Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to build and maintain effective relationships with clients and staff in order to support effective internal and external spatial communication networks. It requires highly developed communication and negotiation skills and the ability to apply skills and knowledge to a wide variety of spatial contexts with substantial depth to provide scope for spatial knowledge management. Functions would be carried out within organisational guidelines.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the application of sound verbal and written communication, interpersonal, teamwork, self-management, human resource management and problem-solving skills. The skills and knowledge acquired upon completion of this unit would support the needs of employees in surveying, cartography, town planning, mapping or geographic information systems (GIS).

While no licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply holistically to this unit at the time of publication, relevant federal, and state or territory legislation, regulations and codes of practice impact upon this unit (see unit performance criteria and range statement).

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

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

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Maintain client relationships .

1.1 Client  relationships are maintained according to organisational guidelines .

1.2 Changes in client needs  are monitored and appropriate action is taken.

1.3 Client satisfaction, goodwill and trust are achieved by completing all activities according to organisational guidelines, industry standards and client needs.

1.4. Feedback on company performance and level of client satisfaction is sought to establish an understanding of spatial product and service requirements .

1.5 Contracts or variations to contracts are implemented according to company requirements  and client needs.

1.6 Client expectations of reliability, punctuality, and product and service delivery are met.

1.7 Skills and knowledge are updated to accommodate the nature of clients' needs.

2 Satisfy complex client needs .

2.1 Clients are encouraged and assisted to evaluate spatial product and service options to satisfy their needs according to company requirements.

2.2 Areas of difficulty are identified and remedial action  is prioritised according to organisational guidelines.

2.3 Enquiries and complaints are used as opportunities to re-establish client relationship.

3 Build business contacts and networks .

3.1 Organisations and groups that have the potential to benefit from company products and services are identified.

3.2 Appropriate contact officers at the companies identified are contacted according to organisational guidelines.

3.3 Agreed methods of communication  and high business standards are maintained with business contacts and networks  according to organisational guidelines.

3.4 Strategies to represent and promote the company's interests and requirements are developed.

3.5 Project activity is communicated to relevant personnel  and supervisory processes  are used to monitor activity according to client needs.

3.6 Activity is monitored  to ensure it meets project objectives and client expectations.

3.7 Client contact is maintained  upon project completion to ensure that possible future project activity opportunities are maximised.

4 Work effectively with business contacts .

4.1 Realistic service commitments are set and adhered to according to organisational guidelines.

4.2 Flexibility in work practices is encouraged when operating under unusual or complex spatial requirements .

4.3 Situations outside own area of responsibility are referred to appropriate personnel  according to organisational guidelines.

5 Communicate advice and pricing information .

5.1 Written and verbal responses  are presented according to organisational guidelines.

5.2 Pricing information for routine specified products and services is provided according to organisational guidelines.

5.3 Client requirements for follow-up information are attended to promptly.

5.4 Co-workers and supervisors are promptly advised of work implications.

5.5 Spatial business documentation  is completed according to work procedures .

5.6 Contact with client, including enquiries and complaints, is recorded and provides an objective record of matters addressed and remedial and other action taken.

5.7 Client confidentiality is maintained according to company guidelines and client requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills :

• ability to relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities
• communication skills that assist in facilitating client relationships, including:

• accessing, synthesising and using information
• assertiveness
• communicating effectively on the telephone
• displaying empathy, tact and diplomacy
• negotiation
• written skills to document follow-up action

• computer skills (high technical user level) to complete business documentation
• interpersonal skills e.g. cooperation and flexibility
• human resource management
• literacy skills to:

• assess and use workplace information
• locate and interpret legislation and other written documentation
• prepare and manage documentation
• read and write technical reports
• research and evaluate

• numeracy skills to:

• analyse errors
• conduct image analysis
• interpret and analyse statistics
• perform mental calculations
• provide quotations and estimates
• record with accuracy and precision
• undertake computations

• organisational skills to:

• coordinate technical and human resource inputs to research activities
• prioritise activities to meet contractual requirements

• spatial skills to:

• perform spatial data archival and retrieval and train others in this task
• perform file management and train others in this task

• solve problems relating to height, depth, breadth, dimension, direction and position in actual operational activity and virtual representation
• understand implications of height, depth, breadth, dimension and position to actual operational activity and virtual representation

• time management skills.

Required knowledge and understanding :

• complaint handling procedures
• client groups (internal and external)
• human resource management
• industry ethics and practice
• legislation as it applies to the spatial industry sector
• marketing guidelines
• methods of establishing and maintaining effective business contacts and networks
• organisational customer service standards
• pricing schedules
• principles of time management
• product and service knowledge
• role of designated personnel in client referrals
• range of potential and actual business contacts and networks
• safe work practices
• sales presentation processes
• spatial data capture methodologies
• spatial information principles and their application
• spatial information services (SIS) project contingencies
• spatial referencing systems
• spatial products and services
• spatial technologies
• use of metadata
• work allocation procedures.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed on its own or in combination with other units relevant to the job function, for example unit CPPSIS5015A Undertake spatial process improvement to reduce costs and improve service.

