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:

knowledge of copyright and intellectual property legislation relevant to floristry designs

knowledge of the elements and principles of design, their interrelationships and effects on the style and function of floristry products, and the ability to continuously evaluate and modify the complex floral design in line with these elements and principles

ability to identify and resolve, throughout the design phase, problems that may impact on the style, function and construction of the final complex floristry product

ability to design multiple and diverse complex floristry products of small to large scale that must include the complex floristry products outlined in the range statement. To ensure consistency of performance and ability to respond to different requirements, this must occur over a period of time and cover the design of complex floristry products of differing styles which use diverse complex construction techniques

development of complex floristry product designs that meet the requirements of multiple site environments to ensure that skills can be adapted to different display contexts

project or work activities conducted over a sufficient period so that the design can evolve through experimentation and evaluation; however, this must be achieved within commercial time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer or the organisation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

access to comprehensive and sufficient information about a floristry business, project or special or themed event to allow the candidate to fully and formally design complex products that sit within the parameters of the business, project or event

access to a fully equipped office environment using appropriate computers, software and information programs and publications to facilitate the processes involved in developing and documenting complex floristry designs

the design of complex floristry products within a floristry design, preparation and product construction environment

a diverse, comprehensive and commercial product range of flowers, plant materials, cleaning agents, preservatives, conditioning agents, construction, ancillary and presentation items that can be used during the design process

use of current materials and technology to sketch or photograph designs.

Method of assessment

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

direct observation of the candidate testing and experimenting with various design concepts

project activities to develop and assess concepts and final designs for complex floristry products in conjunction with an industry operator

project activities to develop and assess concepts and final designs for complex floristry products for a local community organisation or an event delivered by the training college

review of a comprehensive portfolio prepared by the candidate that documents the entire design process inclusive of notes on original concepts, evaluation of the concepts to meet the product requirements, amendments made throughout the process, a suite of sketches that represent initial and evolving concepts and the final comprehensive job specifications prepared for the construction phase

written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of such things as copyright issues, the elements and principles of design and any current or emerging trends for the floristry industry.

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, for example:

BSBDES301A Explore the use of colour

BSBDES402A Interpret and respond to a design brief

CUVCOR08A Produce drawings to represent and communicate the concept

SFLDEC408A Construct complex floristry products

SFLDEC409A Coordinate floristry productsfor a special occasion

SFLSOP308A Prepare quotations for floristry products.

Required skills

drawing skills sufficient to sketch or digitally represent floral designs that will clearly represent and communicate the concept to others

critical thinking skills to facilitate rational and logical analysis of all input from self, colleagues and any customer briefs or specifications

creative thinking skills to develop ideas and explore a range of design concepts

self-management, time management, planning and organisational skills to complete the design of the floristry product within deadlines

problem solving skills to identify any issues associated with initial and ongoing design concepts and to adapt the style and components of the productaccordingly

communication skills including active listening and open and closed questioning to conduct consultation with customers and others involved in the business and the design process

literacy skills to read and comprehend complex documents that relate to floral design trends andsometimes unfamiliar and detailed product information documents, including in-house and supplier product sheets or manuals

writing skills to produce comprehensive records of all design concepts and comprehensive job specifications to be followed during the construction phase

numeracy skills to interpret budgetary constraints, any quotations provided to the customer and to calculate the time required to construct the floristry product.

Required knowledge

the intricacies of current and emerging trends for floral designs and their use in various complex floristry products

the intricate characteristics and interrelationships of the elements and principles of design, and their effects on the style and function of complex floristry products

The elements of design include:

texture

form

colour

space

line

The principles of design include:

harmony

rhythm

balance

dominance

scale

proportion

contrast

the intricacies and use of a wide variety of design guidelines or forms and categories including decorative, vegetative, formal-linear, radial and parallel and their effects on the style and function of various complex floristry products

the complexities of the colour wheel to explore the use of colour and determine colour combinations

the complementary nature of various varieties of flowers including the integration of Australian wildflowers and foliage with commonly used varieties and exotics

the intricacies and use of an extensive range of floral construction techniques (including new and emerging techniques) for complex hand tied, complex wired products (especially those using decorative wiring techniques) and those complex products using a base medium

the intricacies and use of an extensive range of flower and plant materials in order to select appropriate materials for the design of complex floristry products

the intricacies and use of an extensive range of ancillary floristry products, presentation materials and wrapping techniques which enhance the design of complex floristry products

the essential features and use of fabrication and structural support components of complex floristry products

any requirements to comply with the current style or themed floristry product base for the business, industry sector or event

any special requirements applicable to a corporate venue or event site where the floristry product will be used or displayed e.g. spatial

a range of formats for and inclusions of complex job specifications produced for use during the construction phase

the primary components of copyright and intellectual property laws that relate to the design of floristry products. This would include the business' rights over original designs and its responsibility to comply with laws that protect copyrighted products

the environmental impacts of constructing and maintaining floristry products and minimal impact practices to reduce these especially those that relate to resource, water and energy use and to the use of floristry raw materials.

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.

Elements of design must include:

texture

form

colour

space

line.

Principles of design must include:

harmony

rhythm

balance

dominance

scale

proportion

contrast.

The range of complex floristryproducts to be designed must include:

custom-made floristry products in response to customer briefs

large scale corporate displays including components constructed off-site and assembled or displayed on-site

large, small and themed displays including components constructed off-site and assembled on-site for events.

