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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Evaluate client’s current situation and identify issues
   • Undertake analysis of integrity of information provided by client
   • Ensure client objectives and expectations are identified, quantified and tested for viability by authorised representative
   • Establish basis for strategy development
2. Identify research requirements and parameters
   • Establish aims and objectives of research, including strategy and product and performance parameters against client requirements and expectations
   • Clearly establish intended use of research information
   • Identify wide range of internal and external information resources
   • Identify information requirements not met by regular sources and develop strategies to access them legitimately
   • Establish timeframes and prioritise requests for information to ensure timelines are met
3. Extract and analyse information according to research requirements and parameters
   • Establish data extraction criteria that are relevant to intended use and client requirements, and do not unduly limit scope of research
   • Identify trends to provide meaningful information on performance of possible strategies, products and markets
   • Undertake comprehensive risk assessment of products identified through research
   • Analyse strategies and financial products within appropriate timeframes to ensure currency of decision making
   • Prioritise information obtained according to client requirements and expectations
   • Identify issues that require specialist research or advice, and source and obtain appropriate advice
4. Summarise and present results of research
   • Collate information on financial products and check against research specification
   • Prepare written performance, trend and risk analyses and check against research specification
   • Describe and document any qualifications or issues for further research
   • Present research findings to financial planner
5. Evaluate client’s current situation and identify issues
   • Undertake analysis of integrity of information provided by client
   • Ensure client objectives and expectations are identified, quantified and tested for viability by authorised representative
   • Establish basis for strategy development

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

conduct and document research of a complex nature for use in the financial planning process that includes:

testing and assessing the integrity of information

specifying and justifying research objectives and strategy

summarise and prioritise findings based on:

assessing the impact of trends on product performance to interpret and assess available products and services and how they can be combined in a comprehensive portfolio

assessing risks and benefits associated with using a range of products and services within a portfolio

evaluate outcomes against client requirements to form recommendations that comply with company policy and procedures, industry codes of practice and relevant legislation.

Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.

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Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:

identify and outline the key features of a wide range of:

financial products and services and their uses in portfolios

relevant financial product information sources and research techniques

identify and classify a wide range of available information sources and describe research strategies to obtain information not readily available

describe the key features of:

financial industry related Acts and regulations

industry trends and latest research findings

relevant legislative and code of practice requirements

relevant organisational policy, objectives and guidelines

identify and discuss the major risks and implications associated with financial products and services

explain theories of investment, portfolio management and management of investment and risk

describe issues relating to taxation and social security systems and regulations, and their effect on the specified financial products.

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