How to ACE your CASE STUDY assignment

1. Why is it important?
It is 30% weightage and if you don’t carry this paper, you will NOT get Certification as the minimum
certification mark is 70%

2. How do I select a project?

a. Choose a recently COMPLETED project
b. If you are still doing an ongoing complex project, define the recently completed key segments
as a phase and treat this completed phase as a project
c. You are not expected to be the PM of the project and you must only write on the portion you
are RESPONSIBLE for
d. If you have more than one completed projects that are equally interesting, choose the one that
allows you to reflect deeply on the extent of your project management activities (not as a PM)

3. What must I consider when filling in the Case Study?

a. The objective is to reflect on what you had done and what PPM techniques you COULD
HAVE APPLIED to manage issues, mitigate risks, manage changes, overcome delay,
minimize cost/effort overrun & resolve people-stakeholder challenges
b. The PPM techniques you could have applied must be detailed out and well-articulated
(tabulated, drawn, etc). A simple assertion “I must do this…” will get you no marks
c. Refer constantly to the SAMPLE given to you – by answering all the bullet points, you will be
quite home and free
d. Use the given TEMPLATE, comply strictly to the format, do NOT delete any tables/sections
(you may ADD but you cannot delete). In doubt, please clarify with the PLC Coordinators

4. What must I do by end of Day 1?

Draft Section 5.1 to 5.10 (specifying what you DID, what techniques SHOULD have been considered &
how would you APPLY these techniques retrospectively) and review with the Chief Instructor on Day 2
(between 7:30am and 8:25am)

5. What must I do by end of Day 2?

Finalize all chapters 1-9 & send draft to PLC Coordinators before you sleep (so that you have a spare
copy should Murphy’s Law strike)

6. What must I do on Day 3?

a. Submit all attachments in PDF format before 8:25am (before the Chief Instructor starts the
session – no submission will be allowed thereafter as your laptop will be downed)
 Attachments must be judiciously named [eg Attachment A – XYZ (1/3); Attachment B – ABC (2/3); Attachment C – DEF (3/3)]
b. All main sections must be completed and submitted in Word document format (as per
the given template) before 12:30pm (once the Chief Instructor signals the start of the main section submission)
c. Validate with the PLC Coordinators that your submission is successful & physically sign the
Submission Register
d. Submission is COMPULSORY: Note that you still have to submit an empty Word document
(even if you elect not to put in effort for this assignment)

7. What top-scoring participants did?

a. They read the SAMPLE and followed the bullet point instructions
b. They submitted all nine (9) chapters fully written & well-argued, complete with process flows,
graphs, diagrams, dashboards and schedules
c. They provided lifecycle (sample, template, checklist) and process flow charts
d. They completed every table diligently (for each row with entry, all the columns in that row are filled up)
e. They reflected deeply and provided what they would have done with meaningful detail that can
be re-used readily & immediately for future similar projects (literally the following week when
they are back in the office)
f. They attempted CPM, crashing/fast-tracking and re-drew project schedule
g. They calculated EVM (SPI/CPI) & provided CBA-TCO and CODN. Where no external cost is
involved, they tabulate effort by each project member over the project duration
h. They completed more than the three (3) requested checklists, all meaningfully outlined, COQ &
Peer Review
i. They provided detail Project Organization Chart, RASCI chart, Project Team KPI & team
development details
j. They impressed with the regular Performance Update engagements with key stakeholders
k. They performed regular Risk Reviews & provided Trigger/COR
l. They tracked vendor KPIs, and had regular relationship-based meetings to forge esprit de
corps. Where no vendor is involved, please indicate NA in section 5.9
m. They met Project Sponsor daily, strategize & socialize with other key stakeholders regularly
n. They addressed the Elephant in the Room for the chosen project.