Practice Guide - Continuous improvement

Key concepts

The following key concepts are covered in this practice guide on this page:

Standard 4.4

Monitoring for outcomes
Feedback and data
Continuous improvement reviews

Download a PDF copy: Practice Guide - Continuous Improvement.pdf (218.66 KB)

Achieving these Standards in practice

The following lists examples of activities that may demonstrate compliance with this Standard, as well as risks to mitigate or control. These examples are not a complete list of every activity or risk, nor do all the activities listed need to be completed to achieve compliance. Rather, they are a guide and should be considered within the context, size, scale and student cohorts of your RTO’s operations.

To help determine whether you have achieved this Standard refer to the self-assurance questions below.

Standard 4.4: An NVR registered training organisation undertakes systematic monitoring and evaluation of the organisation to support quality delivery and the continuous improvement of services.

Performance Indicators

An NVR registered training organisation demonstrates:

it has a system for monitoring and evaluating its performance with the requirements set out in this instrument and any other instrument made under section 185 of the Act, as in force at time to time;
how outcomes derived from monitoring and evaluating its performance are used to inform continuous improvement; and
it has mechanisms in place to lawfully collect and analyse data including any feedback received from VET students, staff, industry, VET regulators, State and Territory training authorities and employers of current or former VET students.

Example activities and other considerations for compliance

You can demonstrate your approach to maintaining knowledge of the relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, including the Outcome Standards and Compliance Requirements, and how you share changes with staff across your operations.
You have evidence of regular evaluation of each of your RTO’s operational functions.
You can demonstrate your compliance calendar or assurance program for monitoring and self-assuring your operations against obligations.
You have documented systems and tools to collect, analyse and record outcomes of your continuous improvement activities – for example:
- identifying trends from complaints and feedback
- analysing student completion data to identify any emerging issues or patterns of concern
- ensuring that your continuous improvement response takes account of sector risks as well as operational risks.
You can demonstrate how you regularly review services delivered by third parties to ensure they are continuously improving their practices and meeting the requirements outlined in the third party agreement.
You can demonstrate that you proactively disclose self-identified compliance issues to ASQA, and how you are rectifying the non-compliance.
You can demonstrate that you act to address emerging issues and implement opportunities for improvement in a reasonable timeframe (proportionate to risk to students and the sector).
You can show how you incorporate validation outcomes into the continuous improvement system to ensure that issues identified are addressed effectively.
You can show how you conduct post-implementation monitoring of practice changes as part of an ongoing cycle.

Known risks to quality outcomes

Not understanding legislative and regulatory obligations and requirements and how they apply to your operations.
Failing to have systematised approaches to self-assurance and monitoring, or only implementing improvements when notified of an upcoming regulatory activity.
Not documenting and/or actioning areas for improvement identified from self-assurance, monitoring and analysis.
Failing to identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across your entire scope of operations.
Not providing staff with the opportunity to contribute to issues identification, continuous improvement activities and potential solutions.
Relying on generic evaluation templates without contextualising the review to your organisation’s operations.
Not using multiple data collection and feedback points from stakeholders.
Not ensuring that the collection and use data (including feedback) complies with legislative and regulatory obligations.

Self-assurance questions

How do you monitor and evaluate your performance against both the Outcome Standards and Compliance Requirements Instruments?

How do you engage with ASQA proactively to identify and address non-compliance?

How do you involve stakeholders, including staff and students in identifying opportunities for improvement?

What systems do you have in place to collect and analyse data and feedback from students, staff, industry, employers, regulators and others?

How are the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation used to improve your performance and the quality of your RTO’s services?