Home labs & practical projects

Operate a joiner, mover and leaver access review

A project to do with your own tools, with guidance on what to create and capture.

Design project Suggested time: 90–120 minutesNo hardware required for the design

What you could create

A support team must process a new starter, an employee transfer and a departing contractor without leaving unnecessary access behind.

Example evidence format

Project evidence map (example)

Before-and-after access registerScope and inputs

Operational review and exception logDecisions and reasoning

Evidence record (example)

Evidence	What to capture
Before-and-after access register	Show the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. The transfer removes obsolete access as well as adding the new role.
Operational review and exception log	Include the evidence supporting your conclusion. Each exception has an owner and an expiry.

What you'll need

Document, spreadsheet or diagram tool

Create a six-user access sheet with groups, approvals and expiry dates. Include one stale account and one incompatible role combination.

Project record

Keep the working files for before-and-after access register and record assumptions as you go.

Current reference material

Use the linked provider resources to verify the features, access terms and version relevant to your project.

Access & cost

No paid platform is needed for the written version. Use a document, spreadsheet or diagram tool you already have.

The organisation and records are fictional. Write down assumptions; do not substitute confidential employer information.

Suggested milestones

1
Plan and investigate
Process the three lifecycle events against a written access policy.
2
Develop your approach
Identify excess permissions and define approval or removal actions.
3
Verify and explain
Record how each change would be verified and monitored.

Evidence worth keeping

Keep clear, organised evidence of your design and any testing you carry out.

1
Before-and-after access register
Show the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. The transfer removes obsolete access as well as adding the new role.
2
Operational review and exception log
Include the evidence supporting your conclusion. Each exception has an owner and an expiry.

Label design proposals and observed results clearly.

Explain your work

Use these prompts to reflect on your decisions and what you learned.

Which part of your before-and-after access register needed the most judgement?
What observation or assumption changed your approach?
What would you improve, and what have you not verified?

Describe this as a personal project in your portfolio.

Useful resources

Use these resources to deepen your understanding and check key details.

Official certification objectives

Review the current provider requirements and relevant subject areas.

Explore external learning resources

Find relevant providers and check features, access requirements and costs.

A useful starting point

Create a six-user access sheet with groups, approvals and expiry dates. Include one stale account and one incompatible role combination.

What a good result looks like

The transfer removes obsolete access as well as adding the new role.
Each exception has an owner and an expiry.

Finish the project

Keep the decision record and note unanswered questions. A written design is not evidence that a technical control has been tested.

Independent home-project guidance, not an official vendor lab or a claim of complete exam coverage. Use your own tools and label the work accurately.