Assessor s Guidelines and Assessment Guidance for the SVQs in Supply Chain Management at levels 2, 3, 4 and 5

Transcription

1 Assessor s Guidelines and Assessment Guidance for the SVQs in Supply Chain Management at levels 2, 3, 4 and 5 Part 1: Mandatory Units Publication date: November nd edition: February rd edition: April 2011 Publication code: DB3450/3 Published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority The Optima Building, 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DQ, and Ironmills Road, Dalkeith, Midlothian EH22 1LE The information in this publication may be reproduced in support of SQA qualifications. If it is reproduced, SQA should be clearly acknowledged as the source. If it is to be used for any other purpose, then written permission must be obtained from the Support Materials Development Officer at SQA. It must not be reproduced for trade or commercial purposes. Scottish Qualifications Authority 2006, 2009, 2011

2 History of changes It is anticipated that changes will take place during the life of the qualification, and this section will record these changes. This document is the latest version and incorporates the changes summarised below. Version Description Date Authorised by Number 3 Unit code DX6H 04 amended to DX6F 04 throughout April 2011 Qualifications Officer

3 Contents About this guide 1 Introduction 2 About SVQs 2 How are standards defined in SVQs? 3 Who is involved in SVQs? 3 The steps involved in assessing a candidate for an SVQ 4 1 The SVQs in Supply Chain Management 5 Structure of the SVQs 7 An assessment strategy for the SVQ 10 Why would people be interested in the SVQ? 10 How do candidates begin? 10 2 Preparing to assess the SVQ 12 Planning 13 Selecting methods of assessment 16 Methods of assessment 17 3 Generating evidence 24 Observation 25 Questions and candidate responses 27 Candidate s personal statement 29 Witness testimony 31 Filling the gaps 33 Guidance and support to candidates 34 Judging candidate evidence and making an assessment decision 34 4 Recording achievement 36 Completing the Unit progress record 37 Completing the Element achievement record 41 5 Further information 44 What else should I read? 44 6 Mandatory Units with Assessment Guidance 45 Level 2 Mandatory Units 46 Level 3 Mandatory Units 52 Level 4 Mandatory Units 61 Level 5 Mandatory Units 79 7 Blank recording forms 98 8 Supply Chain Management: The Units (Standards) Imported Management Standards Centre Units (Standards) 215 2

4 About this guide This guide provides some practical examples of how to assess your candidates for the SVQ in Supply Chain Management at levels 2, 3, 4 and 5. You may be able to think of other ways of assessing your candidates and recording your decisions about their competence. Using assessments based on these examples does not guarantee successful verification it is still your responsibility to ensure that internal quality assurance procedures are followed. 1

5 Introduction This introduction provides a brief overview of SVQs and how they are assessed in the workplace. If you are already familiar with the concept of SVQs, you may wish to go to the next section. About SVQs Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) are work-based qualifications which set the level of occupational competence for each sector of the economy. The qualifications have been designed by standards-setting bodies (SSB) or Sector Skills Councils (SSC) made up of experienced practitioners who represent employers, professional bodies, trade unions, education and voluntary organisations. Each standards-setting body or sector skills council is responsible for developing national standards which define what employees (or potential employees) must be able to do, how well, and in what circumstances, to show that they are competent in their work. Each SVQ which a standards-setting body or sector skills council develops has to fit into a broad framework which allows qualifications in the UK and throughout Europe to be compared. SVQs are specified at five levels which reflect the various technical and supervisory skills, knowledge and experience, which employees should have as they progress in their industry. Explanation of levels Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Defines competent performance in a range of activities which are largely routine and predictable. Specifies that competent performance must be shown in a broader range of work activities which are less routine and predictable. The employee will have more autonomy and responsibility, and may have to work as part of a team. Specifies that competent performance must involve the employee in carrying out a broad range of varied work activities, most of which are complex and non-routine. There is considerable autonomy and responsibility, including the possibility of controlling or guiding others. Specifies competence as complex technical or professional work activities which require a substantial degree of personal autonomy or responsibility. Managing staff and other resources is often involved. Specifies competent performance as involving the employee in carrying out a significant range of activities in a wide variety of situations which are often unpredictable. Substantial responsibility and autonomy is involved in the work, which requires decisionmaking in the allocation of resources and the work of others. This will require complex skills such as analysis, design and evaluation. 2

