MSS402002 - Sustain process improvements assessment tool

Assessor Resource

MSS402002
Sustain process improvements

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024

This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required by an individual to prevent process improvements in their own work from slipping back to former practices or digressing to less efficient practices.

This unit applies to organisations implementing competitive systems and practices and continuous improvement. It covers the skills needed to ensure that process improvements are sustained and opportunities taken to suggest further improvements.

Improvement initiatives can be made by any of a number of methods and by teams or individuals. The unit assumes that desired levels of performance or quality are known to employees.

The unit can be applied to all areas of an organisation, including production, maintenance, logistics and office functions.

This unit requires the application of skills associated with problem solving, initiative and enterprise and self-management in order to understand implement and monitor improvement practices. It also requires the ability to identify and address personal skill gaps in order to manage own ability to implement change.

No licensing, legislative 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)

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.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.		Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1	Examine previous improvements	1.1	Identify impact of previous process improvements to equipment, operations, services or products in own work area.
	Examine previous improvements	1.2	Identify improvements where objectives have not been met.

2	Implement corrective actions	2.1	Identify corrective actions that can be taken by self on process improvements that have not met objectives.
		2.2	Obtain any required approvals.
		2.3	Identify any additional, personal skill gaps and seek skill development.
		2.4	Adopt improved processes.

3	Check changes	3.1	Identify claimed improvements.
		3.2	Identify methods of observing and measuring claimed improvements in own work area.
		3.3	Check if claimed improvements are occurring and report problems in accordance with procedures.

4	Check for further improvements	4.1	Look for areas of possible further improvement.
		4.2	Discuss further improvements with peers and supervisors.
		4.3	Take action to implement improvements in accordance with procedures.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability to examine three (3) or more previous improvements, including one (1) or more where improvement objectives have not been met, and to:

identify corrective actions that can be taken by self

implement those corrective actions

check whether the claimed improvements have occurred

check for further improvements.

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge relevant to their job role sufficient to fulfil their job role under routine only supervision, including:

muda (waste)

indicators of processes not delivering claimed improvements

baka-yoke and poka-yoke techniques.

The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence shall be based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.

The collection of performance evidence:

should occur over a range of situations which include typical disruptions to normal, smooth operation of the workplace

will typically include a supervisor/third-party report focussing on consistent performance and problem recognition and solving. A supervisor/third-party report must be prepared by someone who has a direct, relevant, current relationship with the person being assessed and who is in a position to form a judgement on workplace performance relevant to the unit of competency

must include actions to sustain process improvements in own workplace

will typically include the use of appropriate tools, equipment and safety gear requiring demonstration of preparation, operation, completion and responding to problems.

Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence (provided a record is kept) or through an independent process such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR

relevant workplace experience

Currency can be demonstrated through:

performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR

having consulted with an organisation providing relevant environmental monitoring, management or technology services about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

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.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.		Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1	Examine previous improvements	1.1	Identify impact of previous process improvements to equipment, operations, services or products in own work area.
	Examine previous improvements	1.2	Identify improvements where objectives have not been met.

2	Implement corrective actions	2.1	Identify corrective actions that can be taken by self on process improvements that have not met objectives.
		2.2	Obtain any required approvals.
		2.3	Identify any additional, personal skill gaps and seek skill development.
		2.4	Adopt improved processes.

3	Check changes	3.1	Identify claimed improvements.
		3.2	Identify methods of observing and measuring claimed improvements in own work area.
		3.3	Check if claimed improvements are occurring and report problems in accordance with procedures.

4	Check for further improvements	4.1	Look for areas of possible further improvement.
		4.2	Discuss further improvements with peers and supervisors.
		4.3	Take action to implement improvements in accordance with procedures.

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Competitive systems and practices include one or more of:	lean operations agile operations preventative and predictive maintenance approaches 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 overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) takt time process mapping problem solving run charts standard procedures current reality tree.
Customers include one or more of:	internal customers external customers sufficiently close to the individualâ€™s work as to be easily identifiable final customers used as the basis for the identification of value and waste.
Suppliers include one or more of:	internal suppliers external suppliers sufficiently close to the individualâ€™s work as to be easily identifiable.
Measuring improvements includes one or more of:	personally taking measurements arranging for measurements to be taken/made by appropriate personnel.
Procedures (written, verbal, visual, computer based, etc.) include one or any combination of:	work instructions standard operating procedures (SOPs) safe work method statements formulas/recipes batch sheets temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.
Corrective actions to sustain improvements include one or more of:	techniques for preventing mistakes by designing the operations process, equipment and tools so that an operation literally cannot be performed incorrectly (e.g. baka-yoke) techniques that generate warning signals where a mistake is about to be performed (poka-yoke) administrative techniques, such as procedure/work instruction changes skilling techniques, such as training, mentoring, demonstration process techniques, such as changing the process/conditions/variables.