This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to implement administrative and technical procedures throughout the software development and documentation life cycle.
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application
This unit applies to senior information and communications technology (ICT) staff in a range of areas who are required to ensure that appropriate administrative standards support development environments.
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: Identify and clarify configuration management requirements
Develop and assemble identification standards for the naming and version control of software and documentation, and provide to stakeholders
Identify the software configuration tools and procedures for the required level of integration into the programming environment
Identify responsibilities for configuration management within the project and for ongoing support, including approval of changes
Take action to ensure that stakeholders are aware of their roles
Identify the point at which items are subjected to configuration control with stakeholders
Element: Employ appropriate control mechanisms
Identify and document the method for identification and recording of change requests in line with organisational requirements and ensure this is maintained during development process
Take action to ensure that the evaluation criteria and process for approval of change requests are employed according to organisational requirements
Take action to ensure that other management, security and access control criteria are employed according to organisational requirements
Implement controls to ensure that necessary audit trials and alerts for variations or non-conformance are continuously maintained during development
Element: Implement monitoring mechanisms
Implement controls to ensure that mechanisms to identify the status of software throughout the software development life cycle are continuously maintained
Document the development and maintenance of records and status reports required to show the history of baselines and their links to backups
Take action to ensure that the level of detail required in the status reports, and identification of target audiences, meets the configuration management procedures, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian Standards (AS) and organisational requirements
Integrate configuration management into general project management processes for monitoring and control purposes and document
Element: Manage release of product
Take action to ensure the physical and functional completeness of items for the purpose of release to all stakeholders
Identify and implement the requirements for formal control of software products
Determine and document policies for retention of baseline or master copies, taking into account safety and security, legislative requirements and organisational guidelines
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:
use quality processes, audit trails and version control to implement administrative and technical procedures throughout the software development and documentation life cycle
implement and maintain reliable and valid configuration management procedures for technical and administrative procedures for use during the software life cycle.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
configuration tools
evaluation criteria
process for approval of change requests
templates for status reports
appropriate learning and assessment support when required
modified equipment 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:
software development
benchmarking methodologies
audit requirements
parallel development
review of candidate’s documentation, with particular reference to:
code identification in line with organisational requirements
change control
backup management
version control
release mechanisms
direct observation of candidate briefing stakeholders.
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
communication skills to:
gain consensus on concepts
liaise with stakeholders
transfer and collect information
literacy skills to develop technical and business reports
numeracy skills to manage a budget
planning and organisational skills to estimate use across a range of predictable project contexts related to either varied or highly specific functions
problem-solving skills to:
identify configuration control with developers and team members
scope and prepare time lines, budget and risk manage process
research skills to analyse and evaluate:
broad features of a particular business domain
best practice in software development methodologies
technical skills to use a range of software configuration tools and software applications.
Required knowledge
project-planning methodologies and tools
benchmarking methodologies when implementing monitoring mechanisms
how to formulate software size models and size estimates when employing control mechanisms
quality assurance and quality processes when implementing monitoring mechanisms
software development methodologies when identifying and clarifying configuration management requirements.
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.
Software may include:
commercial applications
in-house or customised
organisation-specific
packaged.
Documentation may follow:
audit trails
ISO, IEC and AS standards
naming standards
project management templates
report writing principles
version control.
Stakeholders may include:
development team
management
project team
sponsor
testers
user.
Software configuration tools may include:
Baseline +Plus
ClearCase
Continuus/CM
CVS
PVCS Configuration Builder
PVCS Version Manager
PVCS Version Manager PLUS
RCS
SCCS
Source Integrity
TeamWare
Version +Plus
Version Stamper.
Organisational requirements may include:
how and what the organisation wants in regard to work environment
preventative maintenance and diagnostic policy, roles and technical responsibilities in the IT department
problem-solution processes
vendor and product service level support agreements.
Requirements may relate to:
business
network
people in the organisation
system.
Organisational guidelines may include:
communication methods
content of emails
dispute resolution
document procedures and templates
downloading information and accessing particular websites
financial control mechanisms
opening mail with attachments
personal use of emails and internet access
virus risk.
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
Develop and assemble identification standards for the naming and version control of software and documentation, and provide to stakeholders
Identify the software configuration tools and procedures for the required level of integration into the programming environment
Identify responsibilities for configuration management within the project and for ongoing support, including approval of changes
Take action to ensure that stakeholders are aware of their roles
Identify the point at which items are subjected to configuration control with stakeholders
Identify and document the method for identification and recording of change requests in line with organisational requirements and ensure this is maintained during development process
Take action to ensure that the evaluation criteria and process for approval of change requests are employed according to organisational requirements
Take action to ensure that other management, security and access control criteria are employed according to organisational requirements
Implement controls to ensure that necessary audit trials and alerts for variations or non-conformance are continuously maintained during development
Implement controls to ensure that mechanisms to identify the status of software throughout the software development life cycle are continuously maintained
Document the development and maintenance of records and status reports required to show the history of baselines and their links to backups
Take action to ensure that the level of detail required in the status reports, and identification of target audiences, meets the configuration management procedures, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian Standards (AS) and organisational requirements
Integrate configuration management into general project management processes for monitoring and control purposes and document
Take action to ensure the physical and functional completeness of items for the purpose of release to all stakeholders
Identify and implement the requirements for formal control of software products
Determine and document policies for retention of baseline or master copies, taking into account safety and security, legislative requirements and organisational guidelines