Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to construct a range of wired floristry products to a pre-determined design. It requires the ability to access and interpret the job specifications, adapt as required, prepare for the construction, select the correct components and assemble and present a range of floral arrangements.

The florist constructing the product may or may not have designed it, or developed the job specifications, but is expected to make adjustments during construction in response to technical restraints or to improve the floristry product.

The following unit covers the primary design skills that relate to this unit:

• SFLDEC302A Design floristry products

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

Application of the unit 

This unit describes a key construction function for a diverse range of floristry products and applies to the full range of industry sectors and environments. The floristry business could be a retail, studio or online line business.

The product could be custom-made in response to a customer brief or a display or stock item made for general sale. It could be an individual floristry product or part of a range of products for a special occasion.

This unit applies to florists who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision from others. It is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as retail and studio florists, florists employed by online floristry businesses and owner-operators of small floristry businesses.

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. Interpret the design and job specifications.

1.1. Access and interpret job specifications  and discuss the design and its construction requirements with relevant personnel  to meet all product requirements including cost requirements and production deadlines.

1.2. Read, view or discuss the job specifications to allow for correct selection of all components .

2. Select flower and plant materials and ancillary items.

2.1. Select flower and plant materials  according to the job specifications and itemised job costing  and sort them in preparation for construction.

2.2. Select ancillary and presentation items  according to the job specifications and itemised job costing.

2.3. Identify any potential problems  in meeting the design requirements and make any required adjustments.

3. Prepare to construct the floristry product.

3.1. Clean the product preparation area to avoid spoilage of flower and plant materials  during preparation and construction.

3.2. Check that flower and plant materials have been correctly prepared and conditioned .

3.3. Recognise and report on any unsuitable materials  and rectify according to the level of individual responsibility.

3.4. Identify and select equipment and other construction components  to be used during the construction.

3.5. Use energy, water and other resources efficiently during the preparation and subsequent construction process to reduce negative environmental impacts.

4. Construct wired floral designs.

4.1. Select appropriate wired floristry techniques  according to the job specifications.

4.2. Produce key wired floristry products  considering and applying the elements  and principles of design .

4.3. Assess, determine and use the appropriate support methods in keeping with the job specifications.

4.4. Secure the floral arrangement according to the job specifications.

4.5. Modify the design of the wired floristry product according to need during the construction phase considering and applying the elements and principles of design.

5. Present and evaluate the wired floristry product.

5.1. Review and assess the finished floristry product for compliance with the job specifications and for its technical and aesthetic quality, making any necessary alterations before wrapping and packing.

5.2. Attach and secure ancillary and presentation items to the floral product.

5.3. Select wrapping and packaging materials  and complete all required wrapping and any packaging according to the job specifications, adjusting, as required, to enhance the presentation.

5.4. Consider and apply the elements and principles of design when wrapping, packing and varying the presentation of the wired floristry product, checking against the job specifications.

5.5. Safely dispose of all waste, especially hazardous substances, to minimise negative environmental impacts.

5.6. Evaluate the entire presentation of the finished wired floristry product before displaying, despatching or providing to the customer.

5.7. Prepare any necessary documentation to justify variations to the original design and to inform future improvements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• correct use of personal protective equipment
• safe and correct use of tools, such as knives and pruners
• recognition of spoilt and unsuitable flower and plant materials
• safe handling techniques for toxic flower and plant materials and those treated with toxic substances such as fungicides and pesticides
• correct handling techniques for a wide variety of flower, plant and presentation materials and ancillary items commonly used when constructing wired floristry products to avoid spoilage of floristry stock
• cleaning techniques for floristry construction areas
• self-management, time management, planning and organisational skills to complete the construction of the floristry product within deadlines
• problem solving skills to identify any issues associated with the job specifications and to adapt the style and components of the product during the construction phase
• communication skills to hold discussions with relevant personnel on job specifications and any problems that arise during the construction phase
• literacy skills to read and comprehend sometimes unfamiliar and detailed job specifications for the construction of floristry products, to read use-by dates, stock labels, and to read and interpret organisational procedures
• writing skills to make simple reports on such things as problems in meeting job specifications and unsuitable materials
• numeracy skills to count items to be constructed and to calculate the components that make up each product from the job specifications.

