Unit of competency details

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

Facilitate the development of process and competitive systems and practices knowledge

1.1

Ensure necessary technical documentation and information about the process and competitive systems and practices is available

1.2

Assist and mentor others in accessing information

1.3

Identify work activities which may inhibit the ongoing development of competitive systems and practices skills and knowledge of others

1.4

Arrange for the provision of workforce development and training for self and others, as appropriate

1.5

Encourage others to apply technical knowledge to the improvement process

2

Facilitate commitment to efficiency improvements

2.1

Ensure budgets, operating procedures and other related documentation is available

2.2

Assist others to apply this information to their work responsibilities

2.3

Encourage the identification of waste

2.4

Encourage an environment where efficiency improvements are recommended by fellow employees

3

Encourage a competitive systems and practices approach to work

3.1

Encourage and, where necessary, develop communications between specialists and work group members

3.2

Lead development of strategies to monitor and deal with identified waste issues

3.3

Resource and encourage other employees to identify and take appropriate action on potential problems

3.4

Arrange for workforce development and training for self and others, as required, in relevant competitive systems and practice procedures and techniques

3.5

Guide others in relating identified problems to the maintenance strategy, and developing any required changes, to ensure awareness, learning and commitment

4

Implement process and organisation improvements

4.1

Plan the implementation of work group suggestions and externally suggested improvements

4.2

Facilitate commitment to, and involvement in, the implementation planning of improvements and to follow improvements to their conclusion

4.3

Encourage the application of the 'plan, do, measure, improve, control' approach to the job

4.4

Arrange for workforce development and training, as required, to facilitate continued involvement by others in improvement processes

4.5

Involve work group and other key personnel in identification of skill needs and means of skills acquisition to fill any identified gaps

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

Required skills 

Required skills include:

• facilitating goals, activities, communications and access to resources, including process mapping
• solving problems
• identifying waste (muda)
• data gathering and analysis
• explaining and leading others in implementation at the work group level of:

• value stream mapping
• 5S
• Just in Time (JIT)
• mistake proofing
• process mapping
• establishing customer pull
• kaizen and kaizen blitz
• setting of key performance indicators (KPIs)/metrics
• identification and elimination of waste (muda)

• communicating effectively to conduct informal and formal meetings, and to relate to personnel at all levels
• providing effective feedback
• effectively encouraging team spirit and morale
• transferring knowledge and skills through informal one-on-one mentoring

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge includes:

• information technology systems used in the organisation
• principles of competitive systems and practices and their application to the organisation, including:

• value stream mapping
• 5S
• JIT
• mistake proofing
• process mapping
• establishing customer pull
• kaizen and kaizen blitz
• setting of KPIs/metrics
• identification and elimination of waste (muda)

• monitoring and data gathering systems, such as Systems Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Materials Resource Planning (MRP), and proprietary systems, which may be used within the organisation
• methods of gathering data against KPIs, such as:

• waste walk
• document tagging
• tracking/log sheets
• spaghetti diagrams
• existing information technology and enterprise resource systems (e.g. SCADA, ERP and MRP)

• facilitation techniques to encourage team development and improvement
• organisational policies, plans and procedures

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.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

• identify processes and products of their organisation and work area
• analyse current and future skill development needs of team
• act as an effective communication link between team and internal and external competitive systems and practices specialists and managers
• lead team in identifying efficiency improvements and elimination of waste.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment of performance must be undertaken in a workplace using or implementing one or more competitive systems and practices.

Access may be required to:

• workplace procedures and plans relevant to work area
• specifications and documentation relating to planned, currently being implemented, or implemented changes to work processes and procedures relevant to the assessee
• documentation and information in relation to production, waste, overheads and hazard control/management
• reports from supervisors/managers
• case studies and scenarios to assess responses to contingencies.

Method of assessment 

A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Competence in this unit may be assessed by using a combination of the following to generate evidence:

• demonstration in the workplace
• workplace projects
• suitable simulation
• case studies/scenarios (particularly for assessment of contingencies, improvement scenarios, and so on)
• targeted questioning
• reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues (third-party reports)
• portfolio of evidence.

In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess underpinning knowledge.

Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

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.

Competitive systems and practices 

Competitive systems and practices may include, but are not limited to:

• lean operations
• agile operations
• preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
• monitoring and data gathering systems, such as SCADA software, ERP systems, MRP and proprietary systems
• statistical process control systems, including six sigma and three sigma
• JIT, kanban and other pull-related operations control systems
• supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis
• 5S
• continuous improvement (kaizen)
• breakthrough improvement (kaizen blitz)
• cause/effect diagrams
• overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
• takt time
• process mapping
• problem solving
• run charts
• standard procedures
• current reality tree

Competitive systems and practices should be interpreted so as to take into account:

• the stage of implementation of competitive systems and practices
• the size of the enterprise
• the work organisation, culture, regulatory environment and the industry sector

Budgets 

Budgets include:

• financial
• time
• materials/products
• other business plans which are relevant to the team and the work area

Waste 

Waste (also known as muda in the Toyota Production System and its derivatives) is any activity which does not contribute to customer benefit/features in the product. Categories of waste include:

• excess production and early production
• delays
• movement and transport
• poor process design
• inventory
• inefficient performance of a process
• making defective items
• activities which do not yield any benefit to the organisation or any benefit to the organisations customers

Key reliability issues 

Key reliability issues include those which are most likely to lead to failure, such as:

• cleanliness
• poor lubrication
• incorrect adjustment
• poor training and instructions for employees

Unit sector

Competitive systems and practices