Unit of competency details

Release 

Comments 

Release 1

This version first released with ICA11 Information and Communications Technology Version 1.

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Design web service or cloud computing application

1.1. Gather requirements  for the web service or cloud computing application

1.2. Determine the development environment  and tools to create web service or cloud computing application

1.3. Identify any possible big data  applications

1.4. Define architecture, framework  and protocols 

2. Build web service

2.1. Itemise required functionality

2.2. Build web service in the determined environment to meet required functionality

3. Build cloud computing application

3.1. Determine required functionality

3.2. Build cloud computing application in the determined environment to meet the required functionality

4. Test web service or cloud computing application

4.1. Test web service or cloud computing application for overall functionality according to requirements

4.2. Iterate design or build until test results meet requirements

5. Deploy web service or cloud computing application

5.1. Deploy web service or cloud computing application to the specified environment

5.2. Publish web service or cloud computing application to the specified environment

Required skills 

analytical skills to:

• examine and define system requirements
• review requirements and determine appropriate solution

• communication skills to:

• interact with developer to determine system requirements
• interact with end user or client to determine system requirements

• literacy skills to read technical specifications
• planning and organisational skills to perform tasks according to the project plan
• problem-solving skills to:

• address common problems in operating a web service or cloud computing application
• perform basic debugging, such as defining simple problem, locating source of the problem, and providing solution to problem

• research skills to find and evaluate technologies to meet system requirements
• technical skills to:

• access databases and manipulate data
• create applications using basic programming techniques
• create web pages using hypertext markup language (HTML) and cascading style sheet (CSS)
• perform basic operations within a web environment
• use an integrated development environment (IDE)

Required knowledge 

• development tools to produce services deployable from the internet (cloud computing)
• internet infrastructure
• object-oriented programming
• overview knowledge of:

• database access and manipulation
• HTML
• eXtensible markup language (XML)

Overview of assessment 

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

Evidence of the ability to:

• design, build, test and deploy a web service to specification that can be accessed and used from a separate web application
• design, build, test and deploy a cloud computing application to specification that can be accessed from a variety of portals
• document the completed development.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure access to:

• specific requirements, including client and functionality requirements
• IDE for the determined language
• database server with tools to access data source and develop queries
• web server for determined environment
• internet and web browser
• appropriate learning and assessment support when required
• modified equipment for people with special needs.

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:

• evaluation of candidate’s:

• web service code, test and deployment
• cloud computing application code, test and deployment

• verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of:

• web services
• coding standards
• cloud computing

• review of candidate’s completed documentation.

Guidance information for assessment 

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

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.

In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.

Gathering requirements  may include:

• interviews
• observation
• questionnaires
• requirements already documented
• reviewing existing documentation.

Development environment  may include:

• AJAX
• Eclipse incorporating Java
• HTML, XHTML and CSS
• JavaScript
• JSP
• Microsoft Visual Studio incorporating ASP, C#, Visual Basic
• PHP
• Python.

Big data  may include:

• data access that incorporates high volume, high velocity and a high variety of information with fast in-depth processing
• data managed by large information management specialist companies using big data technologies, such as Software AG, Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, EMC, and HP
• data that is distributed within the cloud across a wide number of database servers.

Architecture  may include:

• capacity considerations
• network topology
• operating system
• public or private network
• scalability
• security model
• web server, such as IIS or Apache.

Framework  may include:

• .NET
• Apache Axis
• Apache CXF
• Halcyon
• Hessain
• Web Services Interoperability Technology
• WSO2 WSF/PHP.

Protocols  may include:

• representational state transfer (REST)
• simple object access protocol (SOAP)
• universal description, discovery and integration (UDDI)
• web processing service (WPS)
• web services description language (WSDL).