Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to generate a brief for a conventional design, seek feedback on drafts, negotiate with the client and prepare a final design brief for client approval.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the needs of builders, site managers, estimators, forepersons and other construction industry personnel responsible for preparing design briefs from client requests for residential and commercial projects.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

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. Confirm client requirements.

1.1. Client requirements are clarified and confirmed through discussion with client and team member, if appropriate.

1.2. Financial expectations of the client are reconfirmed.

1.3. Preliminary design notions are discussed with team members to ensure consistency with client's vision.

2. Clarify stakeholder requirements.

2.1. Input from stakeholders  is assessed to confirm the responsibilities, requirements and limitations of the design brief.

2.2. Analysis of site survey is commissioned, as appropriate, and all relevant information is gathered and used to inform development of the brief.

3. Negotiate engagement with the client.

3.1. Fee proposal  is discussed with the client and amended as appropriate prior to formalisation of the agreement.

3.2. Scope of services to be undertaken within the contract is discussed and confirmed with the client, either directly or by delegation to a team member.

3.3. Draft proposals are presented to the client, and client feedback is used to modify and improve the proposal.

3.4. Design brief is finalised in compliance with stakeholder requirements and all documentation is completed to the client's satisfaction.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

Required skills for this unit are:

• communication skills to:

• enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand
• clarify stakeholder requirements
• confirm client requirements
• negotiate engagement
• read and interpret:

• design briefs
• drawings and plans
• sketches

• use and interpret non-verbal communication
• use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences
• work with a team
• written skills to:

• complete relevant workplace documentation
• develop a design brief

• numeracy skills to apply calculations and to budget and forecast
• risk analysis and management for construction projects.

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge for this unit is:

• fee structures
• industry codes of practice
• relevant statutory requirements applying to building work
• scope of services provided by the organisation.

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.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed by the effective preparation of a design brief applicable to construction project work.

This unit of competency can be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

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:

• understand financial, legal and administrative factors affecting the contractual relationship
• communicate with clients effectively
• apply and interpret relevant statutory requirements
• analyse and commission a client design brief that complies with the requirements of all relevant stakeholders.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

• documentation, including correspondence relevant to the assessment
• relevant management information.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must:

• satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package
• include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
• reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
• confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

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.

Stakeholders  include:

• architects and designers
• construction managers and site supervisors
• federal, state or local authorities
• principals of the building and construction company or other relevant senior personnel
• regulatory bodies
• services authorities
• subcontractors.

Fee proposals  require consideration of:

• client profile and relationship to the building and construction company
• cost-benefit analysis
• financing options.

Unit sector 

Construction

Co-requisite units 

Nil

Functional area