6 How are standards defined in SVQs? All SVQs consist of standards which can be broken down into various parts. Units define the broad functions carried out in the sector, and are made up of a number of Elements. These Elements describe the activities which employees have to perform, and will require candidates to demonstrate certain skills or knowledge and understanding. The quality of performance in what people must be able to do how well they have to perform is described by Performance Requirements. These may also be called statements of competence or what candidates should do. The section on application of knowledge and understanding says what candidates must know and understand, and how this knowledge applies to their jobs. You may also come across standards containing statements on scope. These statements could, for example, list the equipment that candidates are expected to be familiar with and use in their occupational area. Increasingly, you may see changes to this format as standards become more userfriendly and are written in plain English. For example, there may be some standards containing Achievement Criteria, but over time these should disappear. You may, however, find that information on the context, nature and amount of evidence which is required to prove competence (which used to be given in Range Statements and Evidence Requirements) is now defined in the assessment guidance for the qualification. Assessment guidance is drawn up by the awarding body and is often packaged along with the standards to form the SVQ. Assessment guidance is produced within this document for each of the mandatory Units. Who is involved in SVQs? There are several roles: the candidate: the assessor*: the person who wants to achieve the SVQ (eg an employee) the person who assesses the candidates and decides if they are competent (eg supervisor) the internal verifier*: an individual nominated by the centre (eg a company) who ensures that assessors apply the standards uniformly and consistently (eg supervisor s line manager) the external verifier*: an individual appointed by SQA who ensures that standards are being applied uniformly and consistently across all centres offering the SVQ 3

7 *Assessors and verifiers in centres will be asked by SQA to prove they have the appropriate occupational competence to assess and verify the SVQ. Occupational competence has been defined by the SSC in the assessment strategy for these SVQ(s). Assessors and verifiers are also expected to obtain an appropriate qualification in assessment and verification the Assessor/Verifier Units (the national standards for assessment and verification). The steps involved in assessing a candidate for an SVQ In deciding whether a candidate should get an SVQ, you will go through these stages: planning for assessment generating and collecting evidence of the candidate s competence in the Units judging the evidence of the candidate s ability and making an assessment decision based on the evidence recording the assessment decision and the candidate s achievement 4

8 1 The SVQs in Supply Chain Management The SVQs in Supply Chain Management were developed as part of the Polemics Project under the auspices of the Sector Skills Council, Skills for Logistics. They are intended for people in the Supply Chain. These people may be working as any of the following: Material Planner Purchasing Manager Material Scheduler Supply Chain Manager Buyer Warehouse Assistant Procurement Assistant Senior Procurement Manager Customers Logistics Manager Director of Supply Chain Procurement & Contract Officer Senior Buyer Inventory Controller Distribution Supervisor Logistics Assistant/Supervisor Contract Manager Category Manager Planner Strategic Supply Chain Manager Material Manager Expeditor Assistant Purchasing Manager Warehouse Supervisor Global Supplies Manager Strategic Procurement Manager Supplies Assistant Logistics Manager Assistant Buyer Commercial Manager Contracts Assistant Logistics & Supply Analyst Warehouse & Transport Team Manager Imports Manager Demand Planner Supply Chain Development Manager Logistics & Warehouse Manager Distribution Supervisor Export Assistant Global Supply Chain Director 5

9 They will require skills and knowledge in certain areas appropriate to the SVQ level: Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 The candidate should have reasonable numeracy and writing skills. The candidate should have some supervisory experience within the Supply Chain and have adequate writing and calculative skills and have the ability to relate to those around them. The candidate should have some supervisory/managerial experience and able to work closely with others within the Supply Chain. They should also be able to write cohesively, deal with complex issues and possess good numeracy skills. The candidates should be experienced managers/senior managers able to communicate effectively at all levels, to create high value relationships and be able to convey complex issues along the Supply Chain to others effectively. The SVQs are designed to be assessed in the workplace or in conditions of the workplace. Examples of the settings in which the SVQs could be delivered include: Further Education Colleges Training Providers Employers Centres Collaborations between any of the above centres. To assist centres the SQA codes for each of the group award and Unit titles have been included in this document. The SQA code is the alpha numeric four and two digit reference which appears after each Unit or group award title. The original Unit code which represents the National Occupational Standard reference is also given for each Unit and appears immediately before each Unit title. 6

10 Structure of the SVQs This section lists the Units which form the SVQs in Supply Chain Management. SVQ in Supply Chain Management Level 2 (G881 22) Total number of Units available for selection in this qualification is 11. Total number of Units that the candidate needs to achieve for the qualification is 5. Mandatory Units SQA Ref SSC Ref Title DX55 04 Unit T21 Contribute to operational relationships within the supply chain DX6K 04 Unit T22 Obtain information on the supply chain Optional Units: any 3 Units from 9 have to be achieved DX5P 04 Unit T12 Identify potential suppliers for the supply chain DX6L 04 Unit T13 Place orders with suppliers DX61 04 Unit T14 Monitor and progress the delivery of orders DX67 04 Unit T15 Monitor the flow of supplies in the supply chain DX6G 04 Unit T16 Obtain information on storage locations and facilities DX6F 04 Unit T17 Obtain information on distribution requirements DX65 04 Unit T18 Monitor the distribution of supplies DX69 04 Unit T19 Monitor the flow of returned supplies DX6D 04 Unit T20 Monitor the transportation of supplies SVQ in Supply Chain Management Level 3 (G882 23) Total number of Units available for selection in this qualification is 20. Total number of Units that the candidate needs to achieve for the qualification is 9. Mandatory Units SQA Ref SSC Ref Title DX5Y 04 Unit T1 Maintain operational relationships within the supply chain DX4X 04 Unit T2 Analyse information on the supply chain DX50 04 Unit T3 Apply improvements to the supply chain Optional Units: any 6 Units from 17 have to be achieved DX63 04 Unit T4 Monitor the achievement of project tasks DX56 04 Unit T5 Control supplies at storage locations and facilities DX52 04 Unit T6 Complete export procedures and requirements DX53 04 Unit T7 Complete import procedures and requirements DX4V 04 Unit T8 Administer contracts DX4W 04 Unit T9 Analyse information on the procurement of supplies in the supply chain DX7E 04 Unit T10 Verify the capability of suppliers to meet supply specifications DX4Y 04 Unit T11 Analyse the performance of suppliers DX5P 04 Unit T12 Identify potential suppliers for the supply chain DX6L 04 Unit T13 Place orders with suppliers DX61 04 Unit T14 Monitor and progress the delivery of orders DX67 04 Unit T15 Monitor the flow of supplies in the supply chain DX6G 04 Unit T16 Obtain information on storage locations and facilities 7

