Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the knowledge and skills required to determine what information is needed to support decision making in a competitive manufacturing environment and then to set about establishing required information collection systems. This would usually be done as part of a team and would require consultation with all key stakeholders.

Application of the unit 

This unit covers the determination of data needs and collection methods for a manufacturing organisation or specific plant or process. This will typically be done in liaison with a wide range of people, each of whom will have their own specific information requirements. There will need to be balanced and interpreted into a workable set of data to be collected.

This unit primarily requires the application of communication and problem solving skills associated with determining information requirements and processes of information collection. Initiative and enterprise, and planning and organising are also required to ensure information targets specific factors. This unit also requires aspects of self management and learning to ensure feedback and new learning is integrated into the development of processes.

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. Analyse decision to be made

1.1. Identify person/s to be included in the analysis process

1.2. Determine the consequences of the decision in liaison with relevant people

1.3. Determine the variables which can be controlled

1.4. Determine the variables which cannot be controlled

1.5. Determine the consequences of a change in these variables in liaison with affected person/s

2. Define the factors which cause the variables to change

2.1. Identify factors which are able to be controlled

2.2. Identify factors which are not able to be controlled

2.3. Identify means of measuring these factors, or indicators for the values of these factors

2.4. Compile a list of measurements/indicators required.

2.5. Communicate with team members and involve them in development of factors and changes to ensure awareness and facilitate learning

3. Develop data collection protocols

3.1. Determine methods of making measurements

3.2. Determine methods of quantifying indicators

3.3. Determine the benefit/cost of automated (or other) collection of this data

4. Develop systems to produce required information

4.1. Identify user of information and their needs and abilities

4.2. Determine data processing needs to produce required information

4.3. Determine information distribution channels

4.4. Determine skill development need for recipients of information

4.5. Implement systems to produce information

4.6. Monitor implementation and make adjustments as required

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• communication
• analysis
• problem solving
• negotiation
• mathematics
• teamwork
• planning and organising

Required knowledge 

• business needs of the organisation/section
• information needs of individuals within the organisation
• possible data available/potentially available to the organisation
• relationship between data available and information required
• methods of converting data into useful information

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this training package.

Overview of assessment requirements 

The person will be able to determine information and data requirements for any activity, and, in liaison with others, implement the collection of the data and distribution of the information.

What are the specific resource requirements for this unit ?

Access to an organisation which makes conscious decisions about its information needs.

In what context should assessment occur ?

Assessment will need to occur in an organisation which makes conscious decisions about its information needs.

Are there any other units which could or should be assessed with this unit or which relate directly to this unit ?

There are no related units. Concurrent assessment may be undertaken with appropriate units.

What method of assessment should apply ?

Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the Elements, Performance Criteria, skills and knowledge. A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.

Assessors should gather sufficient, fair, valid, reliable, authentic and current evidence from a range of sources. Sources of evidence may include direct observation, reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues, project work, samples, organisation records and questioning. Assessment should not require language, literacy or numeracy skills beyond those required for the unit.

The assessee will have access to all techniques, procedures, information, resources and aids which would normally be available in the workplace.

The method of assessment should be discussed and agreed with the assessee prior to the commencement of the assessment.

What evidence is required for demonstration of consistent performance ?

Where evidence is provided from ongoing changes to the information requirements, then a range of changes will be needed to provide sufficient evidence. Where evidence is provided from a complex information requirements project, then a single project may provide sufficient evidence.

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.

Determining data needs 

This unit is focused more on those decisions which are non-routine and so need specific collection of data, or for those decisions which are routine, the establishment of a routine data collection protocol to allow for the decisions to be made based on appropriate, reliable data.

Competitive manufacturing 

Competitive manufacturing is used to describe the range of systemic manufacturing practice concepts and approaches. It covers but is not limited to:

• lean manufacturing
• agile manufacturing
• preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
• monitoring and data gathering systems such as Systems Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP), and proprietary systems such as SAP
• statistical process control systems, including six sigma and three sigma
• Just in Time (JIT), kanban and other pull related manufacturing control systems
• supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis
• other continuous improvement systems.

Competitive manufacturing should be interpreted so as to take into account the stage of implementation of competitive manufacturing approaches, the enterprise's size and work organisation, culture, regulatory environment and manufacturing sector.

Decision 

This unit potentially applies to all organisations that are pursuing competitive manufacturing.

A decision can be a change, improvement, new/altered process or system which requires data in order to monitor it or where data is required to make a decision regarding the selection of alternatives.

Unit Sector 

CM Tools

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area