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

MSL915001A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Provide information to customers

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency MSL915001A - Provide information to customers
Description This unit of competency covers the ability to respond to both internal and external inquiries of a specialised technical nature. The advice and information requested will require the gathering of information, such as trend analysis, collection of data and samples, confirmation of validity of results, revision of plans or product advice additional to that on data sheets.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit of competency is applicable to technical assistants and officers in all industry sectors. All personnel that conduct sampling and testing are required to communicate appropriately with internal and external customers in order to respond effectively to requests of a specialised technical nature.Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These can be found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites
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: Assess the request for information and/or advice
  • Clarify and confirm the source, nature and priority of the request
  • Redirect the request to the relevant section, department or person, if appropriate
  • Record the receipt of the request in accordance with enterprise procedures
       
Element: Prepare response
  • Locate and obtain required information if available
  • If not available, decide whether to obtain or generate the required information given the priority and costs involved
  • Seek required approval/authority to release information before proceeding
       
Element: Provide information and/or advice
  • Ensure that information is accurate, relevant and complies with enterprise/statutory requirements
  • Keep the customer informed of progress when it is not possible to answer immediately
  • Notify other relevant personnel of request and response in accordance with enterprise procedures
  • Use most appropriate communication method given priority, cost and customer facilities
  • Provide information in a format suitable to customer
  • Check that the response met the customer's needs and take appropriate actions if required
  • Deal with customers politely, efficiently and appropriately, and in accordance with enterprise procedures
       
Element: Record details of the request and response
  • Record all information details accurately in accordance with enterprise procedures
  • Ensure that all written information is accurate and/or legible
  • File all records in the designated place and in accordance with enterprise procedures
       


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

Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

correctly assess and prioritise requests for information

locate and synthesise the required information using appropriate sources

provide authorised information that is accurate, relevant, and in the required format

uses technical terminology appropriate to the customer and avoid jargon

communicate in an efficient and polite manner, taking into account the needs of the customer

maintain security and confidentiality of information as required by enterprise procedures

record and file records of the request and information provided as required by enterprise procedures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

This unit of competency may be assessed with any relevant technical unit of competency.

Resources may include:

information directories and databases

workplace documents

equipment, such as telephone, fax and computer equipment (email or online information systems).

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

examination of written records of advice and information given to a range of customers

feedback from customers that the information/advice provided was accurate, timely and in a useful format

feedback from supervisors that enterprise procedures were followed.

In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.

Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting.

Manufacturing

A sales office representative submitted a sample from a customer who had complained that the product was contaminated. A technical officer discussed the problem with the representative and traced the history of the product sample from production batch to the customer's tank. It was found that the product had been delivered to a distributor, who had then sold it to the customer. The technical officer was able to show that the sample should be taken from the distributor's tank rather than the customer's. With a clear understanding of sampling protocols and procedures, the technical officer was able to ensure effort was not wasted on analysing a sample that would not identify the cause of the problem. Direct communication with the representative made sure there were guidelines to prevent the problem happening again.

Biotechnology

A technical officer in a government analytical laboratory often provides information to others about how a sample should be collected, received, labelled and its receipt recorded. This may occur when samples are collected:

for forensic analysis from a crime scene

at sporting events for the purpose of testing urine for performance enhancing drugs

for blood-alcohol determination.

The technical officer conveys instructions using a minimum of jargon about the method and times of collection, the holding temperature, chain of custody requirements and documentation of the sample source. In some cases, the officer may also specify additional requirements governing the safe storage and transport of infectious or hazardous materials.

Food processing

A food processing company has a team of laboratory personnel that perform analysis of food products both for the company and on a fee-for-service basis for other enterprises. The laboratory often receives phone requests for the early release of results when they are needed urgently. Sometimes when this occurs, the individual who performed the analyses is unavailable and no one else is sufficiently informed to provide a verbal report on the data. The laboratory personnel realise that they should organise the way they record their results so that everyone can access, understand and report them quickly. The team develops a centralised system of recording and filing the results. They also organise a series of brief training sessions to share information about the analyses that they perform.


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

Required skills include:

following enterprise procedures for communicating and providing information to customers

prioritising requests for information

locating and synthesising the required information using appropriate sources

providing authorised information that is accurate, relevant, and in the required format

using technical terminology appropriate to the customer and avoiding jargon

communicating in an efficient and polite manner, taking into account the needs of the customer

maintaining security and confidentiality of information

recording and filing records of the request and information provided

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

enterprise procedures relating to:

customer service for internal and internal customers with cognisance of cultural and social contexts

communication protocols

occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental regulations

enterprise business goals and key performance indicators as a basis for dealing with customers

customer information about enterprise products and services

technical details of methods, data and sample collection and the key features of laboratory results

relevant health, safety and environment 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.

Codes of practice

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:

information directories (organisational structure and telephone)

online database

CD-ROMs

workplace documents, such as:

equipment manuals

laboratory records

National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) requirements

Australian standards

certified laboratory reports

analysis report sheets (past and present)

organisational charts

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

enterprise procedures governing, for example:

receipt of requests

release of information and results and confidentiality needs of clients and customers

sample collection protocols and techniques for preserving sample integrity

handling and collection of native fauna and flora (based on animal welfare legislation and codes of practice)

filing systems, databases and laboratory records

Items of equipment or systems

Items of equipment or systems may include:

telephone

fax

email

computer software

databases

spreadsheets

Auslan

Information sources

Information sources may include personnel, such as:

scientists

technical experts

quality managers

laboratory and production personnel

customer service

Customers

Customers may include:

internal and external customers

members of the public

authorities, including regulatory authorities

other enterprises, municipalities

engineers

scientists

other specialist staff

Information provided

Information provided may refer to:

a local situation

a person with a disability

a person from a particular cultural group

material classification and characteristics

technical and/or manufacturing knowledge of procedures

analysis and/or test results and their interpretation where authority permits

risk assessment, monitoring and minimisation

cost, quantity and time estimation

contractual variations and claims

site assessment and problems

data analysis and statistical interpretation

Manufacturing and food processing sector variables

Manufacturing and food processing sector variables may include:

assessing requests for changes to formulations and alterations to production processes

determining variations and their significance for compliance with relevant standards

Biomedical and environmental sector variables

Biomedical and environmental sector variables may include:

providing responses to inquiries regarding sample collection and recollection protocols from:

patients, doctors, nurses and environmental health officers

collection staff and couriers

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements

OHS and environmental management requirements:

all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time

all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied

where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

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
Clarify and confirm the source, nature and priority of the request 
Redirect the request to the relevant section, department or person, if appropriate 
Record the receipt of the request in accordance with enterprise procedures 
Locate and obtain required information if available 
If not available, decide whether to obtain or generate the required information given the priority and costs involved 
Seek required approval/authority to release information before proceeding 
Ensure that information is accurate, relevant and complies with enterprise/statutory requirements 
Keep the customer informed of progress when it is not possible to answer immediately 
Notify other relevant personnel of request and response in accordance with enterprise procedures 
Use most appropriate communication method given priority, cost and customer facilities 
Provide information in a format suitable to customer 
Check that the response met the customer's needs and take appropriate actions if required 
Deal with customers politely, efficiently and appropriately, and in accordance with enterprise procedures 
Record all information details accurately in accordance with enterprise procedures 
Ensure that all written information is accurate and/or legible 
File all records in the designated place and in accordance with enterprise procedures 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSL915001A - Provide information to customers
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

MSL915001A - Provide information to customers

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: