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50% of AP2 grade

The Project Work — Your Key to Success

Project proposal, execution, documentation and presentation. This is where top grades are made.

What is the Project Work?

The practical project work is the heart of AP2. You execute a real IT project at your company, document it and present the results to the IHK examination board.

With documentation and presentation/expert discussion, the project work accounts for 50% of your AP2 grade. Excel here and you can compensate for a weaker written exam.

The Process in 5 Phases

1

Topic Selection

Find a real problem at your company that you can solve with IT. It must be technically challenging enough, but also achievable within the given timeframe.

Timing: 8-10 weeks before submission
2

Project Proposal

Formal proposal to the IHK with project description, goals, timeline and resource planning. The examination board must approve the proposal before you can start.

⚠ Common mistake: Too vague or too ambitious. The proposal must be concrete, measurable and realistic.
3

Execution

Implement the actual project. FIAE: max. 80 hours, FISI: max. 40 hours. This includes: analysis, design, implementation, testing and handover.

Tip: Keep a time log from day one!
4

Documentation

10-15 pages (excluding appendix). Describes the project comprehensibly: initial situation, goals, planning, execution, results and reflection. Plus appendices (code excerpts, diagrams, screenshots).

✓ Pro tip: Have someone who does NOT know the project read the documentation. If they understand it, it's good enough.
5

Presentation & Expert Discussion

15-minute presentation + 15-minute expert discussion before the IHK examination board. Here you show that you understand your project and can confidently answer technical questions.

This is your moment to shine!

What the Examination Board Looks For

📝 Documentation

  • • Clear problem statement & objectives
  • • Comprehensible methodology
  • • Technically correct presentation
  • • Clean structure & formatting
  • • Reflection & conclusion

🎤 Presentation

  • • Clear narrative & time management
  • • Technically correct & understandable
  • • Professional slides
  • • Free speaking (don't read!)
  • • Confident demeanor

💬 Expert Discussion

  • • Deep understanding of your own project
  • • Correct use of technical terms
  • • Able to discuss alternatives
  • • Justify your decisions
  • • Honest about knowledge gaps

⏰ Time Planning

  • • Realistic timeline in the proposal
  • • Time log maintained
  • • Buffer planned
  • • Deviations documented
  • • Project goals still achieved

The 5 Most Common Mistakes

1

Started too late

The documentation doesn't write itself overnight. Plan at least 2 weeks just for the documentation.

2

Topic too big or too small

Building a web shop from scratch is too much. A 20-line script is too little. Find the sweet spot.

3

Documentation is just a manual

The IHK doesn't want an installation guide, but a reflective project documentation with analysis, design and evaluation.

4

Presentation not rehearsed

15 minutes is short. Without practice, you'll talk too long about unimportant things and run out of time for key points.

5

No reflection

What went well, what would you do differently? The examination board wants to see that you learned from the project.

How We Support You

🎯

Topic Selection

We help you find a topic that's technically challenging yet achievable.

📋

Proposal Review

We review your proposal before submission — so it gets approved on the first try.

📝

Documentation Coaching

Structure feedback, content review, writing assistance — we guide you through the entire documentation process.

🎤

Presentation Training

Mock presentations with feedback and simulated expert discussions — until you feel confident.

Project Work with Guidance

From topic selection to presentation — we guide you through the most important exam component. So your project becomes a success story.

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