11 DX6F 04 Unit T17 Obtain information on distribution requirements DX65 04 Unit T18 Monitor the distribution of supplies DX69 04 Unit T19 Monitor the flow of returned supplies DX6D 04 Unit T20 Monitor the transportation of supplies SVQ in Supply Chain Management Level 4 (G883 24) Total number of Units available for selection in this qualification is 31. Total number of Units that the candidate needs to achieve for the qualification is 10. Mandatory Units SQA Ref SSC Ref Title DX59 04 Unit M1 Develop operational relationships within the supply chain DX5H 04 Unit M2 Evaluate information on the supply chain DX6Y 04 Unit M3 Propose improvements to the supply chain DX5W 04 Unit M4 Introduce improvements to the supply chain DR75 04 MSC B6 Provide leadership in your area of responsibility Optional Units: any 5 Units from 26 have to be achieved DR7K 04 MSC D3 Recruit, select and keep colleagues DR5T 04 MSC E2 Manage finance for your area of responsibility DR41 04 MSC F9 Build your organisation's understanding of its market and customers DX6M 04 Unit M5 Plan projects to develop the supply chain DX60 04 Unit M6 Manage projects to develop the supply chain DX6E 04 Unit M7 Negotiate for supplies DX54 04 Unit M8 Contract with other organisations DX70 04 Unit M9 Review the outcomes of contracts DX5F 04 Unit M10 Evaluate information on the procurement of supplies in the supply chain DX79 04 Unit M11 Select suppliers for the supply chain DX6X 04 Unit M12 Produce specifications for suppliers DX5K 04 Unit M13 Evaluate the capability of suppliers to meet supply specifications DX71 04 Unit M14 Schedule and approve the placing of orders DX5M 04 Unit M15 Evaluate the performance of suppliers DX72 04 Unit M16 Schedule the flow of supplies in the supply chain DX7D 04 Unit M17 Specify the requirements for the storage of supplies DX75 04 Unit M18 Select locations and facilities for storing supplies DX5E 04 Unit M19 Evaluate information on the storage of supplies DX7C 04 Unit M20 Specify the requirements for the distribution of supplies DX74 04 Unit M21 Select distribution methods for supplies DX7W 04 Unit M22 Schedule the distribution of supplies DX78 04 Unit M23 Select methods to receive returned supplies DX7A 04 Unit M24 Select the transportation methods for supplies DX73 04 Unit M25 Schedule the transportation of supplies DX76 04 Unit M26 Select methods for exporting supplies DX77 04 Unit M27 Select methods for importing supplies 8

12 SVQ in Supply Chain Management Level 5 (G885 25) Total number of Units available for selection in this qualification is 14. Total number of Units that the candidate needs to achieve for the qualification is 8. Mandatory Units SQA Ref SSC Ref Title DX57 04 Unit S1 Develop a supply chain strategy for the organisation DX5A 04 Unit S2 Establish strategic relationships within the supply chain DX5T 04 Unit S3 Improve the performance of the supply chain DR70 04 MSC B7 Provide leadership for your organisation Optional Units: 4 Units in total have to be achieved from the optional Units: either 3 Units from Group 1 and 1 Unit from Group 2; or 2 Units from Group 1 and 2 Units from Group 2. Option Group 1: Choose 2 or 3 Units from this group DX51 04 Unit S4 Commission projects to develop the supply chain DX6R 04 Unit S5 Plan the flow of supplies through the supply chain DX6T 04 Unit S6 Plan the procurement of supplies DX6V 04 Unit S7 Plan the storage of supplies in the supply chain DX6N 04 Unit S8 Plan the distribution of supplies DX6W 04 Unit S9 Plan the transportation of supplies DX6P 04 Unit S10 Plan the export and import of supplies Option Group 2: Choose 1 or 2 Units from this group DR6M 04 MSC D4 Plan the workforce DR5T 04 MSC E2 Manage finance for your area of responsibility DR41 04 MSC F9 Build your organisation's understanding of its market and customers 9

