Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit defines the competency required to formulate and implement service level agreements.

The following units are linked and form an appropriate cluster:

• ICAA4041C Determine and confirm client business expectations and needs
• ICAW4026B Coordinate and maintain work teams

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

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. Understand organisational environment

1.1. Investigate organisational service standards, values and culture in order to understand the organisational environment

1.2. Become familiar with and document the goods and services provided by the organisation

1.3. Review current service -level agreements  if appropriate

2. Identify internal and external client requirements

2.1. Research client  service needs and preferred level of service

2.2. Determine the level of service to be provided to the client 

2.3. Develop a draft service -level agreement  for the client  that incorporates quality, time, target performance and cost specifications

3. Negotiate client support service

3.1. Conduct a session with the client  to present the draft service -level agreement 

3.2. Present proposed service -level agreement  to the client  in a clear, concise and comprehensive manner

3.3. Present proposed cost and timeframes to the client 

3.4. Negotiate the terms with the client  and record alterations if required

3.5. Seek clarification where areas of uncertainty or disagreement occur

3.6. Document the terms of service negotiated with the client , and refer the document to appropriate person  for approval and feedback

4. Monitor, adjust and implement procedures to maintain client focus

4.1. Assess progress in achieving the client support service targets using organisational systems and procedures

4.2. Gather client  feedback to improve the provision of client  support services where appropriate

4.3. Make adjustments to client  support service based on client feedback and in line with organisational guidelines 

4.4. Document changes to service -level agreement  and report changes to appropriate person 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• Applying customer service skills in a range of contexts at various levels
• Problem solving for a broad range of unpredictable problems involving analysis, diagnosis, evaluation and the development of new criteria, knowledge or procedures (e.g. when adjusting client support services based on feedback and in line with organisational policies)
• Facilitation and presentation skills in relation to transferring and collecting information and gaining consensus on concepts (e.g. when determining and building business relationships)
• Plain English, literacy and communication skills in relation to analysis, evaluation and presentation of information to clients
• Teamwork skills involving the contribution to solutions and goals of a non-routine or contingency nature
• Negotiation skills in relation to others applied to an undefined range of predictable problems

Required knowledge 

• Theoretical concepts relating to negotiation and business relationships
• Current business practices in relation to preparing reports (e.g. when monitoring, adjusting and implementing procedures to maintain client focus)
• Basic legal principles of commercial contracts and service-level agreements
• Components of the client's business planning process relevant to the development of IT business solutions
• Current industry-accepted hardware and software products, with broad knowledge of general features and capabilities
• Vendor product directions (e.g. when planning to meet internal and external client requirements)
• Basic knowledge of information gathering techniques (e.g. when building and maintaining business networks and relationships)
• General knowledge of change management systems (e.g. when monitoring, adjusting and implementing procedures to maintain client focus)
• General knowledge of organisational policies on contracting (e.g. when negotiating client support service costs)
• Organisational policies on external client relationships

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 

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

Evidence of the following is essential:

• Assessment must confirm the ability to formulate and implement service-level agreements to encourage clients to engage in further business. Assessment must confirm the ability to successfully negotiate client support service provision and satisfy client requirements for client support service within quality, time, target performance and cost parameters.

To demonstrate competency in this unit the following resources will be needed:

• Service-level agreement

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

The demonstration of this competency requires breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills which would prepare a person to relate to clients at a business level.

Operations must be in accordance with organisational polices and procedures.

Understanding client needs should be done under competent supervision where there is a clearly defined range of contexts for negotiating service-level agreements and resultant contracts.

The breadth, depth and complexity of knowledge and skills in this competency would cover a broad range of varied activities or application in a wider variety of contexts most of which are complex and non-routine. Leadership and guidance would be involved when organising activities of self and others as well as contributing to technical solutions of a non-routine or contingency nature.

Assessment must ensure:

• Performance of a broad range of skilled applications including the requirement to evaluate and analyse current practices, develop new criteria and procedures for performing current practices and provision of some leadership and guidance to others in the application and planning of the skills would be characteristic.

• Applications may involve responsibility for, and limited organisation of, others.

Method of assessment 

The purpose of this unit is to define the standard of performance to be achieved in the workplace. In undertaking training and assessment activities related to this unit, consideration should be given to the implementation of appropriate diversity and accessibility practices in order to accommodate people who may have special needs. Additional guidance on these and related matters is provided in ICA05 Section 1.

• Competency in this unit should to be assessed using summative assessment to ensure consistency of performance in a range of contexts. This unit can be assessed either in the workplace or in a simulated environment. However, simulated activities must closely reflect the workplace to enable full demonstration of competency.

• Assessment will usually include observation of real or simulated work processes and procedures and/or performance in a project context as well as questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. The questioning of team members, supervisors, subordinates, peers and clients where appropriate may provide valuable input to the assessment process.

Guidance information for assessment 

The interdependence of units for assessment purposes may vary with the particular project or scenario. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• ICAA4041C Determine and confirm client business expectations and needs
• ICAW4026B Coordinate and maintain work teams

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts
• Apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems
• Identify and apply skill and knowledge areas to a wide variety of contexts, with depth in some areas
• Identify, analyse and evaluate information from a variety of sources
• Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to specified quality standards
• Take limited responsibility for the quantity and quality of the output of others

Additionally, an individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

• Demonstrate relevant understanding of client needs in line with procedures related to client business domain
• Apply known solutions to a variety of predictable client business needs that require some discretion
• Interpret available client information using discretion and judgement
• Take responsibility for outputs in managing client outcomes
• Maintain knowledge of industry products and services

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.

Service -level agreement 

• May exist for many different infrastructure services, including communications carriers, ISPs, ASPs and SLAs for vendor products.
• SLAs should consider business processes and requirements, clearly specify and quantify service levels, identify evaluation or audit of service levels. May include workload and performance considerations, expectations regarding servicing, penalties, and charge back to business units.

Organisational guidelines  may include but are not limited to:

• personal use of emails and internet access
• content of emails
• downloading information and accessing particular websites
• opening mail with attachments
• virus risk
• dispute resolution
• document procedures and templates
• communication methods
• financial control mechanisms

Client  may include but is not limited to:

• internal departments
• external organisations
• individual people
• internal employees

Appropriate person  may include:

• supervisor
• teacher
• authorised business representative
• client

System  may include but is not limited to:

• hardware and software components that run a computer

Unit sector 

Team Work

Co-requisite units 

Competency field