Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the knowledge and skills needed to ensure that the gains which have been made by using improved methods, processes and equipment are sustained as the new base line/standard to the team's area of work and so prevent regression to former practices, or digression to less efficient practices.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to an environment where continuous improvement in a manufacturing enterprise is being undertaken.

The team leader or other responsible person then facilitates and implements methods of ensuring that these improvements are sustained.

Improvement initiatives can be made by any of any number of methods and by teams or individuals. The unit assumes that desired levels of performance or quality are known.

The unit covers ensuring that team members implement the modified processes to ensure the improvements are sustained and opportunities taken to suggest further improvements.

This unit requires the application of skills associated with problem solving, initiative and enterprise, planning and organising in order to check and monitor the impacts of change. It also requires communication and teamwork in order to assess the impact of change in a team's area of work. Self management and learning will be used to continuously monitor change influences and adapt improvements according to new information and feedback.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

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.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Ensure corrective actions are implemented.

1.1. Liaise with relevant people associated with the anticipated corrective action

1.2. Ensure the supply of resources (equipment, modifications, consumables, people)

1.3. Check occupational health and safety (OHS) impacts of corrective action and take action in accordance with procedures if required

1.4. Ensure workforce has relevant skill level

1.5. Negotiate solutions with relevant people to allow implementation

1.6. Supervise implementation of corrective action

1.7. Monitor implementation of corrective action

1.8. Make required adjustments

2. Verify systems support improvement

2.1. Ensure procedures  reflect improvements

2.2. Ensure training and assessment systems reflect improvements

2.3. Liaise with relevant people to ensure their support of the new modified system/s

3. Audit the change

3.1. Determine an appropriate audit period/cycle

3.2. Agree relevant measures/indicators for the improvement

3.3. Measure performance  at agreed times using agreed measures

3.4. Investigate the cause/s of under performance

3.5. Take appropriate corrective action to improve performance

3.6. Reaudit the improvement on an agreed basis

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills :

• communication/negotiation skills
• teamwork
• basic mathematics
• planning
• problem solving
• analysing.

Required knowledge :

• existing procedures
• modified procedures
• overall process of manufacturing relative to improvements being made
• appropriate measures of performance
• business performance goals sufficient to determine best measures of improved performance.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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.

Overview of assessment requirements 

The person will be able to point to improvements which have been made where they have been active in designing and implementing systems for sustaining the improvement.

What critical aspects of evidence are required to demonstrate competency in this unit ?

Evidence of having sustained improvements in the workplace and of reviewing these improvements for their real impact.

In what context should assessment occur ?

Assessment will need to occur in a workplace where improvements are occurring, or where specific improvement projects are undertaken for the purpose of providing evidence of competence (among other aims).

The unit may also be assessed on a project basis in a simulated environment.

Are there any other units which could or should be assessed with this unit or which relate directly to this unit ?

This unit may be assessed concurrently with appropriate units on continuous improvement.

This unit relates to a team leader ensuring that their team sustains improvements. MSACMS201A Sustain process improvements  is a lower level unit for a person's own area of responsibility.

What method of assessment should apply ?

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the elements, performance criteria, skills and knowledge. A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Assessors should gather sufficient, fair, valid, reliable, authentic and current evidence from a range of sources. Sources of evidence may include direct observation, reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues, project work, samples, organisation records and questioning. Assessment should not require language, literacy or numeracy skills beyond those required for the unit.

The assessee will have access to all techniques, procedures, information, resources and aids which would normally be available in the workplace.

The method of assessment should be discussed and agreed with the assessee prior to the commencement of the assessment.

What evidence is required for demonstration of consistent performance ?

Evidence should be available from multiple small changes, or from a large change which has had multiple facets implemented over a period of some months.

What are the specific resource requirements for this unit ?

Access to a workplace implementing competitive manufacturing strategies, or where improvement projects can be conducted and relevant records is required. No other specific resources are required.

RANGE STATEMENT 

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.

Systems 

Systems is used to mean any/all of the equipment, process, procedures and work practices that are used to produce the product.

A term often used in this context is:

• Kaizen - the philosophy of continual improvement, that every process can and should be continually evaluated and improved in terms of time required, resources used, resultant quality, and other aspects relevant to the process.

Procedures 

Procedures include all work instructions, standard operating procedures, formulas/recipes, batch sheets, temporary instructions and similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant. They may be written, verbal, computer based or in some other form.

For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (e.g. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Responsible Care) and government regulations.

Improvement 

Improvement procedures in some enterprises are also known by baka-yoke which is a manufacturing technique of preventing mistakes by designing the manufacturing process, equipment and tools so that an operation literally cannot be performed incorrectly. An attempt to perform incorrectly, as well as being prevented, is usually met with a warning signal of some sort. The term poka-yoke is sometimes referred to as a system where only a warning is provided.

Improvements may be sustained by use of technology so that it is impossible to do the job any other way. However, improvements may also be sustained by changes to process or procedures or other changes to the manufacturing system which, if followed, will sustain the change and this unit may be applied to all these situations.

Measuring performance 

Measuring performance is not used literally and may mean the personal taking of measurements, or it may mean arranging for measurements to be taken/made by appropriate personnel. The interpretation of the measurements however is to be undertaken personally.

Unit Sector 

CM Systems

Corequisite units 

Functional Area