Unit of competency details

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.

1

Analyse organisation’s current competitive systems and practices approach

1.1

Identify the organisation’s competitive advantages and weaknesses

1.2

Identify current health, safety and environment (HSE) profile

1.3

Determine current competitive systems and practices/ proactive maintenance strategy and analyse for consistency of application across organisation

1.4

Compare the strategy to current competitive needs

1.5

Determine potential changes which might impact on competitive systems and practices strategy

1.6

Identify areas where improvement is necessary

1.7

Discuss potential improvement areas with relevant managers

2

Analyse fit with value stream

2.1

Review value stream map against current competitive and strategic position

2.2

Determine the impact of changes which have occurred

2.3

Identify areas where improvement is necessary

3

Review and modify the competitive systems and practices approach

3.1

Determine required strategy changes

3.2

Negotiate changes with relevant stakeholders

3.3

Develop an agreed revised strategy

3.4

Develop an agreed implementation plan

3.5

Obtain support from process/system owners

3.6

Manage the development of cascading tactical implementation plans

4

Implement modified strategy

4.1

Obtain necessary permissions and authorities

4.2

Monitor the implementation of the modified strategy and tactical plans

4.3

Take required actions to achieve planned outcomes

4.4

Check that planned improvements have occurred

4.5

Take action to sustain improvement by standardising

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

Required skills 

Required skills include: 

• undertaking self-directed problem solving and decision-making on issues of a  broad and/or highly specialised nature and in highly varied and/or highly specialised contexts
• analysing current state/situation of the organisation and value stream, including appropriateness of vision, strategy, operations and internal and external relationships especially with value stream members
• overseeing the setting of appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs)
• generating and evaluating complex proposals for improvement based on qualitative and quantitative data
• communicating at all levels in the organisation and value stream and to audiences of different levels of literacy and numeracy
• prioritising situations and actions based on:

• value for customers
• cost/benefit analysis
• readiness analysis
• tactical survival response

• reviewing and modifying strategies and KPIs, as required

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge includes:

• competitive systems and practices at both a strategic and tools level, including advantages and limitations of:

• value stream mapping
• 5S
• Just in Time (JIT)
• mistake proofing
• process mapping
• establishing customer pull
• breakthrough improvement and continuous improvement (kaizen and kaizen blitz)
• setting of KPIs/metrics
• identification and elimination of waste (muda)

• six sigma and lean six sigma
• continuous improvement processes, including implementation, monitoring and evaluation strategies
• types of KPIs and their impacts on performance

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:

• critically review current competitive systems and practices strategy and tactical implementation initiatives and plans in organisation and, where relevant, the value stream
• determine appropriateness of current KPIs
• establish process for ongoing review of strategies and tactical implementation initiatives
• implementation of improvement plans
• modify strategies, tactics and KPIs, as required.

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:

• workplace procedures and plans relevant to work area
• specifications and documentation relating to planned, currently being implemented, or implemented changes to work processes and procedures relevant to the assessee
• documentation and information in relation to production, waste, overheads and hazard control/management
• reports from supervisors/managers
• case studies and scenarios to assess responses to contingencies.

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:

• demonstration in the workplace
• workplace projects
• suitable simulation
• case studies/scenarios (particularly for assessment of contingencies, improvement scenarios, and so on)
• targeted questioning
• reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues (third-party reports)
• portfolio of 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 language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

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:

• lean operations
• agile operations
• preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
• monitoring and data gathering systems, such as Systems Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Materials Resource Planning (MRP) and proprietary systems
• statistical process control systems, including six sigma and three sigma
• JIT, kanban and other pull-related operations control systems
• supply, value, and demand chain monitoring and analysis
• 5S
• continuous improvement (kaizen)
• breakthrough improvement (kaizen blitz)
• cause/effect diagrams
• overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
• takt time
• process mapping
• problem solving
• run charts
• standard procedures
• current reality tree

Competitive systems and practices should be interpreted so as to take into account:

• the stage of implementation of competitive systems and practices
• the size of the enterprise
• the work organisation, culture, regulatory environment and the industry sector

Codes of practice/standards 

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used

HSE 

All changes implemented are expected to be at least neutral, or preferably beneficial, in their impact on HSE

Organisation 

Organisation includes:

• any part of a operations or service organisation
• companies, government bodies or other body of people aiming to produce a product to service a customer

Sustaining improvement 

Improvement may be sustained by including it in:

• standard procedures and work instructions
• standard practice
• other relevant documents and practices

Manager 

Manager may include:

• any person who may have either a permanent or an ad hoc role in facilitating the function of multiple teams in a workplace, departments or entire organisations

Unit sector

Competitive systems and practices