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:

Assessment must confirm sufficient knowledge of communications technology, hardware, software and data modelling. Assessment must confirm the ability to translate business processes into technical processes

Assessment must confirm the ability to plan and develop a model for a physical system from the requirements

To demonstrate competency in this unit the learner will need access to:

Client requirements

The project deliverables

The acceptance criteria

Current IT blueprint

Information on a range of IT business solutions and vendor offerings

Future organisational business process requirements

Technical specifications

Context of and specific resources for assessment

The breadth, depth and complexity covering planning and initiation of alternative approaches to skills or knowledge applications across a broad range of technical and/or management requirements, evaluation and coordination would be characteristic.

The demonstration of competency may also require self-directed application of knowledge and skills, with substantial depth in some areas where judgement is required in planning and selecting appropriate equipment, services and techniques for self and others.

Assessment must ensure:

Applications involve participation in development of strategic initiatives as well as personal responsibility and autonomy in performing complex technical operations or organising others. It may include participation in teams including teams concerned with planning and evaluation functions. Group or team coordination may also be involved.

Method of assessment

The purpose of this unit is to define the standard of performance to be achieved in the workplace. In undertaking training and assessment activities related to this unit, consideration should be given to the implementation of appropriate diversity and accessibility practices in order to accommodate people who may have special needs. Additional guidance on these and related matters is provided in ICA05 Section 1.

Competency in this unit should to be assessed using summative assessment to ensure consistency of performance in a range of contexts. This unit can be assessed either in the workplace or in a simulated environment. However, simulated activities must closely reflect the workplace to enable full demonstration of competency.

Assessment will usually include observation of real or simulated work processes and procedures and/or performance in a project context as well as questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. The questioning of team members, supervisors, subordinates, peers and clients where appropriate may provide valuable input to the assessment process. The interdependence of units for assessment purposes may vary with the particular project or scenario.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended. In the case of this unit, it could be assessed in a holistic manner with:

ICAA5054C Validate quality and completeness of system design specifications

ICAA5056B Prepare disaster recovery and contingency plans

ICAT5083B Develop and conduct client acceptance test

ICAI5100C Build an internet infrastructure

ICAA5045C Produce network architecture design

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating theoretical concepts, with substantial depth in some areas

Analyse and plan approaches to technical problems or management requirements

Transfer and apply theoretical concepts and/or technical or creative skills to a range of situations

Evaluate information, using it to forecast for planning or research purposes

Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to broad quantity and quality parameters

Take some responsibility for the achievement of group outcomes

Maintain knowledge of industry products and services

Required skills

Problem solving skills for a broad range of unpredictable problems involving analysis, diagnosis and evaluation (e.g. when specifying the critical principles, functions and framework for the system to operate across the enterprise or business units, taking into consideration the project deliverables, acceptance criteria and current IT blueprint)

Plain English literacy and communication skills in relation to analysis, evaluation and presentation of information (e.g. when the initial statement of hardware needs is written)

Group facilitation and presentation skills in relation to transferring and collecting information (e.g. when estimating current and future capacity requirements and evaluating against client's future requirements, and for documenting recommendations for improvement and referring them to appropriate technical specialists)

Questioning and active listening skills (e.g. when specifying the critical principles, functions and framework for the system to operate across the enterprise or business units, taking into consideration the project deliverables, acceptance criteria and current IT blueprint)

Technological capability assessment skills involving analysis, diagnosis and evaluation (e.g. when evaluating various products against architecture requirements to determine the best IT solution, and for estimating current and future capacity requirements and evaluating against client's future requirements)

Research skills for specifying, analysing and evaluating broad features of a particular business domain and best practice in system development (e.g. when evaluating various products against architecture requirements to determine the best IT solution, and for benchmarking requirements model against current industry standards and IT blueprint for performance, interoperability and expected future organisational needs)

Project planning skills in relation to set benchmarks and identified scope (e.g. when specifying the critical principles, functions and framework for the system to operate across the enterprise or business units, taking into consideration the project deliverables, acceptance criteria and current IT blueprint)

Report writing skills for business requiring depth in some areas, analysis and evaluation of information in a defined range of areas (e.g. when documenting recommendations for improvement and referring them to appropriate technical specialists)

Required knowledge

Current industry-accepted hardware and software products

Broad general knowledge of the client business domain, particularly the business function and organisation (e.g. when specifying architecture requirements)

Basic knowledge of cabling and telecommunications technologies (e.g. when specifying architecture requirements)

Broad knowledge of vendor product directions and technology directions (e.g. when specifying hardware and software)

Networking technologies, including broad knowledge of general features and capabilities incorporating substantial depth in some areas (e.g. when specifying architecture requirements)

Broad knowledge of systems architectural design principles and methodologies (e.g. when specifying architecture requirements

Broad knowledge of modelling techniques and methodologies (e.g. when specifying architecture requirements, and for comparing and contrasting after walk-through of expected performance criteria against vendor proposed offerings)

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.

System

Databases,

applications,

servers,

cabling,

wireless,

operating systems,

gateways,

ASP

ISP

Acceptance criteria may include:

timeframe,

cost implications,

technical and logistical considerations

Business requirements may be in reference to:

business,

system,

application,

network

people in the organisation

Hardware may include but is not limited to:

workstations,

personal computers,

modems and other connectivity devices,

networks,

communication connections,

remote sites

servers

Network may include but is not limited to:

large and small LANs,

WANs,

the internet,

PSTN for dial-up modems,

DSL lines,

private lines,

VPNs,

data and voice,

policing and shaping

Software may include but is not limited to:

commercial,

in-house,

packaged

customised software

Standards may include:

ISO/IEC/IEEE/IETF/ITUAS standards,

organisational standards,

project standards

Project may include:

a total organisational change,

a systems-only change,

a business improvement process,

data and voice integration

an e-business solution involving the total organisation or part of the organisation

Architecture may include but is not limited to:

Operating system: Novell NetWare 5 or above or any operating system that has multi-user ability, Linux, Mac OS, Windows 2000 or above

Database software: Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL server, Ingres, DB2, Informix, mSQL, MySQL, SQL server

Configuration: small memory model, large memory model, requests per second

Requirements may be in reference to:

business,

system,

application,

network

people in the organisation

Solution may include but is not limited to:

new hardware,

hardware upgrades,

new software,

software upgrades,

user training

implementing a new system

Client may include but is not limited to:

internal departments,

external organisations,

customers,

individual people

employees

Applications may include but is not limited to:

commercial software applications;

organisation-specific software;

word processing,

spreadsheet,

database,

graphic and communication packages

may include presentation applications contained in: Microsoft Office, Lotus Suite, Claris Works and Star Office

Specifications may include but is not limited to:

technical requirements,

user problem statement,

current system functionality

Documentation may follow:

ISO/IEC/IEEE/IETF/ITU/AS standards,

audit trails,

naming standards,

version control,

project management and report writing conventions,

maintaining equipment inventory,

client training and satisfaction reports

Appropriate person may include:

a supervisor,

teacher,

authorised business representative

client

Organisational requirements may be in reference to:

business,

system,

application,

network,

cabling

others specified by the organisation