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

Review continuous improvement practice

1.1

Review performance against current key performance indicators (KPIs)

1.2

Review KPIs for ongoing relevance

1.3

Review current state of continuous improvement processes

1.4

Audit health, safety and environment (HSE) changes as a result of continuous improvement activity

1.5

Analyse problems to determine root cause

1.6

Identify areas for improvement to KPIs and continuous improvement processes

2

Develop plan for enhancing improvement processes

2.1

Prioritise areas requiring action

2.2

Develop a range of possible solutions, including taking into account the impact of the solution on any codes of practice, standards, contracts, commercial or industrial agreements

2.3

Discuss possible solutions and implications with stakeholders

2.4

Compare outcomes from possible solutions to competitive systems and practices philosophy

2.5

Choose actions which are most compatible with competitive philosophy

2.6

Draft implementation plan for chosen action

2.7

Obtain required approvals and modify plan, as required

3

Implement enhanced improvement process

3.1

Communicate changes to improvement processes to team members

3.2

Resolve issues and problems identified by team members

3.3

Obtain sign off from process/system owner

3.4

Arrange for skills development as necessary

3.5

Arrange for required resources to be available

3.6

Establish and implement KPIs for modified continuous improvement process

3.7

Implement planned changes

3.8

Check the planned improvements have occurred

3.9

Take action to sustain improvement by standardising

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

Required skills 

Required skills include:

• reviewing continuous improvement in a variety of contexts (e.g. supportive and non-supportive team environments)
•  undertaking self-directed problem solving and decision-making
• communicating across all levels in the organisation
• analysing current state/situation
• analysing workplace strategy and vision statements and principles and linking these to current processes, performance and indicators

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge includes:

• competitive systems and practices tools, including:

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

• methods of determining competency gaps in team members
• continuous improvement processes, including implementation, monitoring and evaluation strategies
• types of KPIs and their impacts on performance
• relationship between service departments (e.g. maintenance and continuous improvement in a production or operational environment)
• difference between breakthrough improvement and continuous improvement

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 existing or proposed continuous improvement processes
• establish ongoing review processes, including setting and monitoring of KPIs
• develop consensus for implementation of improvement plans
• implement improvement plans.

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 should be at least neutral, or preferably beneficial, in their impact on HSE

Relevance 

Relevance of KPIs includes:

• appropriateness (did they lead to/encourage desirable performance?)
• currency (are they still encouraging desirable performance?)
• unintended consequences (do they lead to outcomes which are not desirable, even if some performance is desirable?)
• signal/noise (is the balance between desirable and undesirable outcomes strong and positive?)

Compare outcomes 

Outcomes include comparing:

• cost/benefit
• timing
• value stream implications
• HSE issues
• process reliability issues
• benefit to customer/perceived customer benefit

Required resources 

Required resources include:

• plant
• materials (e.g. raw materials, components, work in progress and other consumables)
• energy (e.g. heating, cooling and fuel)
• people
• skills
• finances
• feedback/visual enterprise resources
• measuring equipment

Sustaining improvement 

Improvement may be sustained by including it in:

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

Team leader 

Team leader may include:

• any person who may have either a permanent or an ad hoc role in facilitating the function of a team in a workplace

Unit sector

Competitive systems and practices