TEMPLATE 01: Outcome Specification¶
Domain: [Your regulated domain] Governing Legislation / Authority: [Citation of the legislation, regulation, or governing body that authorises these standards] Effective Date: [Date these standards take effect] Prepared By: [Domain owner / responsible entity]
Instructions¶
This template captures the quality standards that regulated entities in your domain must meet. Each standard defines an outcome (what good looks like) and the performance indicators that demonstrate compliance (how you prove it).
Complete every section. Every standard must have a unique identifier, an outcome statement, and at least one measurable performance indicator. The engine validates structural completeness — it does not assess whether your standards are appropriate for your domain.
Part 1: Definitions¶
Define all domain-specific terms used in this document. Each definition must be unambiguous and self-contained. Where terms are defined in legislation, cite the source.
| Term | Definition | Source (if legislative) |
|---|---|---|
| [Term] | [Definition] | [e.g., Section 3 of the XYZ Act 2024] |
| [Term] | [Definition] | |
| [Term] | [Definition] |
Add rows as required. Every term used in the standards below that has a domain-specific meaning must appear here.
Part 2: Quality Areas and Standards¶
Organise your standards into Quality Areas (logical groupings). Each Quality Area contains one or more Divisions, and each Division contains one or more Standards.
Quality Area [Number]: [Name]¶
Brief description of what this quality area governs.
Cross-references: [List references to Compliance Ruleset sections and Credential Map sections that relate to this quality area]
Division [Number]: [Name]¶
Standard [X.Y]¶
Outcome Standard
[One clear statement of the desired outcome. This describes the end state that compliance achieves. It should be expressed as an observable condition, not an activity.]
Example (generic): "Services are delivered by qualified personnel with current skills and knowledge relevant to the domain."
Example (aviation): "Aircraft maintenance is performed to airworthiness standards that ensure continued safe operation."
Example (healthcare): "Clinical procedures are delivered in accordance with evidence-based practice standards and patient safety requirements."
Performance Indicators
A regulated entity demonstrates:
(a) [First indicator — a specific, observable, assessable behaviour or condition that provides evidence the outcome standard is being met]
(b) [Second indicator]
(c) [Third indicator]
Each indicator must be:
- Observable — an auditor or assessor can see, verify, or test it
- Assessable — evidence can be collected that demonstrates compliance or non-compliance
- Traceable — it relates directly to the outcome standard above
Cross-references within this document:
- [e.g., "See also Standard X.Z for related requirements"]
Cross-references to Compliance Ruleset:
- [e.g., "Compliance Ruleset Section Y sets out record-keeping requirements for this standard"]
Cross-references to Credential Map:
- [e.g., "Credential Map Section Z defines who is authorised to perform activities under this standard"]
Standard [X.Z]¶
Outcome Standard
[Outcome statement]
Performance Indicators
A regulated entity demonstrates:
(a) [Indicator]
(b) [Indicator]
Cross-references within this document:
- [References]
Cross-references to Compliance Ruleset:
- [References]
Cross-references to Credential Map:
- [References]
Repeat the Division and Standard structure for each standard in this Quality Area.
Quality Area [Number]: [Name]¶
Repeat the full Quality Area structure for each quality area in your domain.
Part 3: Structural Checklist¶
Before submission, verify the following. The engine will reject submissions that fail any of these checks.
| # | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Every standard has a unique hierarchical identifier (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 2.1) | ☐ |
| 2 | Every standard has exactly one outcome statement | ☐ |
| 3 | Every standard has at least one performance indicator | ☐ |
| 4 | Every performance indicator is observable and assessable | ☐ |
| 5 | All domain-specific terms are defined in Part 1 | ☐ |
| 6 | Cross-references to the Compliance Ruleset are present where applicable | ☐ |
| 7 | Cross-references to the Credential Map are present where applicable | ☐ |
| 8 | Standards are organised into Quality Areas and Divisions | ☐ |
| 9 | No standard exists without at least one cross-reference to another primitive | ☐ |
| 10 | The governing legislation or authority is cited | ☐ |
Reference: How the VET Domain Completed This Template¶
The Australian VET Outcome Standards contain 18 standards across 4 Quality Areas:
- Quality Area 1 — Training and Assessment (8 standards): Covers training delivery, industry engagement, assessment systems, principles of assessment and rules of evidence, validation, recognition of prior learning, credit transfer, and facilities/resources.
- Quality Area 2 — Student Support (8 standards): Covers information provision, pre-enrolment advice, training support, reasonable adjustments, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, complaints, and appeals.
- Quality Area 3 — Workforce (3 standards): Covers workforce management, trainer/assessor credentials, and industry skills currency.
- Quality Area 4 — Governance (4 standards): Covers leadership and accountability, roles and responsibilities, risk management, and continuous improvement.
Each standard follows the exact structure above: one outcome statement, multiple performance indicators, cross-references to the Compliance Ruleset and Credential Policy.
Version History¶
| Version | Date | Change | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-03-11 | Initial commit from TEMPLATE_01_Outcome_Specification.md | Claude Code |