Application
This unit applies to individuals with a broad knowledge of business technology who contribute well developed skills in creating solutions to maintenance and upgrade issues with existing technology. They may have responsibility to provide guidance or to delegate aspects of these tasks to others.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Maintain performance of hardware and software | 1.1 Monitor and evaluate system effectiveness to ensure it meets 1.2 Use operating system, drive and disk structure, reports and files to identify performance problems 1.3 Maintain disk drives and peripherals 1.4 Replace |
2. Provide basic system administration | 2.1 Carry out system back 2.2 Install and operate 2.3 Maintain and update security access procedures in line with organisational requirements 2.4 Ensure that licence for use of software is used, checked and recorded in accordance with organisational requirements 2.5 Regularly maintain and update virus programs in accordance with organisational requirements |
3. Identify future technology requirements | 3.1 Maintain knowledge of current and new 3.2 Identify and develop 3.3 Assess existing technology against newly available technology to determine future needs and priorities 3.4 Identify and select new technologies to achieve and maintain continuous organisational development 3.5 Obtain management and budget approval for new selected technologies |
Required Skills
Required skills
communication skills to explain the operation and troubleshooting of technology in the work environment
literacy skills to interpret and evaluate the purposes and objectives of various uses of technology; to display logical organisation of written information
problem
research and analytical skills to analyse and identify organisation’s future technology requirements.
Required knowledge
costs and benefits of technology maintenance strategies
general features and capabilities of current industry accepted hardware and software products
principles of environmental sustainable practice in implementing business technology
importance of back
key provisions of relevant legislation from all forms of government that may affect aspects of business operations, such as:
anti
ethical principles
codes of practice
privacy laws
environmental issues
occupational health and safety (OHS).
Evidence Required
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: installing software and hardware organising and accessing software, materials and consumables maintaining technology security and maintenance systems knowledge of costs and benefits of technology maintenance strategies. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: access to an actual workplace or simulated environment access to office equipment and resources access to examples of technology maintenance and security procedures. |
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: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios demonstration of techniques oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of general features and capabilities of current industry accepted hardware and software products. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: other information and communications technology or general administration units. |
Range Statement
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.
Organisational and system requirements | back Code of Conduct ethical standards legal and organisational policy/guidelines and requirements maintenance of customised software OHS policies, procedures and programs quality assurance and/or procedures manuals register of licenses restore procedures security and confidentiality procedures software licence documentation storage of information technology documentation storage retrieval and type of product licenses updating of virus protection systems. |
Disk drive and peripherals maintenance | backing up files before major maintenance checking hard drive for errors cleaning dust from internal and external surfaces creating more free space on the hard disk defragmenting the hard disk deleting unwanted files reviewing programs using up |
Consumables | disks magnetic tape and cassettes print heads print media printer ribbons and cartridges. |
Software | accounting applications commercial software applications database applications internet/intranet/extranet related programs organisation presentation applications spreadsheet applications word processing applications. |
Technology | client services computers data transfer devices modems peripherals, including: printers, scanners, tape cartridges speakers, multimedia kits personal computer, modems input equipment such as mouse, touch pad, keyboard, pens mobile phones, palmtops and personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptops and desktop computers Bluetooth devices, universal serial bus (USB), Firewire (IEEE 1394) photocopiers printers scanners software. |
Sources of information | computer hardware manufacturers computer magazines and journals computer software designers industry associations internal/external clients internet retail outlets seminars, workshops and training sessions trade fairs. |
Improved technology systems | access protocols cable data transmissions delivery and installation systems hardware upgrades implementing a new system maintenance options multimedia networking options new hardware new software resource usage monitoring software upgrades environmentally sustainable design practices. |
Sectors
Information and Communications Technology – IT Support
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.