Business Case
Updated – Business Case Templates & Writing Prompts for Novice Writers
Apr
“A good business case captures and communicates the essence of a project and why it is worth doing.” – Harvard Business Review
Sean here from Klariti. Last week, I was teaching a group of business analysts how to rethink their approach to business case writing. It was a shortish course, so we zeroed on a few details. The aim was to give them enough guidance to feel confident when writing the next set documents, without being too prescriptive.
During the sessions, we identified three main problems when structuring the business case:
#1 Unclear Objectives and Outcomes
Fuzziness around how to define the objectives and outcomes of the proposed project.
Without really knowing what the business hopes to achieve, you’re going to struggle to articulate the value proposition.
This leads to vague or ambiguous language, making it difficult for stakeholders (will ultimately sign off on the project) to see the potential upsides and associated risks.
#2 Lack of Stakeholder Alignment
Stakeholders have conflicting priorities, interests, or perspectives on the proposed project.
Failing to address these differences and secure buy-in weakens the credibility of the business case and undermines your chances of getting approved.
That is, without stakeholder support, you’re unlikely to get the resources and funding for the project.
So, how do you get aligned? Demonstrate how the project will move the needle for their business unit.
#3 Inadequate Analysis and Evidence
Finally, insufficient analysis and evidence to support the proposed course of action.
Your business case should be based on research, data analysis, and market insights that demonstrate its viability and the potential impact of the project. How it will effect change.
However, without credible data, metrics, and evidence to support the assertions you made in the business case, decision-makers will question its validity and hesitate to approve the proposed initiative.
Download Business Case Templates – MS Word and Apple iWorks
After the workshop, I updated the business case templates to address these points.
Use these templates to outline the Business Need, Current Process, Services, Expected Benefits, Change Analysis, Cost estimate, Cost/Benefit Analysis, and Project Schedule.
You can easily modify this MS Word template, which includes sample text in each chapter to get you started. 22 pages each.
You can download them from Klariti at:
