NOTE: In hindsight, now that I have successfully deployed the projects per steps outlined below, I now see (in my inexperience) that the steps below are to install a Template that can be used to create a site.  I didn't know what I it was that I was deploying which complicated matters for me, I assumed it to be a site. 

 The P&P SharePoint Guidance has the following instructions for installation:

Installation Instructions

1. Download and unzip source code.
2. Open TrainingManagement.sln in Visual Studio 2008.
3. In Visual Studio, go to the properties of the Training Management project and, in the Debug section, specify the URL of the SharePoint site collection to deploy the project in the Start browser with URL field.
4. In Visual Studio, right click on the Training Management project and click Deploy.
5. In Visual Studio, right click on the Training Management Registration Approval workflow project and specify the same SharePoint URL to deploy the workflow to in the SharePoint Debug Settings. (Do not automatically associate the workflow.)
   
   Was doing great up to this point - then I received an error on step 6 "value cannot be null" Parameter name: uriString
   
   
6. In Visual Studio, right click on the Training Management Registration Approval workflow project and click Deploy.
7. In Visual Studio, Build the Accounting Management and HR Management projects and place the DLLs into the Global Assembly Cache.
8. Run iisreset
9. Go to the SharePoint site collection URL and create a site using the Training Management template.
10. Create local Windows users "spgmanager" and "spgemployee". Add those users to the Training Management SharePoint site with Reader permissions.
11. Associate the Registration Approval Workflow with the Registration list. (Create a new task list as part of the association and specify the workflow to start when a new item is added to the list.)

Performing the following for step 5 resulted in a successful deploy:

When I attempted to comply with the above for the TrainingManagement.RegistrationApproval project I receved the noted "Value cannot be null" error.   After trying different things I stumbled upon the "Target Site" property of the TrainingManagement.RegistrationApproval project.   The following properties are not present in the TrainingManagement project which has me assuming they are related to WorkFlow (you'll see why below):

Upon inputting my URL, which worked for deploying the TrainingManagement project - I received the following message (something I could work with).  I ASSUMED that the process would generate a site during deployment - the following gave me a clue to the problem; I was confused because the deployment for TrainingManagement reported that it was successful???

I create a TrainingManagement site and once again the Target Site setting in the project properties list reveals that I must have Document, Task or history list.   This is more like it - not an obscure "value cannot be null".

At this point I attempt to launch my SharePoint site (to create the required list) and it is down for the count - it appears the above crashed it into the ground.  Nothing a START | IISRESET /RESTART couldn't fix, after it was done my SharePoint site was back online. 

I added a Document Library (assuming it was a Document List) and still got the above error, tried a custom list - still no luck.   I then found "Tasks" under tracking and after creating it - Walla!, I was at the next step :)

Now I can understand the comment at the end of step 5 ==> (Do not automatically associate the workflow.)  I unchecked the checkbox, clicked on Finish and the TrainingManagement.RegistrationApproval project's properties were now populated with values.  The "Target List" property being populated with my "Customer List" makes me wonder if I would have encountered more complaints had I not created it....

I then right clicked on TrainingManagement.RegistrationApproval and DEPLOYMENT WAS SUCCESSFUL!

Step 7. notes that we have to update the GAC with the AccountingManagement and HRManagement DLLs.  If you are not comfortable with the Command prompt then you can take advantage of the project property page's Build Events tab - specifically the Post-Build, to do the work for you:

For your convenience I have the statement below so you can copy/paste it - the quotes are important!  Verify that you have the v6.1 sdk (you may have the 6.0) and update the path as applicable.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.1\Bin\gacutil" -I "$(TargetPath)"

I then completed step 10 and did the following in Step 11:

 

 

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