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 formulate and deliver agreed specifications for the project.

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

Client requirements

Technical specifications

Organisational and process goals

Critical business requirements

Predefined high-level acceptance criteria

Project deliverables

Future organisational business processes

Test plan

Project budget timeframe

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.

The following assessment method is appropriate for this unit:

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, for example:

ICAB4059B Develop detailed technical design

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

Problem solving skills for a defined range of unpredictable problems involving participation in the development of strategic initiatives

Plain English literacy and communication skills in relation to dealing with clients and team members (e.g. when conveying acceptance criteria to the client)

Group facilitation and presentation skills in relation to transferring and collecting information and gaining consensus

Questioning and active listening skills (e.g. when gaining client user's assistance in specifying milestones and associated deliverables in measurable terms)

Project planning skills in relation to scope, time, cost, quality, communications and risk management

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

Estimating skills for use across a range of predictable project contexts in relation to either varied or highly specific functions (e.g. when communicating timeframe, cost implications, and technical and logistical considerations to the client)

Function point analysis skills for use across a range of predictable project contexts in relation to either varied or highly specific functions (e.g. when determining the metrics process in line with client requirements)

Required knowledge

Project planning methodologies and tools (e.g. when determining milestones and quality attributes with client)

Detailed knowledge of tools and their use relating to task list (e.g. when formulating metrics and milestones)

Quality processes

Detailed knowledge of how to formulate system development plans

Detailed knowledge of theory and purpose of metrics

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

Project may include:

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

Appropriate person may include:

supervisor

teacher

authorised business representative

client

Acceptance criteria may include:

timeframe

cost implications

technical

logistical considerations

Constraints may include but is not limited to:

time

budget

resource

hardware

software

policy

legal constraints