Modification History
New unit, superseding MSACMT641A Implement a continuous improvement system - Not equivalent
Unit Descriptor
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to introduce and institutionalise continuous improvement and breakthrough improvement processes in an organisation.
Application of the Unit
This unit applies to an individual responsible for the introduction of improvement systems across an organisation. The systems will include a continuous improvement system sometimes also known as kaizen, and breakthrough improvement sometimes known as kaizen blitz.
The continuous improvement (kaizen) system consists of strategies for continuously monitoring for and implementation of incremental improvements to processes, operations and products. Breakthrough improvement ‘events’ (kaizen blitz) covers the identification of improvement opportunities that are best undertaken in a single exercise.
This unit primarily requires the application of skills associated with teamwork, problem solving, initiative and enterprise, and planning and organising skills in order to identify, implement and institutionalise kaizen activity. Communication skills are required to gather information and consult with team members and other stakeholders. This unit also requires aspects of self-management and learning to ensure feedback and new learning is integrated into continual improvement.
Depending on the starting point for the continuous improvement program in the enterprise other relevant units may need to be selected, including:
- MSS402080A Undertake root cause analysis
- MSS405011A Manage people relationships
- MSS405040A Manage 5S system in an organisation
- MSAPMSUP390A Use structured problem solving tools.
Licensing/Regulatory Information
Not applicable.
Pre-Requisites
Not applicable.
Employability Skills Information
This unit contains employability skills.
Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content
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. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
1 |
Prepare for improvement systems implementation |
1.1 |
Determine scope of improvement systems |
1.2 |
Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) for inclusion in improvement systems |
||
1.3 |
Prepare operating instructions and other required documentation for continuous and breakthrough improvement systems |
||
1.4 |
Ensure compliance with health, safety and environment (HSE) and other regulatory requirements are addressed in improvement instructions |
||
1.5 |
Identify and brief implementation team |
||
1.6 |
Prioritise areas operation, or processes requiring early action |
||
1.7 |
Prepare communication strategy for employees and other stakeholders |
||
1.8 |
Make infrastructure and support arrangements for improvement systems |
||
1.9 |
Obtain required approvals for commencement of improvement systems |
2 |
Implement improvement systems |
2.1 |
Arrange for initial training in continuous improvement (kaizen) and related competitive systems and practices for employees |
2.2 |
Facilitate the development of operating protocols for continuous improvement at the team level |
||
2.3 |
Establish decision making mechanism for system level continuous improvement |
||
2.4 |
Invite suggestions for breakthrough improvements |
||
2.5 |
Establish mechanism for prioritising breakthrough improvements |
||
2.6 |
Establish breakthrough teams and implement priority breakthrough events |
||
2.7 |
Clarify points of disagreement/uncertainty over improvement systems implementation through consultation and, where required, by reference to procedures or other relevant authority |
3 |
Monitor implementation of improvement systems |
3.1 |
Consult stakeholders on processes and perceived success of early implementation of continuous and breakthrough improvement events |
3.2 |
Analyse processes and operations to quantify variations in KPIs over early period of implementation of improvement systems |
||
3.3 |
Identify and solve ongoing performance issues |
||
3.4 |
Negotiate any differences between problems and proposed solutions |
||
3.5 |
Develop plans and obtain agreements to implement further improvements |
||
3.6 |
Implement improvements |
||
3.7 |
Measure changes and calculate benefits |
||
3.8 |
Complete all relevant documentation |
||
3.9 |
Communicate achievements to stakeholders |
4 |
Institutionalise continuous improvement |
4.1 |
Arrange for regular reviews of improvement systems |
4.2 |
Integrate improvement system reports with other reporting processes, including visual management systems |
||
4.3 |
Arrange for regular reporting of improvement system results to customers and other critical stakeholders |
Required Skills and Knowledge
This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit. |
Required skills |
Required skills include:
|
Required knowledge |
Required knowledge includes:
|
Evidence Guide
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:
|
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:
|
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:
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. |
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. |
|
Competitive systems and practices |
Competitive systems and practices may include, but are not limited to:
Competitive systems and practices should be interpreted so as to take into account:
|
Scope of improvement systems |
The scope of the improvement systems includes:
|
Relevance of KPIs |
Relevance of KPIs includes:
|
Instructions for incremental or breakthrough improvement processes |
Instructions for incremental or breakthrough improvement process include:
|
Procedures |
Procedures may include:
Procedures may be:
|
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 or process. Categories of waste include:
|
Solve performance issues |
Solving performance issues includes:
|
Unit Sector(s)
Unit sector |
Competitive systems and practices |
Custom Content Section
Not applicable.