Required knowledge 

• the key characteristics of the elements and principles of design, their key interrelationships and use in various wired floristry products
• The elements of design include:

• texture
• form
• colour
• space
• line

• The principles of design include:

• harmony
• rhythm
• balance
• dominance
• scale
• proportion
• contrast

• the essential features and use of a wide variety of design guidelines or forms and categories used for wired floristry products including decorative, vegetative, formal-linear, radial and parallel
• the essential features and use of a wide variety of floral construction techniques for wired floristry products including the use of fine to heavy wiring and base media
• the essential features, use and visual recognition of a wide variety of flower and plant materials in order to correctly select stock when constructing floristry products
• the complementary nature of flower and plant materials in order to make any necessary changes to the design during the construction phase
• the essential features and use of a wide variety of ancillary floristry products, presentation materials and wrapping techniques that enhance the presentation of wired floristry products
• the essential features of and safe practices for using common hazardous substances used by the floristry industry and in particular substances used by the organisation e.g. cleaning agents
• the environmental impacts of preparing and assembling wired floristry products and minimal impact practices to reduce these, especially those that relate to resource, water and energy use and to the use of floristry raw materials
• correct and environmentally sound disposal methods for all types of waste and in particular for hazardous substances, spoiled and diseased flower and plant materials and those that have a propensity to propagate weeds.

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:

• ability to safely use floristry tools and hazardous substances
• ability to correctly interpret the job specifications and to visually recognise and select the correct flower and plant materials
• knowledge of the elements and principles of design, their interrelationships and their effects on the style and function of floristry products, and the ability to evaluate and modify the floral design throughout the construction phase in line with these elements and principles
• ability to identify and resolve, throughout the construction phase, problems that may impact on the style, function and construction of the floristry product
• ability to construct multiple and diverse wired floristry products which must include the key floristry products outlined in the range statement using the nominated wiring techniques. To ensure consistency of performance, ability to respond to different requirements and ability to use different techniques,this must occur over a period of time and cover the construction of products of varying sizes and complexities
• completion of construction activities within commercial time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer or the organisation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to comprehensive and sufficient job specifications for a diverse range of floristry products to allow the candidate to interpret, modify and construct a range of floristry products - noting that the candidate may have also developed the design
• the construction of floristry products within a floristry design, preparation and product construction environment
• a diverse, comprehensive and commercial range of tools used during the construction of floristry products e.g. knives, scissors, secateurs, staple guns
• a diverse, comprehensive and commercial product range of flowers, plant materials, cleaning agents, preservatives, conditioning agents and construction, ancillary, presentation and wrapping items that can be used during the construction process.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct observation of the candidate preparing for and constructing a range of floristry products
• project activities to construct floristry products for a local community organisation or a small scale event delivered by the training college
• evaluation of a range of floristry products constructed by the candidate
• review of a comprehensive portfolio prepared by the candidate that documents the entire construction process inclusive of notes on the interpretation of the job specifications, records of any problems encountered, justifications for varying the design and an evaluation of the final constructed product
• case studies to assess the ability to react to different problems that arise during the construction phase
• exercises to allow the candidate to correctly identify a diverse range of flower and plant materials through visual recognition
• written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of such things as the elements and principles of design, minimal impact practices and the suitability of different techniques for different styles of product
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBDES301A Explore the use of colour
• SFLDEC303A Maintain floristry tools and equipment
• SFLDEC301A Design floristry products
• SFLSOP202A Recognise flower and plant materials.

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.

Job specifications  may include:

• customer brief and how it has been met
• location where floristry product will be used or displayed
• purpose of the floristry product (e.g. for a special occasion)
• photographs of the final design
• photographs of various stages of construction
• sketches
• general overview of how to construct
• complete instructions for construction including techniques to be used
• itemised lists of all components and suppliers
• notes on seasonal availability of flower and plant materials
• itemised maximum cost of all components
• relative costs of alternate components
• itemised list of individual products to be produced as part of a suite and numbers required
• size of each item to be constructed
• estimated timeframe for the construction of all components.