13 An assessment strategy for the SVQ As part of the review of the SVQs, the sector skills council Skills for Logistics oversaw the Polemics project which developed an assessment strategy to define a range of requirements: the occupational expertise of assessors and verifiers a definition of simulation definition of the workplace information on a model of independent assessment or external quality control. A full copy of the assessment strategy is available to download from the SVQ Logistics and Supply Chain page of SQA s website ( Both SQA and centres must comply with these requirements. Why would people be interested in the SVQ? People will take SVQs for a variety of reasons: to gain promotion, to prove their job competence, or for personal development. There will be other reasons too. One of the first things to do is to find out why your candidates want to do the SVQ, and to advise them of the appropriateness of the qualification. If anyone is acting as a coach or mentor to your candidates, they might help you to do this. How do candidates begin? Choosing the SVQ You should make sure that candidates get guidance before starting out on an SVQ they need advice to ensure that their existing job remit, skills, experience, and their plans for progression, are matched to the SVQ selected. It does not have to be you as the assessor who carried out the matching process but whoever has responsibility for this should ensure that the assessment opportunities available to the candidate are also considered. Example Shona worked in a local authority procurement department. Although she had 3 years of working in the department she had no formal training and her experience was wholly from picking up information as she needed it. In order to develop her skills and job opportunities she approached her manager, the Senior Supplies Officer, to discuss her future. An appointment was made for Shona to meet with the Training & Development Officer and this concluded with an agreement that the authority would investigate a suitable course of training. As a result, Shona was offered a place on the authority s SVQ programme. They felt she would benefit from undertaking Supply Chain Management at Level 3 as it allows an entrance level similar to her experience. Shona s knowledge needed to be developed further this and level would give the appropriate development opportunities. 10

14 The T&D manager thought that matching Shona s experience and knowledge would be useful. After this was done, it showed that she had some competence in the following units: T13 Place orders with suppliers (DX6L 04) T8 Administer contracts (DX4V 04) However the remaining units would require some training and knowledge input from the authority. T1 Maintain operational relationships within the supply chain (DX5Y 04) T2 Analyse information on the supply chain (DX4X 04) T3 Apply improvements to the supply chain (DX50 04) T10 Verify the capability of suppliers to meet supply specifications (DX7E 04) T11 Analyse the performance of suppliers (DX4Y 04) T12 Identify potential suppliers for the supply chain (DX5P 04) T14 Monitor and progress the delivery of orders (DX61 04) They discussed this need with a local training provider and met with Shona and carried out a full Training Needs Analysis. They confirmed the initial analysis with the T & D manager and an assessment plan was formed identifying all the units Shona would attempt and the sources of potential evidence mapped with evidence requirements. The assessment tools identified were agreed and these include: Product evidence derived from Shona s work area Observation at the workplace Case Study, again based on the authority s activities. A witness statement from Shona s supervisor A series of personal statements to illustrate activities Shona had undertaken in her development. Written and oral questions would be used to establish Shona s experience and knowledge throughout the qualification. In addition the T & D manager created a development plan for Shona. The development plan was a series of planned opportunities for Shona to gain experience in other departments and wider activities within the department she was working in. This was coordinated with the training provider to provide training prior to the development opportunities in the workplace. 11

15 2 Preparing to assess the SVQ This section offers practical advice on how to begin to go about assessing your candidates for the SVQ. This advice is offered as examples of good practice you may develop your own approaches to assessing your candidates which also work well. Your role and your candidate s role Assessing the SVQ will involve several stages. Both you and the candidate should be clear on your roles in the assessment process before you begin. Your role ensure candidates understand what is to be assessed and how it is to be assessed ensure the conditions and resources required for assessment are available help candidates to identify and gather evidence observe and record candidates carrying out the activities described in the standards records should say what has been observed, how it was carried out, and what it demonstrates assess products of the candidate s own work question candidates and record results help candidates to present evidence authenticate the evidence candidates provide judge evidence and make assessment decisions identify gaps or shortfalls in candidates competence provide feedback to candidates throughout the assessment process record achievement Candidates role prepare for assessment become familiar with the standards, what is to be assessed and how it is to be assessed help to identify sources of evidence and how these could be assessed carry out activities, and/or produce products of own work, and/or answer questions gather and present evidence receive and act on feedback from the assessor 12

