ASSIGNMENT 2

GUIDANCE NOTES

Certified Project Management Diploma

1. Overview
2. Building your Project Workbook
2.1. Choosing your Project
2.2. Assignment Specifications
2.3. Tutorial
3. Submission Instructions
Assignment 2 Guidance Notes
Certified Project Management Diploma

1. Overview
This document is intended to help applicants understand the requirements to complete the
Assignment 2 for the Certified Project Management Diploma programme.

For Assignment 2 students will be required to build a Project Management Plan and submit it
in the format of a “Project Workbook”.

At the end of this assignment, students should present a formal document that defines how a
project is going to be carried out. The final “Project Workbook” will outline the scope, goals,
budget, schedule, and deliverables of a project, and other essential components for keeping a
project on track.

To complete this assignment, you have been provided with the following resources, which you
can view/download from Moodle:

1. Assignment 2 Guidance Notes: this document

2. Case Study – Rock & Roll Concert Project Workbook

3. Project Complexity Matrix

4. Project Workbook Tutorial and tutorial presentation slides

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Assignment 2 Guidance Notes
Certified Project Management Diploma

2. Building your Project Workbook

2.1. Choosing your Project
There are three options when choosing your project:

Current A project that you are currently working on. The project can be at any stage
Project in the project life cycle.

Previous A project that you worked on in the past. You might not have used a formal
Project methodology, but you can retrospectively apply a formal approach when
building the project workbook.

Hypothetical If you are new to project management and do not have access to data from a
Project real project (current or past), then you can create a project management
plan for a hypothetical project. For example: a house or office move, a
wedding, redoing the garden, house redecoration, etc.

Please note that you do not necessarily have to be the project manager in your chosen project,
but you do need access to project information if you select a real project. However, some
components of the project can be hypothetical if you do not have access to exact figures.

Some projects will have sensitive or confidential information. In this case, you can manipulate
data and change names and figures as needed.

2.2. Assignment Specifications

The overall Project Workbook word count is generally around 3,500 words. There is no strict
cap or penalty for exceeding this guideline. However, anything over 20% is probably excessive.

To complete your Project Workbook, you are required to complete the 17 sections specified
bellow:

1. Background and Project Description

2. Project Charter

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Assignment 2 Guidance Notes
Certified Project Management Diploma

3. Project Complexity

4. Stakeholder Management Strategy

5. Stakeholder Influence Matrix

6. Work Breakdown Structure (required to Level 3)

7. Project Schedule Gantt Chart (required to Level 3)

8. Manhour and Cost Budget

9. Summary Budget

10. Quality Plan

11. Project Organisational Structure

12. Kick-off Workshop

13. RACI Matrix

14. Communications Management Plan

15. Risk Plan (we require a minimum of 4 risks)

16. Risk Matrix Qualitative

17. Product Acceptance Criteria

It is advisable to follow this structure when building the Project Workbook (you can use the
points above as headers for each section).

The Rock & Roll Concert case study was provided as an example to guide you during the
completion of your workbook, and it follows the structure above. The document should not be
used as a blank template.

The overall impression of the assessor will be considered in your mark. As every project is
different, we encourage you to create your own tables to fit your project needs and
requirements.

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Assignment 2 Guidance Notes
Certified Project Management Diploma

Some other points to consider:

• Project Complexity Matrix: Download the spreadsheet from Moodle containing the
capability, context and management/ leadership indicators from the Rock & Roll Project
Case Study example. Rank our own project against these indicators.

• WBS and Gantt Chart to Level 3: Do not consider the Project Title as Level 1 on your
WBS and build it to Level 3. You can have a separate WBS for each level. The Gantt Chart
should match each level of the WBS for the project. Ensure the WBS and Gantt Chart are
legible. A full Gantt Chart is required (not only a section).

• WBS Dictionary: This is very helpful, but it is not a requirement on this project
workbook.

• Manhour and Cost Budget: It is advisable to consider all resources allocated to your
project work, whether they are internal or external. Their time spent working on the
project is being paid, so it becomes part of the project budget. You can use an estimate
if you do not know exact figures.

• Risk Plan: Identify a minimum of 4 risks on the Risk Plan.

2.3. Tutorial
Your Course Director – Edward Naughton – recorded a tutorial explaining the different
components of this assignment.

You will find a link to the tutorial in the Assignment 2 – Project Workbook page on Moodle. It
is advisable to watch it. You can play the tutorial as many times as you need.

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Assignment 2 Guidance Notes
Certified Project Management Diploma

3. Submission Instructions
Applicants must upload all Assignment 2 documentation to Moodle by the submission date
announced on the course page (please check Moodle).

List of documents to upload:

• Project Workbook
• Appendix: in case you cannot insert the Gantt Chart and WBS into your workbook
document, you can upload them as separate documents.

Please note:

• There is a limit of 10MB for this submission.

• Please have your name on all documents’ titles:
o Surname_Name_Project_Workbook.docx
o Surname_Name_Gantt_Chart.xls,
o Surname_Name_WBS.pdf,
• Include the Workbook’s Title and your name on the first page of your workbook (cover
page).
• The files can be submitted in Word, Excel and/or PDF format.
• There are no specific requirements for font size, style, type, or spacing.
• Make sure all components of your workbook are legible.

If you have any questions, please contact courses@projectmanagement.ie.

Good luck!