Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

ICAICT508A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Evaluate vendor products and equipment

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency ICAICT508A - Evaluate vendor products and equipment
Description This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to evaluate and test a range of vendor products and equipment against a client's business requirements.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit applies to individuals in a range of information and communications technology (ICT) areas who are required to assess hardware and software products.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites Not applicable.
Competency Field
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities 		Slides
PPT 		Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Establish business requirements
  • Identify and prioritise business requirements
  • Identify conflicting or overlapping business requirements
  • Specify budget and available resources
  • Validate business requirements, budget and resource needs with client
       
Element: Identify vendor products and equipment
  • Investigate a representative range of vendor products and equipment
  • Identify and document interdependencies
  • Specify and document technical alternatives available to the business
  • Determine and document availability of products and equipment
  • Ensure vendor products and equipment meet Australian or other standards
       
Element: Test vendor products and services
  • Develop valid and reliable test regime with appropriate measurements
  • Establish test environment, including calibrated measuring equipment
  • Undertake testing of products or equipment and document results
  • Undertake revised testing where initial tests are inconclusive or where alternative product configuration may meet business requirements
       
Element: Evaluate vendor products, services and equipment
  • Rate vendor products for quality, performance and support
  • Rate vendor products for fit with client needs
  • Establish product limitations, performance, integration capabilities and costs and compare with established business requirements
  • Prepare cost-benefit analysis
       
Element: Prepare evaluation report
  • Document product information in order of preference
  • Recommend preferred product, including the reasoning behind recommendations
  • Prepare a report containing solution details
  • Submit report to client for approval
       


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:

evaluate a range of vendor products and equipment against a client's functional requirements

choose the most appropriate products

document the selected items and selection rationale.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

client functional requirements

hardware and software specifications from vendors

test procedures and activities.

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:

verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of client business domain and appropriate selection criteria

review of reports prepared by candidate showing selected items and selection rationale.

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, assignment, 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 compare and contrast similar products from different vendors

communication skills to effectively communicate with vendors

literacy skills to identify key sources of product information, summarise and document technical information

numeracy skills to compare prices on different products.

Required knowledge

broad knowledge of:

Australian Computer Society Code of Ethics

client business domain

copyright and intellectual property

current industry-accepted hardware and software products, including their general features and capabilities

detailed knowledge of current and future technical systems

features and function of relevant hardware components and software products and the interaction between these

vendor product and international standards.

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.

Business requirements may relate to:

business

network

people in the organisation

system.

Client may include:

employees

external organisations

individuals

internal departments.

Standards may include:

Australian Standards (AS)

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

organisational

project.

Rate process may include:

evaluation of:

customer testimonies

support documents.

Solution may include:

hardware upgrades

implementing a new system

new hardware

new software

software upgrades

user training.

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
Identify and prioritise business requirements 
Identify conflicting or overlapping business requirements 
Specify budget and available resources 
Validate business requirements, budget and resource needs with client 
Investigate a representative range of vendor products and equipment 
Identify and document interdependencies 
Specify and document technical alternatives available to the business 
Determine and document availability of products and equipment 
Ensure vendor products and equipment meet Australian or other standards 
Develop valid and reliable test regime with appropriate measurements 
Establish test environment, including calibrated measuring equipment 
Undertake testing of products or equipment and document results 
Undertake revised testing where initial tests are inconclusive or where alternative product configuration may meet business requirements 
Rate vendor products for quality, performance and support 
Rate vendor products for fit with client needs 
Establish product limitations, performance, integration capabilities and costs and compare with established business requirements 
Prepare cost-benefit analysis 
Document product information in order of preference 
Recommend preferred product, including the reasoning behind recommendations 
Prepare a report containing solution details 
Submit report to client for approval 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICAICT508A - Evaluate vendor products and equipment
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

ICAICT508A - Evaluate vendor products and equipment

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: