This unit applies to a variety of IT staff, including systems analysts, business analysts, system administrators and technical support staff who are responsible for liaising with clients to ensure that their requirements are fully met.
Not applicable.
1. Determine support areas | 1.1 Identify and record information technology used in the organisational unit 1.2 Identify stakeholders of the system 1.3 Identify organisational structure, culture and politics related to support requirements 1.4 Determine what level of support is required by each organisational unit |
2. Develop support procedures | 2.1 Contact organisational units, as required, to verify support needs 2.2 Establish procedures for providing required support, including method of contact, frequency of meetings and reporting 2.3 Document agreed procedures or service level agreement (SLA) |
3. Assign support personnel | 3.1 Identify IT skills required to assist each organisational unit with support activities 3.2 Assign personnel according to human resource processes 3.3 Verify availability of selected personnel 3.4 Provide support using agreed procedures 3.5 Obtain feedback from appropriate persons on a regular basis |
Required skills
communication skills to:
discuss support needs of clients
explain relevant concepts
enable the end user to attempt remedial action
initiative and enterprise skills to contribute to solutions and goals of a non-routine or contingency nature
literacy skills to:
document and interpret procedures and SLAs
report on service history issues
planning and organisational skills to:
establish procedures for providing support
deliver on scope, time, cost and quality
promote communications and manage risk
assign support personnel according to human resource processes
organise equitable workloads for team members
problem-solving skills to gain consensus on concepts
research skills to:
identify organisational structure and culture
identify information technology within an organisational unit.
Required knowledge
adequate response times
awareness of stakeholders, their role in the organisation, and their level of dependence on IT infrastructure
capabilities of IT devices
current industry-accepted hardware and software products
detailed knowledge of areas related to the organisation's services
equipment that is vital in supplying business critical services:
internet file transaction security for client accounts
web server for ebusiness
detailed knowledge of functionality of the IT system in supplying the essential and desirable services to the organisation
quality assurance practices relating to how the service is supplied
role of IT in the client's business domain
server types to provide:
backup
firewall
proxy
web.
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: establish and maintain client liaison in an IT environment establish procedures for providing required support identify IT skill requirements and assign appropriate support personnel show personal responsibility and autonomy in performing complex technical operations or organising others. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: appropriate learning and assessment support when required modified equipment for people with special needs agreed procedures or SLAs documented support requirements technical records and documentation. |
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: review of: records provided by candidate which identify stakeholders and their support requirements support procedures or SLAs developed by the candidate evidence of participation in developing strategic initiatives direct observation of candidate providing support and maintaining liaison using agreed procedures verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of establishing and maintaining client liaison. |
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. |
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.
Stakeholders may include: | development team project team sponsor user. |
System may include: | application service provider (ASP) applications databases gateways internet service provider (ISP) operating systems server. |
Service level agreements may include: | ASPs audit of service levels business processes and requirements communications carriers infrastructure services ISPs vendor products workload and performance considerations and expectations regarding: charge back to business units penalties servicing. |
Human resource processes may include: | checking job and person specifications observing work activities professional recommendations or referrals reviewing performance reports. |
Appropriate person may include: | authorised business representative client project manager supervisor. |
Systems administration and support
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.