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

MSS404050A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Undertake process capability improvements

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency MSS404050A - Undertake process capability improvements
Description This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to make process capability improvements, including analysing data from the process, developing improvements to eliminate variation due to assignable causes, and then implementing actions.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit applies to a person who reviews a range of process capability data and information, makes/arranges for changes to be made to procedures, equipment or process and then recalculates the process capability and monitors resulting improvement actions. The person will typically be a technical expert, team leader or be in a role where they have sufficient technical understanding of processes in their own work and that of others to be able to suggest and justify process capability improvements.Process capability may have been determined using either a six sigma or three sigma processes. This unit applies to the application of statistical methods and the determination of capability based on those methods. Other related units may be MSS404052A Apply statistics to operational processes and MSS404053A Use six sigma techniques This unit primarily requires the application of skills associated with communication, information gathering and analysis. Initiative, enterprise and problem solving are also required to identify opportunities to improve process capacity. This unit also requires aspects of self-management and learning to validate own analysis.For a qualitative approach to improvement (one not using statistics) see MSS403051A Mistake proof an operational process.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites MSS404052A Apply statistics to operational processes
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: Obtain required data
  • Identify process for study
  • Obtain/organise process to obtain required data/information
       


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.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

analyse process information

calculate process capability/trial limits

improve process capability (or organise for it to be improved)

analyse revised process information and recalculate process capability.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of performance must be undertaken in a workplace using or implementing one or more competitive systems and practices.

Access may be required to:

workplace procedures and plans relevant to work area

specifications and documentation relating to planned, currently being implemented, or implemented changes to work processes and procedures relevant to the assessee

documentation and information in relation to production, waste, overheads and hazard control/management

reports from supervisors/managers

case studies and scenarios to assess responses to contingencies.

Method of assessment

A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Competence in this unit may be assessed by using a combination of the following to generate evidence:

demonstration in the workplace

workplace projects

suitable simulation

case studies/scenarios (particularly for assessment of contingencies, improvement scenarios, and so on)

targeted questioning

reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues (third-party reports)

portfolio of evidence

In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess underpinning knowledge.

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

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.


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:

performing relevant mathematical operations

identifying and using relevant statistical methods

communicating and explaining data- related changes and procedures to individuals and groups

negotiating with other employees and managers on proposed improvement actions

analysing procedures and data to establish variation

solving problems to root cause where assignable cause of variation is not obvious

working in a team

using computer software relevant to required analyses and process

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

data collection methods

data processing techniques required

variability and normal distribution

three sigma or six sigma processes, as relevant

random and non-random results (recognition of assignable causes)

causes of different types of non-random results

causes of random variation

process understanding sufficient to translate the data into variations in the process and determine methods of controlling them

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.

Competitive systems and practices

Competitive systems and practices may include, but are not limited to:

lean operations

agile operations

preventative and predictive maintenance approaches

monitoring and data gathering systems, such as Systems Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Materials Resource Planning (MRP) and proprietary systems

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

Competitive systems and practices should be interpreted so as to take into account:

the stage of implementation of competitive systems and practices

the size of the enterprise

the work organisation, culture, regulatory environment and the industry sector

Process capability

Process capability is:

the measurable ability of a process to reliably produce within calculated limits (the limits depend on the variation of the process)

Variation

All processes have variation. The approach in this unit is to separate random variation (no assignable cause) from non-random variation (which has an assignable cause). By finding and eliminating assignable causes, total variation is reduced and process capability will be improved

Six sigma

Six sigma refers to:

a statistical tool for recording defects and determining capability. Six sigma limits equate to 3.4 defects per million opportunities for each product or service transaction. Six sigma is also used as a general term covering a competitive systems and practices approach. Six sigma training typically covers several units of competency in this Training Package

Three sigma

Three sigma refers to:

a traditional statistical process control. Three sigma limits equate to 3 defects per thousand opportunities for each product or service transaction

Required data

The calculation of three sigma or six sigma limits requires process data. The data required depends on the nature of the limits being calculated

Assignable cause

Any non-random variation is said to have an ‘assignable cause’. The methods of data analysis common to statistical capability analysis as well as other methods of root cause analysis should be used to determine the cause of this non-random variation

Improved process capability

Improvements to process capability result from eliminating the causes of non-random variation. The improvements made may be:

as a result of continuous improvement with the process capability being recalculated periodically

as a result of an improvement project with the process capability recalculated as part of that project

Procedures

Procedures may include:

work instructions

standard operating procedures

formulas/recipes

batch sheets

temporary instructions and similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant

good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (e.g. good manufacturing practice (GMP) and responsible care)

government regulations

Procedures may be:

written, verbal, computer-based or in some other format

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 process for study 
Obtain/organise process to obtain required data/information 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSS404050A - Undertake process capability improvements
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

MSS404050A - Undertake process capability improvements

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: