STUDENT

ASSESSMENT
TASKS

BSBSTR601
MANAGE INNOVATION
AND CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT
 Contents

Introduction 4
Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions 5
Assessment Task 1: Checklist 8
Assessment Task 2: Project Portfolio 9
Assessment Task 2: Checklist 18
Final results record 24
 Introduction

The assessment tasks for BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement are
outlined in the assessment plan below. These tasks have been designed to help you demonstrate
the skills and knowledge that you have learnt during your course.
GBC has contextualised all learning and Assessment materials for this Unit to suits its learners’
needs. GBC academic team have ensured the assessments and learning materials for this Unit
suits the language and difficulty level for its student cohorts, enrolled in this Course. For
Reasonable adjustment of each Tasks, please consult with your Trainer/Assessor
Please ensure that you read the instructions provided with these tasks carefully. You should also
follow the advice provided in the Business Works Student User Guide. The Student User Guide
provides important information for you relating to completing assessment successfully.

Assessment for this unit

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement describes the skills and knowledge
required to sustain and develop an environment in which continuous improvement, innovation and
learning are promoted and rewarded.
For you to be assessed as competent, you must successfully complete two assessment tasks:

 Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions – You must answer all questions correctly.

 Assessment Task 2: Project – You must work through a range of activities and complete a
project portfolio.

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 |4
 Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions

Information for students

Knowledge questions are designed to help you demonstrate the knowledge which you have
acquired during the learning phase of this unit. Ensure that you:

 review the advice to students regarding answering knowledge questions in the Business
Works Student User Guide

 comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide

 adhere with GBC’s submission guidelines

 answer all questions completely and correctly

 submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced

 submit a completed cover sheet with your work

 avoid sharing your answers with other students.

i
Assessment information
Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in Appendix
A of the Business Works Student User Guide. Refer to the appendix for information on:

 where this task should be completed

 the maximum time allowed for completing this assessment task

 whether or not this task is open-book.

Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A
template is provided in GBC’s eLearning platform.

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 |5
Questions
Provide answers to all of the questions below:

1. Outline two methods for conducting cost-benefit analysis.

2. List three ways that knowledge management systems can be established in an organisation.

3. Complete the table to identify and explain three types of continuous improvement
systems/processes that can be used in an organisation. The first row has been completed as
an example for you to follow.

System or Process Explanation

Continuous improvement This sets out actions to be taken into the future.
plan

4. Complete the following table regarding creativity and innovation theories and concepts.

List one creativity and Summarise the theory, including key concepts
one innovation theory

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 |6
5. Discuss (in one or two paragraphs) three principles that are relevant to organisation learning.
In your answer, identify the principles and explain what each one means as an organisational
learning principle.

6. Complete the following table regarding quality management and continuous improvement
theories.

List one quality Summarise the theory, including key concepts

management and one
continuous improvement
theory

7. Discuss three concepts associated with risk management. As part of your answer, provide an
example of how each concept may relate to organisational learning.

8. Explain how to conduct a gap analysis of an organisational system.

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 |7
Assessment Task 1: Checklist
Student’s name & ID:

Did the student provide a Completed

sufficient and clear answer successfully? Comments
that addresses the
suggested answer for the Yes No
following?

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory

Assessor signature:

Assessor name:

Date:

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 |8
 Assessment Task 2: Project Portfolio

Information for students

In this task, you are required to demonstrate your skills and knowledge by working through a
number of activities and completing and submitting a project portfolio.
You will need access to:

 a suitable place to complete activities that replicates a business environment including a

meeting space and computer and internet access

 your learning resources and other information for reference

 BSBSTR601 Simulation Pack or access to relevant team members, information and workplace
documentation and resources at your organisation

 Project Portfolio template.

Ensure that you:

 review the advice to students regarding responding to written tasks in the Business Works
Student User Guide

 comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide

 adhere with GBC’s submission guidelines

 answer all questions completely and correctly

 submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced

 submit a completed cover sheet with your work

 avoid sharing your answers with other students.

Assessment information
i
Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in Appendix
A of the Business Works Student User Guide. Refer to the appendix for information on:

 where this task should be completed

 how your assessment should be submitted.

Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A
template is provided in GBC’s eLearning paltform.

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 |9
Activities
Complete the following activities:

1. Carefully read the following:

This project requires you to complete a range of activities relevant to managing

continuous improvement and innovation for one organisation as a whole or one
work area within an organisation (e.g., a department of a company).
To do this, you will assume a managerial role and communicate with team
members and other stakeholders to improve the work environment for the
organisation or work area.

Vocational education and training is all about gaining and developing practical skills
that are industry relevant and that can help you to succeed in your chosen career.
For this reason, we are giving you the choice to base this project on your own
business, one you work in or a familiar with, or you can use the case study
provided. This will mean that you are applying your knowledge and skills in a
relevant, practical and meaningful way to your own situation!

If you are using the case study business, all relevant information for you to
complete this assessment can be found in the Simulation Pack.
If you are basing this assessment on your own choice of business or work area,
make sure you have access to all required information (read through the
requirements in the green boxes below for further information). Speak to your
assessor to get approval if you want to base this on your own business.
You will be collecting evidence for this unit in a Project Portfolio. The steps you
need to take are outlined below. Before you begin, complete page 4 of your Project
Portfolio.

Start working on Section 1 of your Project Portfolio. Steps 2 to 4 form part of Section 1.
If you are basing this assessment on your own business, you need access to at least two
written documents that provide information about your organisation or work area’s:

 processes and systems (including supply chain)

 plans

 continuous improvement systems, processes, and innovations

 performance (including mathematical information).

You also access to policies and procedures that outline processes for approvals, project
management, change management and knowledge management.
Examples of such documents include:

 Strategic Plan

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 10
  Operational Plan

 Project documentation (such as the Schedule, Project Briefing and Status Reports)

 Continuous improvement Policies and Procedures

 Project Management Policy and Procedures

 Change Management Policy and Procedures

 Communication Policy and Procedures

 Performance Reports.

Examples of mathematical information include:

 budgets (forecast and actual)

 number of customer complaints

 amount of rework required.

2. Review organisational documentation.

Read at least two written documents that provide information about the business,
its operations/processes, plans and continuous improvement systems, processes,
and innovations.
Also read at least one policy and procedures that outlines the organisation’s
processes for approvals, project management, change management and
knowledge management.

Make notes (for example using comments, highlighting or other review tools) on the
i
documents as you read them to help you interpret the information.
If you are basing this assessment on the case study, read the following documents:

 Case study details

 Strategic and Operational plans

 Organisational structure

 Internal and External Communication Policies and Procedures.

Summarise the information you’ve collected. Your summary should address:

 key objectives

 key decision makers

 key operational processes

 supply chain details

 strategies to monitor and evaluate performance and sustainability of key

systems and processes

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 11
  current continuous improvement systems, processes, and innovations in place

 requirements for approvals, change management, project management and

knowledge management.

3. Summarise and analyse current performance for the organisation or work area to identify
required changes or improvement opportunities.

Collect information about your business’ performance. Do this by reading available

performance reports (that include mathematical information).

If you are using the case study, review the 2021. Performance Overview in the
i
Simulation Pack.

Based on the information you’ve collected, summarise and analyse the current
performance of your chosen organisation or work area to identify changes or
improvement opportunities. To do this first:

 summarise current performance (including mathematical information) and

identify variances from existing plans

 identify and analyse trends and opportunities relevant to the organisation or

work area

 analyse supply chains and the operational and service systems using Gap
analysis and determine the cost-benefits of the changes, improvements, or
new ideas.

As you analyse the way things are currently done, remember that this is just one
i
way of doing things and improvement or changes are possible.
In your gap analysis, identify areas needing improvement or changes and suggest
new ideas that may be trialled and tested to meet the need or opportunity.

After your analysis, set objectives for continuous improvement and the way things
work.

4. Identify team members and seek their input.

Identify team members who can assist with continuous improvement and
innovation in the workplace.
Describe best practice ways of working that teams can use to achieve continuous
improvement and to be innovative.
Also identify learning opportunities for the team to improve their skills and
knowledge in relation to continuous improvement and innovation.

Draft an email to these team members seeking their input for continuous
improvement in the organisation or work area. In your email:

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 12
  promote the value of creativity, innovation, and sustainability

 communicate the objectives for improving the way things work, expectations
and desired outcomes

 summarise the changes, improvements, and new ideas you’ve already

identified including the cost-benefit of the new ideas.

 seek their advice to identify further opportunities for improvement and to select
three changes/improvements/new ideas to focus on.

The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an

i
appropriate (polite, business-like) style.
If you are using the case study, your assessor will respond to your email in the role
of a team member when they mark Section 1 of your Project Portfolio.
If you are using their own business, the actual team members may provide the
advice, or you may ask your assessor to play the role of the team members and
provide feedback instead.

Make sure you have answered all questions in Section 1.

You are required to attach certain documents as part of your evidence – review the
documents you need to attach as outlined in Section 1 of the Project Portfolio.
Submit Section 1 to your assessor.

Start working on Section 2 of your Project Portfolio. Steps 5 to 8 form part of Section 2.
If you are using your own business, you need access to team members willing to participate
in mentoring and coaching. These people must agree to their participation being viewed by
your assessor.

5. Plan for continuous improvement.

Select three changes, opportunities, or new ideas to focus on as part of your

continuous improvement efforts. Justify your choice, considering the need,
resources available, and constraints.
Develop a Continuous Improvement Plan. Your plan must include:

 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with the continuous

improvement objectives

 continuous improvement systems and processes

 key actions, resources, constraints, and timeframes to achieve continuous

improvement and innovation as you implement your chosen
changes/opportunities/new ideas

 impact the changes/opportunities/new ideas will have on the organisation, the

consequences for people and the related transition plans

 risk management to determine risks, outcomes, risk responses and

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 13
 contingencies for the Continuous Improvement Plan (including non-
performance of staff members)

 communication plans to manage changes associated with continuous

improvement efforts

 rewards for staff who have succeeded in their continuous improvement efforts

 the knowledge management system to be used to capture continuous

improvement plans and learnings.

Use the work you’ve done in Section 1 of the Project Portfolio as well as the input
i
provided by your assessor (in the role of a team member) to select and plan for
continuous improvement.
Use the template provided in the Project Portfolio.
Your communication plans should adhere to any project management and change
management requirements of your organisation. Remember to consider the
audience when determining what to communicate, how to communicate, when to
communicate and why the communication is necessary.

6. Coach and mentor team in continuous improvement and innovation.

Prepare to coach and mentor the continuous improvement team members

(identified in step 4). To do this:

 Read through the steps below and make notes to use at the meeting.

 Explain how you will facilitate effective group interaction and build rapport with
the team members to ensure positive working relationships.

 Set questions to ask team members about their vision for continuous
improvement to guide your mentoring (e.g., how can you contribute to the
continuous improvement team, what benefits do you want to obtain from being
part of this team? etc).

 Prepare to coach team on how to be innovative (e.g., select a creative thinking

tool such as opposite thinking that you will introduce them to and
demonstrate).

 Create a questionnaire that you will use to seek feedback from team members
on how you ran the meeting.

Keep in mind that coaching focuses on the present immediate situation whereas
i
mentoring focus on the future.

Meet with at least two team members (identified in Section 1 of your Project
Portfolio). At your meeting:

 Thank the team members for their contribution to further identify improvement
opportunities and agree with their input (your assessor provided this input in
the role of the team members when marking Section 1 of your Project

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 14
 Portfolio).

 Collaborate to create a list of why creativity and innovation are vital for your
organisation (or work area) to achieve its outcomes.

 Share the best practices (you identified in step 4) on continuous improvement

and innovation with the team.

 Mentor the team members on how they could in the future work to contribute
towards continuous improvement.

 Coach team members on how they can be innovative (e.g., by demonstrating

how to use a creative thinking technique such as opposite thinking).

 Briefly discuss your Continuous Improvement Plan and confirm with the team
members that objectives, timeframes, measures, and communication plans
are in place so that the plan can be implemented.

 Seek feedback (using the questionnaire you created) from each team member
on your own performance at the meeting.

As you conduct the meeting, make sure you facilitate effective group interaction
i
and build rapport to establish positive working relationships
This meeting may take place with actual people who work for/are associated with
your chosen business. Alternatively, classmates or your assessor may play the role
of the team members. This can either be viewed in person or online by your
assessor or you may like to video record the session for your assessor to watch
later. Your assessor can provide you with more details at this step. Make sure you
follow the instructions above and take no longer than 20 minutes. If this session is
not viewed in person by your assessor, you will attach proof of the meeting to
Section 2 of your Project Portfolio.

7. Implement changes or improvements.

Choose one change/opportunity/new idea (described in your Continuous

Improvement Plan) and implement it.

Examples of implemented changes or improvements could be:

i
 Develop a flowchart to show a new, more efficient process and place it in a
convenient location (e.g., flow chart showing how to decide whether to print a
document should be placed at the printer).

 Place a compost bin in the staff kitchen to improve sustainability.

 Download the software for a new information management system and set up
the folder structure.
If you are using the case study, you are required to notify sales staff of the new
cloud-based product and schedule their training in its use. This should be done by
creating a bulletin notice for the staff bulletin and creating a calendar invite for staff
to attend training.

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 15
BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 16
8. Address impact of change.

Choose one transition plan (described in your Continuous Improvement Plan) that
addresses the impact of the change or improvement and implement it.

Examples of implemented actions or transition plans include:

i
 create a social media post to communicate the change to customers

 send an email to staff notifying them of the change

 create and distribute a fact sheet about the changes or improvements.

If you are using the case study, you are required to create a social media post
advertising the new product to existing and new customers.

Make sure you have answered all questions in Section 2.

You are required to attach certain documents as part of your evidence – review the
documents you need to attach as outlined in Section 2 of the Project Portfolio.
Submit Section 2 to your assessor.

Start working on Section 3 of your Project Portfolio. Steps 9 and 10 form part of Section 3.
Assume that your Continuous Improvement Plan has been approved and a period has
passed. Your assessor will have provided you with simulated performance outcomes
relevant to your unique Continuous Improvement Plan to use to complete the next steps.

9. Monitor and evaluate continuous improvement and innovation.

Provide an evaluation of how well you believe continuous improvement systems

are working.

i Base your evaluation on the Staff Survey comments (in the Simulation Pack).

Recognise successes by drafting an email to the project team congratulating them

on their successes.

i The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an

appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

Describe at least one non-performance failure and analyse the causes. Implement
your contingency plan for non-performance (as described in your Continuous
Improvement Plan).

If you are using the case study, you are required to develop a fact sheet that can be
i
used as training to help the relevant staff members perform as required. The
contents of your fact sheet will depend on the unique non-performance details
supplied by your assessor. For example, if the non-performance is related to using

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 17
 automated systems, the fact sheet could explain the benefits of process
automation.

Identify and manage new challenges and opportunities by updating your

Continuous Improvement Plan. As you update the plan, confirm that learning from
activities are captured and managed using the relevant knowledge management
systems.

10. Submit your completed Project Portfolio.

Make sure you have completed all sections of your Project Portfolio, answered all
questions, provided enough detail as indicated and proofread for spelling and
grammar as necessary.
Submit to your assessor for marking.

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 18
Assessment Task 2: Checklist
Student’s name & ID:

Completed
successfully? Comments

Did the student: Yes No

Review and summarise:

 two written organisational

documents that provide information
about the business, its
operations/processes, plans and
continuous improvement systems,
processes, and innovations

 at least one policy and procedures

that outlines the organisation’s
processes for approvals, project
management, change management
and knowledge management?
Summary includes:

 key objectives

 key decision makers

 key operational processes

 supply chain details

 strategies to monitor and evaluate

performance and sustainability of
key systems and processes

 current continuous improvement

systems, processes, and
innovations in place

 requirements for approvals, change

management, project management
and knowledge management?

Summarise and analyse the current

performance of the organisation or work
area to identify changes or improvement
opportunities, including:

 summarising current performance

(including mathematical
information) and identifying

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 19
 variances from existing plans

 identifying and analysing trends and

opportunities relevant to the
organisation or work area

 analysing supply chains and the

operational and service systems
using Gap analysis and determining
cost-benefits of options?

Identify team members:

 Identifying team members who can

assist with continuous improvement
and innovation in the workplace

 Describe best practice ways of

working that teams can use to
achieve continuous improvement
and to be innovative

 Identifying learning opportunities for

the team to improve their skills and
knowledge in relation to continuous
improvement and innovation?

Seek team member input by drafting an

email to team members seeking their
input for continuous improvement in the
organisation or work area. The email:

 promotes the value of creativity,

innovation, and sustainability

 communicates the objectives for

improving the way things work,
expectations and desired outcomes

 summarises the changes,

improvements, and new ideas
already identified including the cost-
benefit of the new ideas

 seeks advice to identify further

opportunities for improvement and
to select three
changes/improvements/new ideas
to focus on?

Plan for continuous improvement,

including:

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 20
 selecting three changes,
opportunities or new ideas to focus
on as part of the continuous
improvement efforts and justifying
their choice (considering the need,
resources available, and
constraints)

 developing a Continuous
Improvement Plan that include:
o Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs) associated with the
continuous improvement
objectives
o continuous improvement
systems and processes
o key actions, resources,
constraints, and timeframes to
achieve continuous
improvement and innovation
o impact the
changes/opportunities/new
ideas will have on the
organisation, the
consequences for people and
the related transition plans
o risk management to determine
risks, outcomes, risk
responses and contingencies
(including non-performance of
staff members)
o communication plans to
manage changes associated
with continuous improvement
efforts
o rewards for staff who have
succeeded in their continuous
improvement efforts
o the knowledge management
system to be used to capture
continuous improvement plans
and learnings?

Coach and mentor team in continuous

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 21
improvement and innovation, including:

 preparing to meet with team by:

o explaining how they will

facilitate effective group
interaction and build rapport
with the team members to
ensure positive working
relationships

o setting questions to ask to

guide mentoring and preparing
to coach team members
o creating a questionnaire to
seek feedback from team
members on how you ran the
meeting

 meeting with at least two team

members to:
o facilitate effective group
interaction and build rapport to
establish positive working
relationships
o thank the team members for
their contribution to further
identify improvement
opportunities and agree with
their input
o collaborate to create a list of
why creativity and innovation
are vital for the organisation (or
work area) to achieve its
outcomes
o share the best practices on
continuous improvement and
innovation
o mentor the team members on
how they could in the future
work to contribute towards
continuous improvement
o coach team members on how
they can be innovative

o briefly discuss your Continuous

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 22
 Improvement Plan and confirm
with the team members that
objectives, timeframes,
measures, and communication
plans are in place so that the
plan can be implemented
o seek feedback (using the
questionnaire you created)
from each team member on
your own performance at the
meeting?

Choose one change/opportunity/new

idea and implement it?

Choose one transition plan that

addresses the impact of a change or
improvement and implement it?

Monitor and evaluate continuous

improvement and innovation by:

 evaluating how well continuous

improvement systems are working

 recognising successes by drafting

an email to the project team
congratulating them on their
successes

 describing at least one non-

performance failure and analysing
the causes

 implementing a contingency plan for

non-performance

 identifying and managing new

challenges and opportunities by
updating the Continuous
Improvement Plan

 confirming that learning from

activities is captured and managed
using the relevant knowledge
management systems?

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 23
Task outcome:  Satisfactory  Not satisfactory

Assessor signature:

Assessor name:

Date:

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 24
 Final results record

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessor name:

Date:

Final assessment results

Result

Task Type Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Did not submit

Assessment Task 1 Knowledge questions S U DNS

Assessment Task 2 Project Portfolio S U DNS

Overall unit results C NYC

Feedback

 My performance in this unit has been discussed and explained to me.

 I would like to appeal this assessment decision.

Student signature: _________________________________________ Date: _________________

 I hereby certify that this student has been assessed by me and that the assessment has been
carried out according to the required assessment procedures.

Assessor signature: _______________________________________ Date: _________________

BSBSTR601 Manage innovation and continuous improvement Student Assessment Tasks v1 2021 | 25