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:

• applying cost consideration
• assessing and acting upon contingencies
• determining precise data requirements
• identifying and using opportunities for establishing and maintaining business contacts and networks
• knowledge of products and services available and the capacity to explain to clients the features and benefits of products and services
• leading teams
• managing risks and contingencies
• presenting information in a variety of formats to a range of business contacts
• proactive client relationship-building skills
• sound communication, problem-solving and negotiation skills
• working towards set targets
• understanding spatial project deliverables.

Specific resources for assessment 

Resource implications for assessment include access to:

• assessment instruments, including personal planner and assessment record book
• assignment instructions, work plans and schedules, policy documents and duty statements
• registered training provider of assessment services
• relevant guidelines, regulations and codes of practice
• suitable venue and equipment.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Context of assessment 

Holistic: based on the performance criteria, evidence guide, range statement, and required skills and knowledge.

Method of assessment 

Demonstrated over a period of time and observed by the assessor (or assessment team working together to conduct the assessment).

Demonstrated competency in a range of situations, that may include customer/workplace interruptions and involvement in related activities normally experienced in the workplace.

Obtained by observing activities in the field and reviewing induction information. If this is not practicable, observation in realistic simulated environments may be substituted.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment requires that the clients' objectives and industry expectations are met. If the clients' objectives are narrowly defined or not representative of industry needs, it may be necessary to refer to portfolio case studies of a variety of SIS requirements to assess competency.

Oral questioning or written assessment and hypothetical situations (scenarios) may be used to assess underpinning knowledge (in assessment situations where the candidate is offered a preference between oral questioning or written assessment, questions are to be identical).

Supplementary evidence may be obtained from relevant authenticated correspondence from existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

All practical demonstration must adhere to the safety and environmental regulations relevant to each State or Territory.

Where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (recognition of current competencies [RCC] or recognition of prior learning [RPL]), the evidence provided will need to be authenticated and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge.

Assessment processes will be appropriate to the language and literacy levels of the candidate and any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and will reflect the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.

Client  may include:

• customers with routine or special requests
• external to organisation
• internal to organisation
• regular and new customers, including:

• business enterprises
• government agencies
• members of the public
• suppliers.

Organisational guidelines  may include:

• code of ethics
• company policy
• legislation relevant to the work or service function
• manuals
• OHS policies and procedures
• personnel practices and guidelines outlining work roles and responsibilities.

Client needs  may include:

• administration
• advice or general information
• cartography
• commercial, government or industrial interests
• complaints and suggestions
• environmental services
• GIS
• locational information
• mapping information
• payment
• spatial software
• surveying.

Spatial product and service requirements  may include:

• database management system (DBMS)
• dataset
• datum, including geocentric datum
• digital geographic information exchange standard (DIGEST)
• digital imagery
• digital nautical chart
• engineering surveying
• Enroute Navigation chart
• existing spatial datasets
• geocoding
• geodata products
• geodic surveying
• GIS
• historical spatial data
• hydrographic surveying
• internet spatial data directories
• land information system
• map projections
• map referencing
• metadata
• mining surveying
• navigational tools such as global positioning system units
• remote sensing
• reports
• software
• tender documents
• topographic data
• topographic information.

Company requirements  may include:

• company's promotional needs
• legal and organisational policies and guidelines
• legislative and regulatory requirements, including:

• codes of conduct
• consumer law
• equal employment opportunity (EEO)
• environmental law
• laws specific to local government, state, territory and federal legislation
• OHS
• privacy legislation

• personnel practices and guidelines outlining work roles and responsibilities
• quality systems, standards and guidelines
• staff appearance and presentation.

Remedial action  may include:

• clarification of client needs and instructions
• implementation of required changes
• referral to appropriate personnel.

Communication  may include:

• presentation on company profile
• correspondence
• exchange of reports and information
• inspection of communication channels
• logbooks
• newsletters
• electronic, verbal or written.

Business contacts and networks  may include:

• community groups
• departments or branches of the organisation
• environmental groups
• local, state or territory, and federal government
• research companies
• software vendors
• suppliers
• technicians.

Relevant personnel  may include:

• colleagues
• company personnel
• staff or employee representatives
• supervisors or line managers
• suppliers
• team members
• users.

Supervisory processes  may include:

• delegating
• implementing
• monitoring
• overseeing practices
• reviewing
• setting objectives
• targeting.

Monitored  may include:

• formal or informal discussion with client
• maintaining awareness of client needs and operating environment
• performance review against project milestones
• review of client instruction.

Maintained  may include:

• business promotional contact
• follow-up contact at designated times
• follow-up on industry intelligence
• follow-up on past projects.

Complex spatial requirements  may include any requirement that:

• calls for diplomacy or discretion beyond operational activity
• involves accessing information that is not immediately obvious or accessible
• warrants the attention of particular personnel.

Appropriate personnel  may include:

• colleagues
• staff or employee representatives
• supervisors or line managers
• suppliers.

Written and verbal responses  may include:

• electronic or paper-based formal correspondence
• general advice
• informal conversations or correspondence
• information on products available, including features and benefits
• pricing estimates
• quotations
• standard industry disclaimers.

Spatial business documentation  may include:

• databases
• detailed technical description of the spatial data and its qualifiers
• emails
• faxes
• quotations and estimates
• standard letters
• tax invoices
• statements.

Work procedures  may be written or verbal and may include:

• assignment instructions
• instructions from colleagues, supervisors or managers
• personal protective equipment requirements
• reporting and documentation requirements
• specific client requirements.

Unit sector 

Spatial information services