This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to review changes made in the operations systems, process or environment to ensure they result in improvement, that gains are maintained and that gains are used as a basis for further gains. The unit includes consensus decision making and methods for capturing information on implemented changes, including quantitative and qualitative reports and informal talking to people to make sure gains are maintained and ways are found to build on them.

This unit is intended for team leaders and people with a similar sphere of influence and scope of authority and responsibility and who have knowledge of competitive systems and practices, continuous improvement and locking in improvements.

This unit covers the skills required for a qualitative approach to the review of a process change. This unit reviews both intended and unintended consequences of change and the effectiveness of the implementation of the change.

This unit is not intended to be applied to a technical or engineering review of a major capital expenditure or similar review.

While this unit covers a qualitative review, some basic mathematics may be required although not sophisticated statistical or mathematical analysis.

This unit may also be applied to service organisations applying competitive systems and practices principles.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability to undertake a qualitative review of one (1) or more process changes and to:

select a change/group of related changes for study and gather relevant information

come to a consensus view with stakeholders as to the results of this change

capture lessons learned/knowledge from these changes

identify and initiate future changes to be made.

Must provide evidence that demonstrates sufficient knowledge to interact with relevant personnel and be able to review a process change, including knowledge of:

qualitative research techniques, such as surveys, interviews, walking around (gemba walk), structured and unstructured interviews, formal and informal interviews, review of organisation records, review of process ‘history’, such as might be obtained from a control panel or other process records

trends and causal relationships

influence, persuasion and negotiation techniques

kaizen and kaizen blitz processes

communication techniques, such as formal and informal techniques, reports, presentations and toolbox/team meetings.

The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence shall be based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.

The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria

multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

A third-party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.

Assessment should use a review of a real process change in an operational workplace.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR

relevant workplace experience

Currency can be demonstrated through:

performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR

having consulted with an organisation providing relevant environmental monitoring, management or technology services about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Not applicable

Competitive systems and practices