All proposed components may include:

flowers and plant materials

ancillary items

construction materials

packaging materials

hired items

fabrication items, structural components and frameworks including:

wires

ropes

cages

fences

platforms

lighting

welded and angled grinded materials.

props

off and on-site labour requirements and costs.

A broad range of complex floristry products are subject to design and may include:

complex display or stock items

complex window displays

large, small or themed corporate displays including components constructed off-site and assembled on-site for:

exhibition centres

ball rooms

restaurants and reception centres

theatres

galleries

hotels

government buildings

hospitals

corporate offices

marquees

gardens

cruise boats

churches or chapels.

large, small or themed displays including components constructed off-site and assembled on-site for events and special occasions:

corporate events

balls and banquets

themed events

industry and other awards presentations

theatrical performances

trade shows

exhibitions

floral festivals

weddings

parties e.g. birthdays and engagements

celebrations e.g. Christmas and St Valentine's Day

religious celebrations e.g. communions, bar mitzvahs

funerals.

floral displays produced to competition criteria

floristry arrangements of a highly creative nature and of advanced design

products of any size for any purpose using:

complex hand tied floristry techniques

complex wired floristry techniques, especially decorative wiring techniques

complex base medium construction techniques

new and emerging techniques.

Problems may include:

lack of experience with flowers and plant materials

lack of experience with the variety and size of the various products e.g. those for an event

inability to source or roster staff to meet production requirements

constraints of a short production and delivery deadline

expense of transporting floral displays and products to the display location

price fluctuations for raw materials and ancillary items

expense of locating and transporting any special raw materials

fluctuations in exchange rates

expense of all components of the product and inability to meet a production budget

seasonal non-availability of the flower and plant materials

non-availability of ancillary, presentation and wrapping items

non-availability of fabrication and support materials for large displays

short life cycle and problems with maintaining quality during storage, production and display by the organisation or the customer

product, tax and levy costs not clearly defined by the supplier

conditions not clearly defined by the supplier that relate to provision of raw materials, deposit, payment and cancellation terms and conditions

non-delivery of the product from unknown supplier

constraints of OHS requirements

constraints of ensuring copyright of products is not breached

failure to protect the business' original designs

inability to meet the customer preference or brief.

constraints of any site where the floristry product will be displayed including:

type (internal or external)

dimensions of display area

dimensions of delivery access and storage areas

venue access times and impacts on assembling the floristry products to meet deadlines

restrictions of various venue operators such as churches, cemeteries and crematoria

size and availability of on-site assembly storage and maintenance areas

conflicting activities in on-site assembly, storage and display areas.

structural constraints of the location where floristry product will be used or displayed including:

pipes and drainage

earthwork

brickwork

stone masonry.

Technologies, market and design trends may involve:

emerging floristry construction techniques

use of texting (SMS)

use of the Internet

use of digital photography and scanners

use of design and accounting software

use of electronic technology to track orders, delivery and relay services

use of GPS systems for delivery of products

emerging customer preferences

changing customer demographics

seasonal or in-fashion colours

the influence of clothing fashion, fabric and colour trends

the influence of architecture, interior design and trends in interior decoration

the influence of themed events

the influence of new hybrid flowers and plant materials

emerging technologies that impact on production.

Flower and plant materials must include:

flowers including:

fresh (common, exotic and Australian wildflowers)

dry and preserved

artificial.

plant materials including:

fresh (common, exotic and Australian foliage)

dry and preserved

artificial.

Testing and experiment with styles, flower and plant, construction and presentation materials and ancillary items may involve:

creating a physical model, sample or prototype

testing the design with colleagues through visual and descriptive representation

testing the design against different display scenarios

presenting the design to the customer through visual and descriptive representation and challenging the design against the customer brief.

Ancillary items may include:

chocolates, fruit, nuts, alcohol

hampers

gift items of any type

novelties such as balloons and toys

flower preservatives and conditioning agents.

Presentation materials may include:

wrapping

gift cards and message items

corporate advertising of the business

corporate materials provided by the customer.

Records may include:

sketches

photographs

itemised lists of all components and suppliers

construction notes and instructions

notes on seasonal availability of flower and plant materials

relative costs of all components.

Creative and budgetary requirements may include:

style and theme of products produced by the organisation

theme of any event or special occasion

customer preferences for certain types of flower and plant materials or colours

incorporation of any corporate livery or branding

spatial requirements for the floral display

meeting the customer's budget

pricing the product for sale within the organisation for business profitability

meeting the budget for an event.

Component elements may include:

a suite of themed products

a suite of products for an event or special occasion

a single floral product

presentation and ancillary items

wrapping materials that enhance the product

support materials and methods.

Detailed job specification may include:

customer brief and how it has been met

location where floristry product will be used or displayed

purpose of the floristry product (e.g. for an event)

photographs of the final design

photographs of various stages of construction

sketches

general overview of how to construct

complete instructions for construction including techniques to be used

packaging and transportation requirements

itemised lists of all components and suppliers

notes on seasonal availability of flower and plant materials

itemised maximum cost of all components

relative costs of alternate components

itemised list of individual products to be produced as part of a suite and numbers required

size of each item to be constructed

fabrication and structural support requirements for large displays

estimated timeframe for the construction of all components.