This unit requires senior operations staff to achieve business and improvement targets by securing work team commitment to quality assurance, and the ongoing maintenance and assertion of productivity and quality systems.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Maintain productivity.

1.1

Efficiently manage systems for monitoring supply of both products and services to the business.

1.2

Implement systems for monitoring production and delivery of products and services.

1.3

Anticipate and manage disruptions to production and delivery of products and services.

1.4

Identify and report potential improvements to business processes and systems.

1.5

Immediately implement corrective actions to improve quality or productivity.

2

Assure quality.

2.1

Identify and set measures for service and process quality.

2.2

Apply tools for measuring quality.

2.3

Assess and report adherence to quality standards.

3

Build a commitment to continuous improvement.

3.1

Ensure work groups and teams understand quality approaches and procedures.

3.2

Design and complete work according to quality procedures and standards.

3.3

Confirm and communicate performance to relevant teams, operational units and managers.

3.4

Secure commitment of team members to quality outcomes and processes.

3.5

Seek feedback on how to improve process and service quality.

4

Implement process quality.

4.1

Devise quality standards affecting a specific work area.

4.2

Make tools for monitoring quality performance accessible to all staff.

4.3

Complete work according to quality standards.

4.4

Review existing work practices to ensure compliance with quality outcomes.

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

interpersonal communication skills to:

report improvements

communicate performance and seek feedback through clear and direct communication

ask questions to identify and confirm requirements

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

use and interpret non-verbal communication

teamwork and leadership skills

literacy and numeracy skills in regard to:

monitoring supply of products and services

developing and applying tools for analysing and measuring quality

evaluating performance and quality outcomes

generating reports

time management and planning

prioritising work schedule.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

quality improvement concepts, principles, philosophies and practices

methods and techniques in interpersonal communication

common types of teams

comparative approaches to achieve quality outcome

tools used to measure quality improvement in a range of contexts

objectives and key principles of quality improvement approaches

alternative approaches to quality

essential features of a quality system or approach

information sources on product and supply arrangements for customers

business policy and procedures regarding:

quality control

performance assessment

reporting

quality standards and benchmarks

quality systems and standards organisations

OHS aspects of job

relevant legislation.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

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

Evidence of the following is essential:

identifies and utilises the appropriate quality tool to use when measuring a given situation

applies quality concepts and principles to work practices

provides evidence of quality and timeliness of task performance over time by generating practical, up-to-date quality assurance manuals

documentary evidence of efforts to assure quality, including audits, compliance reports, quality reviews, work instructions and team communication tools

effective communication of quality process information to relevant management and team members.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

a wholesale work environment

relevant documentation, such as:

store policy and procedures manuals

relevant legislative information

a range of communication equipment

a work team.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

observation of performance in the workplace

third-party reports from a supervisor

review of portfolios of evidence

written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

Assessing employability skills

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically in the context of the job role and with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification.

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Disruptions may include:

supply

operational resources

quality of materials.

Information may be reported:

verbally

in writing

by email.

Tools for measuring quality may include:

seven tools of quality

internal measurement devices and systems

tools associated with an approach that involves quality.

Quality standards may relate to:

AS and NZ ISO series

Australian Quality Awards

international standards

professional and industry standards

performance indicators

quality measures and criteria

planning milestones and timeframes

design brief

manufacturer and supplier standards

other recognised framework.

Workgroups and teams may include:

small work teams

specialist teams

store team

corporate team.

Approaches and procedures may include:

continuous quality improvement

total quality management

service quality

continuous improvement

total service quality

statistical control

benchmarking.

Feedback may be sought and given:

verbally

in writing

in groups

individually.

Staff may include:

full-time, part-time or casual staff

staff under contract

people with varying degrees of language and literacy

people from a range of cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds

people with a range of responsibilities and job descriptions.

Sector

Cross-Sector

Quality and Innovation

The required outcomes described in this unit contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.