Relevant personnel  may include:

• supervisor
• manager
• floral designer
• studio designer
• a more experienced florist
• owner-operator of a small floristry business
• production manager.

All components  may include:

• flowers and plant materials
• construction materials
• ancillary items and merchandise
• presentation materials.

Flower and plant materials  must include:

• flowers including:

• fresh (common, exotic and Australian wildflowers)
• dry and preserved
• artificial.

• plant materials including:

• fresh (common, exotic and Australian foliage)
• dry and preserved
• artificial.

Itemised job costing  may include:

• itemised lists of all components and associated individual costs of supply and sale
• itemised maximum numbers of flowers and other items to be used in the construction of the floristry product
• details of the composite product or products to be produced with cost of supply and sale.

Ancillary items  may include:

• chocolates, fruit, nuts, alcohol
• hampers
• gift items of any type
• novelties such as balloons and toys
• flower preservatives and conditioning agents.

Presentation items  may include:

• wrapping
• gift cards and message items
• corporate advertising of the business
• corporate materials provided by the customer.

Problems  may include:

• lack of experience with flowers and plant materials
• lack of experience with the variety and size of the various products e.g. those for a special occasion
• constraints of a short production and delivery deadline
• non-availability of the flower and plant materials
• non-availability of ancillary, presentation and wrapping items
• spoilt flower and plant materials
• short life cycle and problems with maintaining quality during storage, production and display by the organisation or the customer
• working with a design that does not work in the construction phase
• constraints of OHS requirements
• negative environmental impacts of materials chosen
• inability to meet the customer preference or brief.

Spoilage of flower and plant materials  may relate to:

• cross-contamination of diseased or pest affected flowers and plant materials with healthy plants
• incorrect application of humidity and temperature controls
• incorrect exposure to environmental heating or air conditioning
• incorrect application of conditioning or preservative agents or contamination with cleaning agents
• incorrect storage causing crushing or wilting
• incorrect handling and storage of fruit and vegetables.

Prepared and conditioned  flower and plant materials may have been subject to:

• trimming of foliage
• trimming of stems
• trimming away buds
• provision of nutrients
• use of preservative solutions
• use of conditioning solutions
• scalding
• cooling
• bathing
• chemical spraying for pests and diseases
• use of cleaning agents
• dusting or wiping.

Unsuitable materials  may include:

• diseased or pest affected flowers and plant materials
• damaged or crushed flowers and plant materials
• wilted flowers and plant materials
• flowers and plant materials with expired or near to expired use by dates that will not survive the display period.

Equipment and other construction components  may include:

• cutting tools including:

• knives
• scissors
• rose de-thorner
• secateurs

• containers to mix cleaning and conditioning agents
• baskets
• decorative pots
• buckets or decorative pails
• containers (bowls, vases)
• staple gun and staples
• glue gun and glue
• binding tape
• heavy to fine gauge wire
• floral foam (for fresh flowers and plant materials)
• floral foam (for artificial flowers and plant materials)
• frames
• straw, moss
• chicken wire
• polystyrene
• customised shapes
• skewers.

Wired floristry techniques  must include:

• those using fine to heavy gauge wire
• support wiring for flower and plant materials with a stem
• wiring for flower and plant materials without a stem
• stitching
• pinning
• pierce and twist
• fork or hook
• specialised wiring
• cross wiring
• peg wiring.

Key wired floristry products  must include:

• button hole
• corsage
• formal and informal posy
• formal and informal trail
• simple, formal and informal shower
• shoulder spray
• wrist spray
• handbag spray
• circlet
• simple head piece or simple tiara
• cake decoration
• wired funeral shape
• wreath.

Elements of design  must include:

• texture
• form
• colour
• space
• line.

Principles of design  must include:

• harmony
• rhythm
• balance
• dominance
• scale
• proportion
• contrast.

Wrapping and packaging materials  may include:

• boxes
• cylinders
• polypropylene
• paper
• cellophane
• bows
• ribbons
• raffia.

Unit sector 

Floristry

Competency field 

Floristry Design and Construction

Co-requisite units