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 ensure the ability to read legacy language, identify and isolate the change, and implement the change via the chosen technique.

To demonstrate competency in this unit the person will require access to:

Access to documents detailing organisational standards for software development

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.

Assessment must ensure:

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.

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.

Work is carried out with limited supervision.

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 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, for example:

ICAB5230B Maintain custom software

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

Additionally, an individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge by recall of key design alternatives

Demonstrate practical skills in analysis relevant to the change

Modify programs in the legacy language

Compile and test programs under the relevant operating system

Follow procedures for change management and configuration management

Required skills

Intermediate analysis in relation to a software design

Decision making in relation to areas of software design

Problem solving skills

Clear and precise communication

Interpretation of user manuals and help functions

Interpretation of organisational standards and procedures

Required knowledge

Technical terminology in relation to reading help files and manuals

Operational procedures on the required operating system

Organisational standards for software development

Security, viruses, privacy legislation, copyright

Types of software

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.

User may include:

a person within a department

a department within the organisation

a third party

Technical documentation may include:

project specifications

reports

help references

technical manuals

training materials and self-paced tutorials

on-line help

user guides

brochures

Changeapproach may include:

implementing the changes in the legacy language

implementing a new layer (or replacing an existing layer) to the architecture of the system

implementing wrappers to the legacy code

Hardware may include but is not limited to:

workstations

personal computers

modems and other connectivity devices

networks

remote sites

servers

DSL modems

Software may include but is not limited to:

commercial software applications; organisation-specific software, packaged software, in-house or customised software