This unit describes a fundamental skill necessary to participate in making improvements to work practices, services or products within the service industries and applies to the full range of industry sectors and environments.

All personnel at all levels could apply this skill, but it does describe a basic operational function of minimal complexity.

The unit applies to frontline operational personnel who operate under close supervision and guidance from others during the normal course of their daily activities. They would apply little discretion and judgement because they operate within the predefined organisational procedures for their individual participation in work practices.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Identify areas for improvement to work practices, services or products.

1.1

Clearly identify own role in work practices and role of others.

1.2

Identify opportunities for improvements to work practices, services or products.

1.3

Check and clarify areas where improvements could be made.

2

Generate ideas for improvement.

2.1

Generate a rangeof ideas or solutions.

2.2

Gather information relevant to ideas.

2.3

Review ideas for relevance and practicality.

2.4

Further develop suitable ideas based on information collection and review.

3

Discuss ideas with others.

3.1

Identify people who can contribute to the ideas for improvement to work practices, services or products.

3.2

Select appropriate communication methods for discussing ideas.

3.3

Share and discuss ideas, seek feedbackand consider all opinions.

3.4

Review feedback, modify and further develop ideas in response to feedback.

4

Develop ideas for improvement.

4.1

Explore processes required to implement suggested improvements to work practices, services or products.

4.2

Present ideas for improvement to appropriate people.

5

Review process for proposing improvements.

5.1

Review process for developing, discussing and presenting ideas and identify how things could be done better.

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:

ability to use creative thinking techniques to generate a range of innovative ideas

observation skills

basic skills in analysing work practices, services, products and positive and negative feedback

basic research skills, including:

identifying sources of required information

questioning and active listening skills to elicit information

note taking

sorting and processing information

creative thinking techniques

written and oral communication skills for conveying ideas clearly and concisely

basic presentation skills

literacy skills to interpret written information relating to work practices, services and products

ability to experiment with ideas and modify them according to feedback

ability to relate to colleagues from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and of varying physical and mental abilities and to listen to ideas and opinions of others with an open mind.

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

work practices, services or products of the organisation

organisational structure, own role and role of various personnel

typical communication methods used within organisations

typical evaluation and review procedures used within organisations.

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:

project or work activities that show candidate's ability to observe work practices and analyse problems or areas where improvements could be implemented

knowledge of own role, role of others and services and products offered by the organisation

ability to develop a range of ideas for workplace improvements or solutions to problems

ability to consult with others, seek feedback, modify ideas and present suggested improvements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

project or work activities that show candidates' ability to contribute to work improvements within operationally realistic service industry environments and within the context of the particular industry sector and business type in which they are working or seeking work

access to and use of current information and data on work practices, services or products

access to organisational policies and procedures that relate to work practices and the review and evaluation of organisational activities.

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:

evaluation of written reports prepared by the candidate on problems with work practices, services or products, including suggestions for improvements and methods for implementing the suggestions

direct observation of the candidate discussing ideas with others and seeking feedback

direct observation of the candidate presenting ideas and implementation suggestions to a group meeting

project activities and problem-solving exercises to allow the candidate to identify work practice inefficiencies and problems and to generate a range of ideas or solutions

written and oral questioning to assess knowledge of the work practices, services or products of the organisation, organisational structure, role of various personnel and typical communication methods used within organisations

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

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 with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

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.

Checking and clarifying areas for improvement may involve:

observing problems

observing inefficient work practices

observing non-compliance with policies and procedures

understanding current procedures and processes

asking questions to ensure full understanding of work practices, services or products.

Generating a range of ideas may involve:

talking to colleagues or supervisors

considering how work practices are applied in other workplaces

using brainstorming techniques

visualising different ways of working

developing checklists and plans.

Developing suitable ideas may involve:

thinking through all aspects of ideas

exploring processes, resources and time required to implement ideas.

People who can contribute may include:

colleagues

supervisors

managers

friends and family who work outside the organisation

those who can challenge or support the ideas

those who can provide technical knowledge on the viability of the ideas

those who can fund or promote the implementation of the ideas.

Communication methods may include:

face-to-face discussions

interviews

telephone discussions

email

written correspondence, such as memos, letters and reports

suggestion boxes and suggestion boards

surveys and questionnaires

newsletter contributions

formal and informal meetings.

Seeking and considering feedback may involve:

actively listening

asking questions

clarifying understanding

accepting the opinions and ideas of others, especially those with cultural or special needs

taking into account technical and OHS considerations and restrictions.

Exploring processes for implementation of ideas may involve:

identifying all steps required to implement ideas for improvement

seeking technical advice

identifying physical and human resources required

identifying how long it would take to make changes.

Reviewing process may involve identifying:

communication problems that were encountered

lack of access to appropriate information to develop ideas

problems with own ability to present ideas and influence others

aspects that worked well

solutions for generation and presentation of future ideas.

Sector

Cross-Sector

Quality and Innovation

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency 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.