16 Planning In planning for assessment, you will find it helpful to meet with your candidate and plan what is to be assessed, in what way, and when and where the assessment is to take place. This discussion can be confirmed in the form of an agreed assessment plan between you and your candidate. You should treat assessment plans as working documents they can be updated and changed as you review progress with your candidate. As you are planning assessment don t forget to make the most of opportunities to integrate assessment. This means planning to assess an activity which draws on the contents of different Units or Elements. It can be a practical and cost-effective way of assessing your candidate s competence. If you are a new assessor working towards your A/V Units (the national standards in assessment and verification) you will need copies of completed assessment plans as part of your evidence. To help you plan for assessment, we have produced an assessment plan which covers Unit T11 Analyse the performance of suppliers (DX4Y 04) Candidate: David Campbell Trainer/Assessor: James Dalrymple David is a storeman in a small engineering company. He has started his course with an induction from the company trainer (who is also his assessor). They have started first with Unit T11- Analyse the performance of suppliers (DX4Y 04). After a discussion with the trainer the following actions were identified and these are the base for the formulation of the assessment plan. (Example is attached). Outcome 1 - Outcome 2 - Outcome 3 - Outcome 4 - Outcome 5 - Outcome 6 - Outcome 7 - Product evidence is available in the workplace (from orders) Product evidence is available in the workplace (from the supplier database and the store records) Training need additional skills and underpinning knowledge needed: provided by the trainer Training needs analytical skills short course in local college Witness testimony and written questions Product evidence as a report to store manager identifying issues with results Personal report to explain how improvements can be made and potential of other sources of supply 13

17 Assessment plan Units: T11 Analyse the performance of suppliers (DX4Y 04) Outcomes Achievement Criteria Method of assessment/sources of evidence 1 Confirm the type of supplies that are required. a, b, c Product evidence Date of assessment 15 April Evidence already available System Documents Links to other Units (PCs and range) Link with T14 2 Obtain information on the performance of suppliers 3 Collate and prepare data for the analysis 4 Analyse data on the performance of suppliers 5 Identify any problems in using the suppliers 6 Provide the results of the analysis to colleagues 7 Recommend options for improving the performance of suppliers d, e f g h,i j, k l, m Product evidence Training need then product evidence Training need then product evidence Witness Testimony & Written Questions Product evidence Personal Report 20 April 2 May 2 May 5 May 10 May 15 May System Documents To created To be created Developed and created To be developed To be created Questioning for knowledge and understanding not apparent from performance to be identified from 2nd review Assessor s signature: James Dalrymple 1st review due: 27 April 2006 Candidate s signature: David Campbell 2nd review due: 4 May 2006 Date of agreement: 12 April 2006 Date of completion: 17 May

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19 Selecting methods of assessment The methods of assessment you use should be valid, reliable and practicable. by valid we mean that the assessment method should be appropriate to the standards by reliable we mean that the assessment method should ensure consistent results when used with different candidates, different assessors and on different occasions by practicable we mean that the method ensures that the assessment makes best use of available resources, equipment and time. Before you assess a candidate, you must make sure that the methods of assessment you have chosen to use, along with any assessment materials (such as questions and sample answers) have been agreed within your centre through its system of internal quality assurance. This system is often called internal verification its purpose is to help to ensure that assessment methods are valid, reliable and practicable. There are both benefits and challenges when you are assessing SVQs in the workplace, or in conditions in the workplace. When you select methods of assessment you should try to offer the candidate the benefits of workplace assessment and minimise any potential difficulties. The benefits might include the following: confidence building familiarity in the work environment access to information & systems candidate led assessment process assessor support experienced assessor guidance local support from colleagues at work The challenges might include the following: access to information available information might not be in an appropriate format out of normal working hours and access development opportunities issues of confidentiality workload constraints conflicts with work and home 16

20 Example Rammi is a forwarding clerk in a logistics company and to complete his Level 3 Supply Chain Management SVQ he has to work outwith normal hours. His trainer provided him with a set of written questions to show how he deals with colleagues who are based in other countries. In addition he will support this with a witness testimony from his team leader to confirm his competence in these aspects of the Unit outcomes. Methods of assessment Assessment may involve a range of assessment methods. For SVQs, some of the most commonly used methods are observation, product evaluation, and questioning. Observation Observation by an assessor is considered to be the most valid and reliable method of assessment. It can be organised in a variety of ways: working alongside the candidate arranging to visit when naturally-occurring activities are carried out by the candidate arranging for activities to take place Observation by the assessor can often be supplemented by other types of assessment methods such as questioning. For example, it may be appropriate to ask oral questions of candidates as they carry out naturally-occurring activities. For consistency the candidate should be observed more than once in the workplace. The observation needs to be planned in advance and coordinated with the candidate (and their employer). The candidate s assessment plan would identify the areas to be observed and a checklist should be agreed with the candidate and the assessor. The observation should be carried out in a non intrusive manner and some guidance should be given by the assessor to reduce any anxiety in the candidate. The assessor should give feedback to the candidate after the observation is completed. This method of assessment has a varied application in most awards. It enables an opportunity to gain competence by practice. It can be used in the following applications: relationships Interaction with the candidate and others eg solving problems meetings People skills eg discussion and agreements activities Carrying out a specific task eg checking a delivery Example A part of Leoni s Level 4 Supply Chain Management SVQ is about relationships in the Supply Chain. As part of Unit M1 Develop operational relationships within the supply 17

21 chain (DX59 04), two observations were arranged to collect evidence of competency in the workplace. The first observation was to observe Leoni s ability to interact with her colleagues in the workplace (Outcome 1, d). The second observation was to evidence her attending a meeting with a supplier to resolve a problem delivery (Outcome 5, k, l). Product evaluation As candidates work towards achieving the SVQ, they will produce evidence in the form of products of their work. The nature of this evidence can vary widely depending on what the candidate s job entails, but examples of product evidence include: Example David is undertaking the final parts of his Level 5 Supply Chain Management SVQ. His current Unit is MSC E2 Manage finance for your area of responsibility (DR5T 04). His company has given him the opportunity to devise a departmental budget. In order to gain his experience level and knowledge he has spent two days in the Accounts department. A part of his product evidence will be: a) Budget projection for the new financial year along with a detailed breakdown of the costs and supporting rationale and calculations. Also to provide a monthly budget for the department. b) Produce a management report to explain the ongoing monitoring of the proposed budget. Also to explain what measures you will take if there are significant variations on the proposed budget during the budget period. This evidence would contribute to Outcomes 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and possibly 12 in this particular Unit. * Please note it is important that the employer s agreement should be sought before any activities such as allowing candidates to work in areas that the candidates are not normally involved in. Questioning Candidates have to show that they can meet the knowledge specifications for the SVQs. For these SVQs, knowledge and understanding is specified for each: T5 Control supplies at storage locations and facilities (DX56 04): K1 Analyse methods and procedures K6 Cost and benefit analysis methods and procedures K14 Information sources on supply chain processes K17 Logistics theories, models and practices K22 Organisational objectives and activities 18

22 K24 Performance measurement and benchmarking theories, models and practices K33 Supply chain management theories, models and practices Much of a candidate s knowledge and understanding will be apparent from what they do or produce as part of their work, but this will not always be the case. Questioning can be a useful way of confirming what candidates know and understand. Questions can be asked in a variety of forms, such as oral questions, short answer written questions, and multiple choice. You should be careful that the method of questioning does not go beyond the competence required for the SVQ and become a barrier to fair assessment. For example, some candidates will feel more comfortable with oral questions than written. Example Joe is employed in the Health Service as a supervisor in a distribution centre. In the course of his Level 3 he has selected Unit T5 Control Supplies at Storage Locations and Facilities (DX56 04) as one of his optional Units. When the assessor and Joe initially discussed the Unit most of the Outcomes were within his operational scope. However, in Outcomes 6(i) and 7(j) he was unsure about how he would secure evidence. The assessor concluded that it would be easier for Joe to provide his evidence in the form of a series of oral or short response questions. The assessor prepared sets of questions and indicative answers to show Joe s competence by successfully answering the questions (matching the answers set by the assessor) and thereby achieving the standards required. Sample Short Response Question If you have a shortage on delivery of goods coming in, who should be informed and why? Answer The inventory planner. He might not have enough stock for customers. Sample Oral Question to candidate What communication method do you use with colleagues to show current location space? Response should include the following: Written form, regular meetings, discussions and two examples of these activities in a recent real situation from the candidate s experience. 19

23 Other methods of assessment These methods, like questioning, are often used for authentication. See section 3 for more about authenticating candidates evidence. Personal statements You might sometimes find it helpful to ask a candidate to give an account of why they carried out an activity in a certain way or how they produced a product of their work. This is often referred to as a personal statement. You should take care to ensure that by asking candidates to produce such statements, you are not asking them to demonstrate competence beyond what is required by the standards. You should also be selective in the use of personal statements, and make sure they have not been produced as a substitute to a more valid, reliable and practical method of assessment. Example Sylvia has just started her Level 4 Supply Chain Management SVQ. After discussion with the assessor on the outset for Unit M7 - Negotiate for supplies (DX6E 04), there were some Achievement Criteria which were identified as competences Sylvia needed to gain experience in. In the assessment plan they agreed the following could be better achieved by personal statements. Outcome 4 conduct negotiations to achieve the objectives of the organisation. 5 adapt negotiation strategies to cope with new circumstances or issues Achievement Criteria (h) negotiations maintain goodwill whenever possible (j) negotiation strategies are sufficiently flexible to deal with new situations The reason for choosing this method of assessment is to highlight the experience of the candidate and their ability to show competence in relation to the occupational standards. Therefore the statement will explain in some detail how they create a climate of goodwill in the negotiations they have recently carried out. The second statement is an example of how the candidate dealt with adapting the negotiation strategy due to a change in circumstances in a negotiation they have recently carried out. Therefore these statements will record the experiences of the candidate in a real environment and show their competence. Witness testimony For practical reasons, you may not be able to observe all the activities carried out by your candidates, but might feel that other people may be able to provide a statement on what your candidates have been doing or producing as part of their work. Statements of this kind are called witness testimony, and are often used to support other evidence produced by candidates. If witness testimony is used you should, ideally, identify witnesses and opportunities for using their testimony as part of assessment planning. 20

24 You should bear in mind that the weight of the evidence will vary depending on the knowledge and expertise of the person providing the witness testimony. You will have to take these factors into account as you make your judgement. Strongest Someone with considerable occupational expertise in the candidate s area of work and who is familiar with the standards. This person may also be an assessor or internal verifier qualified with the A/V Units. Someone with considerable occupational expertise in the candidate s area of work and who is familiar with the standards. Someone with considerable occupational expertise in the candidate s area of work but with no knowledge of the standards. Someone who may be a colleague of the candidate but with no knowledge of the standards. Weakest Someone with little or no knowledge of the candidate s work or no knowledge of the standards. Witness testimony is unlikely to be sufficient in itself for a decision about the candidate s competence, and would normally be supplemented by questioning candidates. Example Charlene started her level 5 Supply Chain Management SVQ a few months ago. When discussing with the assessor the assessment plan for the Unit S4 Commission projects to develop the Supply Chain (DX51 04), Outcome 9, presenting reports on results and outcomes of the project (n) presentations are clear and persuasive, it was agreed the best way to demonstrate this was to use a witness testimony of a manager at the presentation to see if they found the presentation clear and persuasive. A pro forma was used which had the following details: Qualification and level (Supply Chain Management Level 5) Candidate s name (Charlene) Location and date (Charlene s presentation site) Witness statement (Charlene s selected manager) Relationships to candidate (A fellow manager of Charlene s) The Outcome and Achievement Criteria (Outcome 9 Achievement Criteria [1a]) ** Details of the activities of witness (A statement of Charlene s presentation) Evidence index no **Note: This may include other evidence relating to other outcomes and achievement criteria. 21

25 In addition there is confirmation of an understanding of the national occupational standards and that the candidate has performed these activities as a normal activity. They also agreed to supplement this witness testimony with a personal statement by Charlene to explain how she felt about her experience in presenting. Simulation Simulation is any structured assessment exercise involving a specific task which reproduces real-life situations. On some occasions, it may not be practical to assess a candidate in real work. Examples might be where the standards require candidates to carry out emergency or contingency procedures, or where client confidentiality is an issue, or where a candidate s job role does not cover all aspects of the qualification. There are strictly defined conditions relating to the use of simulations in these standards. Before using simulation as a method of assessment, please refer to the Assessment Strategy for an explanation of how and when it may be permitted in this award. See Section 6. Confidentiality and Security The Supply Chain Management SVQs do involve evidence which may contain commercial and confidential details eg pricing information. It is essential that the candidate and their organisation know when any documents are viewed and by whom. Also the assessor, internal verifier and the external verifier should have no commercial interest in the evidence provided. The assessor should discuss with the candidate any commercially sensitive material they have which will be assessed externally, eg off site. If it is essential evidence, some sanitising of eg company names and prices might be possible whilst maintaining the soundness of the evidence. When in the care of the assessor it is essential that the candidate s material is accessed only by a limited number of people (IV & EV) and remains secure at all times. It will be the centre s responsibility to control access and safe keeping of all assessment materials in their care until they are returned to the candidate. Other sources of evidence Other sources of evidence can be previous experience or learning, case studies or assignments. 22

26 Professional Discussion The Assessor can use this method only if they have been trained in the technique, and the subject and candidate are appropriate to the Unit. It may only be suitable in Levels 4 & 5 as its subjects are more suitable for this method. If in doubt contact SQA or your External Verifier. E-Assessment The use of e-assessment may be appropriate for this suite of SVQs. The centre should ensure they are using the current national occupational standards. The same qualifications and experience for Assessors/ Internal Verifiers still apply. Many of the documents needed in this guide can still be used, eg the Assessment plan, but some could be available online, eg Achievement Record. It is the responsibility of the centre and the assessor to ensure they have appropriate material online and full tracking of the candidate s achievements is possible. SQA s Guides to Assessment and Quality Assurance (see Section 5) have more advice on methods of assessment and how to ensure that your assessment is valid, reliable and practicable. 23

27 3 Generating evidence The methods of assessment you use should generate sufficient evidence to demonstrate the candidate s competence. The circumstances in which you might choose to use different methods of assessment were described earlier. This section gives you examples of forms which you can use to record and present evidence of: observation (by the assessor) questions and candidate responses personal statement (produced by the candidate) witness testimony There are blank forms which you can copy and use for assessment purposes in Section 7. 24

28 Observation For observation, note that the form asks you to record the skills and activities observed. This helps you to make a judgement on how the activity was carried out and what it demonstrates. 25

29 Observation record Unit/Element(s): M7 Negotiate for supplies (DX6E 04) - Outcome 4 Conduct negotiations to achieve the objectives of the organisation Candidate: C Barlow Date of observation: Evidence index number: 121 Skills/activities observed: I observed a negotiation between the candidate, C Barlow, and the Sales Manager from Express Printing. The negotiation was to settle on the quote for a proposed brochure. The negotiations were carried out in a cordial manner and followed the prepared plans. These were in line with the organisation s strategy and procedures. The result was an agreement between the parties. A record of the results was produced and circulated to both parties. Achievement Criteria covered: g, h Knowledge and understanding apparent from this observation: K19 Negotiation strategies, methods and procedures Other Units/Elements to which this evidence may contribute: This will partially cover Outcome 7 Assessor s comments and feedback to candidate: The candidate formed a good relationship with the supplier and followed the negotiation plan (this was discussed before the observation). The candidate sought the approval of the supplier for the observation and both parties expressed thanks to the supplier for this courtesy. I can confirm the candidate s performance was satisfactory. Assessor s signature: James Dalrymple Date: Candidate s signature: C Barlow Date:

30 Questions and candidate responses This form can be used to record any questions you might ask the candidate to establish what they know and understand. You should note the candidate s responses on this form too. Note that there is a space near the top of the form for you to record when, where, how and why you asked the questions. If you choose to give the candidate written questions, this form could also be used. 27

31 Record of questions and candidate s answers Unit: S6 Plan the procurement of supplies (DX6T 04) Evidence index number: 097 Circumstances of assessment: Outcome(s): 4 Review the benefits and risks to the procurement of supplies through the supply chain These questions are part of the evidence for this outcome; the additional parts include a report of the risks and benefits, a SWOT and PESTEL analysis and a global review. List of questions and candidate s responses: Q: How are risks analysed in terms of commercial risks and where they occur? A: The salient points of the answer will include the following topics: Commercial risks: New suppliers, contracts, global suppliers, single sourcing, vetting processes. They can occur on an ongoing basis but usually during times of change eg changing to a new supplier or prior to this during the vetting process. Q: How can you measure the risks? A: Risk needs two stages: 1 Establish the risk 2 Measure the risk To establish the risk is to look at the possibility of any risk to the procurement of supplies from all sides. For example the impact of a single, strategically important supplier/source ceasing trading overnight. From there examine the likelihood of this happening and rate that likelihood in a risk assessment This assessment would form a profile of the supplier and form the basis of comparing alternative suppliers. When successfully concluded this should show the candidate s knowledge and understanding of the following: K11 K24 K27 Financial analysis methods & procedures Performance measurement and benchmarking theories, models and practices Procurement theories, models and practices Assessor s signature: James Dalrymple Date: Candidate s signature: C Barlow Date:

32 Candidate s personal statement If a personal statement is being used as evidence, it should be completed by the candidate. The statement should record what they did, how and why they chose to carry out an activity or produce work in a certain way. Where other people may have been present during an activity and they may be able to provide witness testimony, the candidate should record how the statement links to other evidence in the column provided. 29

33 Personal statement Date Evidence index number Details of statement 14/03/ I have carried out the negotiations for the new brochure with the printer. The results are an improved price and a reduction on the current lead time. The expected benefit is a saving of 15,500 on the current expenditure. However they are in the process of acquiring new digital printing equipment in the next year therefore they will be looking for more capacity when it comes on stream. Links to other evidence (enter numbers) Unit, Elements, ACs covered 121 M7 Negotiate for supplies (DX6E 04) Outcome 7 Provide information on the results of the negotiations Achievement Criteria M Information is provided to all relevant colleagues My report of the negotiations was passed to my manager and some of my colleagues. The experience of preparing and following through to the negotiations was a good, positive and enjoyable process. The supplier did agree to allow the assessor to be present during the observation. (Thanks were recorded to the supplier and assessor). Signed (candidate): C Barlow Date: 14/03/07 30

34 Witness testimony When you use witness testimony it must be capable of being authenticated even if the testimony itself is being used to authenticate a candidate's claim to competence. To ensure the witness testimony is genuine, you must have a record of who is acting as a witness, their relationship to the candidate (eg supervisor, client) address, telephone number and the date. There are spaces for this information in the form. 31

35 Witness testimony SVQ title and level: SVQ Supply Chain Management level 3 Candidate s name: Evidence index no: 122 Index no of other evidence which this testimony relates to (if any): Unit Outcome & Achievement Criteria: Date of evidence & location: Name of witness: Designation/relationship to candidate: Details of testimony: Sandra Wilson Related 22, 76, 91 T8 Administer Contracts (DX4V 04) Outcome 6 AC j Confidentiality of information is maintained Stirling Depot William Starky Contracts Manager I can confirm Sandra Wilson has administrated the contracts in her control in an efficient and effective manner. She followed the departmental guidelines at all times and treated all information with full confidentiality. In addition she met the Freedom of Information Act requirements for disclosure and guidelines pertaining to information sharing with interested parties. I can confirm the candidate s evidence is authentic and accurate. Signed by witness: William Starky Date: 13 /09/2006 Witness (please tick the appropriate box): Holds A/V Award Is familiar with the SVQ standards to which the candidate is working 32