4973 version 4
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Design, test, and release software telecommunications products and
systems
Level
6
Credits
10
Purpose
This unit standard is for people who currently are, or will be, designing
software telecommunications products and systems for internal and external
customers.
People assessed as competent in this unit standard are able to design
software telecommunication products and systems; test their viability; and
release these products to their customers.
Subfield
Telecommunications
Domain
Telecommunications - Provide Goods and Services
Status
Registered
Status date
28 July 1995
Date version published
25 January 2008
Planned review date
31 December 2012
Entry information
New Zealand Certificate in Engineering, Bachelor of
Engineering or five years relevant workplace experience.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry
and teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
Standard setting body (SSB)
ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0003
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
General Range
Software products and systems: software required to drive relevant telecommunications
equipment, partitions, switches, networks.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
4973 version 4
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Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Design software telecommunications products and systems.
Performance criteria
1.1
Software telecommunications product development plan is produced and is
agreed with relevant parties.
Range
1.2
development plans – organisational structure for design, personnel
involved, responsibilities, roles, identification of concurrent
organisational practices, timeframe for deliverables;
relevant parties – customer, management, design team,
marketing, finance.
Marketing and design specifications defining software telecommunications
product requirements are accurate, complete, and practical.
Range
product requirements – colour, selling price, product composition,
features, benefits.
1.3
Design analysis is completed and includes rationalisation of components,
production methods, shipping route, packaging requirements, qualification
constraints, serviceability, maintenance, disposal after use, environmental
factors, recycling, and hazard analysis.
1.4
Preliminary design is produced by the agreed time and includes high level
interface, functionality of each module, and hardware and software partition.
Range
preliminary design includes test procedures and methods, test
equipment, test cases, test specifications.
1.5
Preliminary design is signed off by customer and peers for practicality of design,
appearance, functionality, costs, and future enhancements.
1.6
Prototypes of software telecommunications equipment and systems are
developed and include algorithms, language dependency, environment, data
structures, interfaces, draft operator's manual, and test plan, and are available
by the agreed time.
1.7
Milestone reviews are completed at pre-determined intervals with relevant
interested parties, and action is taken to ensure compliance with development
plan.
Range
1.8
milestone reviews – peer, manager, customer, third party audit,
type approval specification;
interested parties – marketing, management, customer, finance,
engineering.
Detailed design is reviewed and agreed with coders, testers, and designers.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
4973 version 4
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1.9
Coding and testing of data files are traceable.
1.10
Documentation relating to design of software telecommunications products and
systems is in the agreed format and place, by the agreed time, and is available
to authorised personnel.
Range
documentation – user manuals, development reports, progress
reports;
authorised personnel – management, design team, customers.
Element 2
Test and qualify design of software telecommunications products and systems.
Performance criteria
2.1
Qualification test plan is reviewed and is accurate and complete.
2.2
Equipment, facilities, and environment required for qualification are available
and fit for purpose.
Range
equipment – test, prototypes, hardware, software.
2.3
Test environment simulates realistic working environment and is cost-effective.
2.4
Field testing of software products and systems is completed at the agreed
venue, by the agreed time, and complies with test plan.
2.5
Test reports are documented in the agreed format, identify tests undertaken and
further required tests, are accurate and complete, and are disseminated to
relevant interested parties promptly
Range
interested parties – marketing, management, finance, engineering.
2.6
Test equipment, facilities, and environment are restored to original condition or
disposed of in the correct manner after use.
2.7
Testing of software telecommunications products and systems complies with
environmental and safety standards.
2.8
Test results confirm draft design of software telecommunications products and
systems.
Element 3
Release software telecommunications products and systems.
Performance criteria
3.1
Testing sign offs are sighted and are accurate and complete.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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3.2
Test reports for software telecommunications products and systems are
approved by authorised personnel.
Range
authorised personnel – management, designers, customers.
3.3
Acceptance report of software telecommunications products or systems is
signed by the customer, and payment for qualification testing is made or agreed
prior to release to customer.
3.4
Software telecommunications products or systems operator manual is complete,
includes installation procedures, fallback procedures, and itemised changes
from draft, and is agreed by users to be functional and accurate.
3.5
Software telecommunications products and systems are released in compliance
with organisational policies and procedures and development plan.
3.6
Released software telecommunications products and systems are certified by
relevant approval bodies and comply with external regulations and legislation.
Range
3.7
approval bodies – Federal Communication Committee, Marine
Department, international agencies;
external regulations – legal requirements, statute, registrations.
Release of software telecommunications products or systems is documented in
the agreed format and is filed in the correct place.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
reviewcomments@etito.co.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016