

Contract and service agreements with vendors

Operating systems functions and basic features

Hardware and software supported by the organisation

Features of different types of hardware

Security and network guidelines and procedures

Available in-house and vendor support

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.

Client may include but is not limited to:

internal departments

external organisations

individual people

employees

Advice and support may include:

provision of client documentation

manuals

one-to-one training

identification of training need for referral to supervisor

documentation from vendor

advice on software supported by the organisation, including but not limited to use of macros, statistical functions of spreadsheets, creation of templates, generation of a complex report on a database, password and log-on procedure

advice on hardware supported by the organisation, including but not limited to printers, laptops, notebooks, CD-ROM, screens, disk drives, reconfiguration of settings, operation of scanners

Documentation may include:

a collection of records that describe the structure, purpose, operation, maintenance and data requirements for a computer program, operating system or hardware device

Investigation may include:

on-site examination

questions and answers

active listening to clients and colleagues

contacting vendor or maintenance organisations

reviewing technical advice about the organisation

Solution may include but is not limited to:

new hardware

hardware upgrades

new software

software upgrades

user training

implementing a new system

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
Check for new problems logged by client 
Check previous logs for similar problems or requests from client 
Investigate and document the support issues affecting the client 
Notify client of the results of investigation and provide adviceandsupport on findings 
Obtain client feedback and make changes 
Confirm software, hardware or network requirements with client 
Investigate and document a solution 
Document additional requirements discovered in the investigation and refer them to the client 
Obtain approval from the client to implement the solution 
Investigate and document the amount of technical support the client may require 
Discuss and agree the level of technical support identified with the client 
Arrange a time with the client when support will take place 
Provide technical support as part of group or one-to-one instruction to the client 
Provide manuals and help documentation to the client 
Create an appropriate evaluation or feedback form or other mechanism to gather feedback about the solution and support provided 
Provide client with instructions on how to complete the form or use other means of providing feedback 
Distribute the evaluation or feedback to the client 
Review the feedback from the client to identify areas for improvement 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICAS3031B - Provide advice to clients
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

ICAS3031B - Provide advice to clients

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: