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How to Write a Business Case as an Analyst

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How to Write a Business Case as an Analyst

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Ohjeita business casen tekoon simppelillä ja yksinkertaisella tavalla esitettynä.

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Artikkelissa kerrotaan miksi business casen kirjoittamiseen kannattaa panostaa ja mitä hyötyä siitä on erityisesti IT-projekteissa.

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Lies, Damn Lies and… Business Cases | APM

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How do you feel when you’re asked to write a business case? If you are like most people, you see it as neither a pleasant, nor a worthwhile task.

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Focus on the business case throughout the project life cycle

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Focus on the business case throughout the project life cycle

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Artikkelissa käydään läpi, miksi business case olisi syytä pitää aktiivisesti mielessä projektin koko elinkaaren ajan.

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Focus on the business case throughout the project life cycle | OwnerTeamConsultation

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The common perception prevails that the business case for a capital project, or programme, is a formal document which is presented to the authorising body during the capital application process, and then, once authorised, filed in the project file. If this is the practice in your company, please rec…

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Mikäli jollain on käytössä LinkedIn learning -  sieltä löytyy 30 min training "Writing a Business Case" jossa käydään kohta kohdalta Business Casein kohdat läpi ja miten onnistua siinä.
Siret

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Tiivis kuvaus siitä, mitä toimivan business casen pitää sisältää.
How to nail your business case (apm.org.uk)

Anu

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Five tips for making a scrum meeting sing

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Business cases can be tricky. They require good knowledge of key stakeholders and how best to reach them. Here’s how to put together one that works.

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Lyhyt ja selkeä video –mitä on benefits realisation? ja linkki artikkeliin, jossa kerrotaan tarkemmin: https://www.pmis-consulting.com/articles/benefits-realisation/ (Mirkka Varho)

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What is benefits Realisation? PMIS Consulting Limited

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The Beginner´s Guide to Writing an Effective Business Case

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The Beginner´s Guide to Writing an Effective Business Case

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Aloittelijalle perustietoa.
The Beginner’s Guide to Writing an Effective Business Case • Asana

Anu

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How to Write a Business Case for Your Project

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How to Write a Business Case for Your Project

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUcwWP9ruIA

Video käy läpi hyvin Business Casen rakenteen.

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How to Write a Business Case for Your Project | Talent and Skills HuB

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7m_g1WLYg4

Lyhyt kuvaus siitä mikä Business Case on ja mitä se sisältää.

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What Is A Business Case? [Project Management Training]

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Diaesitys, jossa määritellään tekstipuolen rakenne ja avataan esimerkein kustannusten ja hyötyjen sudenkuoppia.
Tiina Lehtonen

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https://trepo.tuni.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/123090/LehmusAleksi.pdf?sequence=2

Diplomityöstä tutkimustuloksia business caseista S. 69-77

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https://bilot.group/fi/articles/business-casen-maarittely/

Business casen määrittely viiteen vaiheeseen jaettuna

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Useimmat tiedolla johtamiseen (BI, AI, DW) liittyvät projektit lähtevät liikkeelle liiketoiminnan tarpeista ja siten business casen määrittelyllä. Aika usein tämä vaihe kuitenkin jää köykäiseksi harjoitukseksi, jonka seurauksena projekteja aloitetaan puutteellisin tiedoin.

Tässä kirjoituksessa käyn esimerkin kautta lävitse yhden tavan toteuttaa business casen määrittely.

Esimerkkinä business casesta on asiakaspoistuman torjunta vakuutusyhtiössä, vakuutuslajin XYZ osalta.

Vaihe 1 - tiedonkeruu

Ensimmäisen vaiheen tehtävänä on kerätä mahdollisimman kattavasti tietoa ko. business casesta. Tietoja voidaan kerätä sekä sisäisistä (liiketoiminnan asiantuntijat, raportointi,..) että ulkoisista (toimialakohtaiset raportit, avoin data...) lähteistä.

Vakuutusyhtiön asiakaspoistumaan liittyen kerättävää tietoa voisi olla esimerkiksi:

Kasvaako tai pieneneekö markkina kokonaisuutena?

Miten pärjätään suhteessa kilpailijoihin?

Onko tullut uutta suoraa tai epäsuoraa kilpailua?

Mikä on ollut poistumaprosentti viimeisen 5 vuoden aikana?

Paljonko on poistuman euromääräinen arvo?

Paras arvio luonnollisen poistuman (esim. ei tarvetta) ja estettävissä olevan poistuman jakautumisesta?

Onko poistumaan tullut isoja muutoksia? Miksi?

Mitä poistuman syitä on tunnistettu?

Millaisia toimenpiteitä on tehty poistuman estämiseksi?

Miten tehokkaita tehdyt toimenpiteet ovat olleet?

Kenen vastuulla on asiakaspoistuman torjunta?

Hieman teknisempiä kysymyksiä voisivat olla:

Miten poistumaprosentti on laskettu, onko laskenta luotettava ja kestää yli vuosien vertailun?

Millaista dataa ja miten pitkältä ajalta on saatavissa liittyen asiakkaisiin?

Onko datassa laatuongelmia, jotka tulisi huomioida eri vuosia vertailtaessa tai muuten vaan?

Onko data integroitavissa eri järjestelmien välillä (esim. tietovarasto voi olla jo olemassa)?

Onko tulevaisuudessa tiedossa muutoksia tietojärjestelmiin tai prosesseihin, jotka vaikuttavat poistuman mittaamiseen?

Ensimmäinen vaihe on siis tiedon keräämistä ja sen perusteella tehtävää kvalitatiivista analyysia, jonka perusteella pyritään saamaan mahdollisimman kattava käsitys business casesta.

Tässä vaiheessa voidaan jo tulla siihenkin tulokseen, että ko. casen osalta ei kannata aloittaa BI/AI/DW projektia. Tällainen tilanne oli taannoin, kun asiakkaalla oli datan luokitteluperusteet muuttumassa, joka teki vanhan ja uuden datan vertailukelvottomaksi.

Vaihe 2 - ongelman purkaminen osiin

Seuraavaksi hajoitetaan tunnistettu business case loogisiin osiin, joka helpottaa analysointia ja ratkaisujen löytämistä.

Esimerkin XYZ vakuutuslajin poistumaksi on tunnistettu 10% ja siitä muodostetaan seuraava puurakenne, perustuen vaiheen 1 aikana kerättyyn tietoon.

Nyt kun haluamme vähentää asiakaspoistumaa, niin emme tässä analyysissa keskity luonnollisen poistuman boxiin, koska siihen emme voi vaikuttaa. Tosin siitä voisi muodostaa oman business casen, esim. ideana tarjota toisenlaisia vakuutuksia.

Esimerkin analyysi voisi syventyä seuraavalla tavalla.

Nyt olemme päässeet tilanteeseen, jossa estettävissä oleva poistuma on jaettu loogisiin kokonaisuuksiin, joita voidaan analysoida erikseen ja löytää niihin omia ratkaisumalleja.

Vaihe 3 - ratkaisujen etsiminen

Jatketaan siis edellisen kuvan perusteella.

Haaste: Parempi tarjous kilpailijalta

Mikäli asiakas on saanut kilpailijalta paremman tarjouksen, niin se johtaa kahteen eri vaihtoehtoon.

Asiakas kysyy meiltä kilpailevaa tarjousta, johon voimme vastatata paremmalla, yhtä hyvällä tai heikommalla tarjouksella.

Mikäli asiakas irtisanoutuu kysymättä meiltä tarjousta, niin voimme silti tehdä aiempaa paremman ehdotuksen tai olla tekemättä mitään.

Mikäli tässä valitaan aktiivisia keinoja, niin ne ovat relevantteja poistumantorjunnan kannalta. Tässä blogissa ei mennä tämän asian suhteen pidemmälle. Joka tapauksessa näistä kaikista toimenpiteistä on mahdollista kerätä myös dataa, jota voidaan hyödyntää jatkossa, jotta tiedetään esim. mitkä toimet ovat tehokkaita ja mitkä eivät.

Haaste: Tyytymätön

Tiedetään siis, että meillä on asiakkaita, jotka eivät ole ihan tyytyväisiä ja siten potentiaalisia lähtijöitä. Käytännön haaste on, että asiakkaita on paljon eikä missään tietojärjestelmän kentässä lue "tyytymätön" tai "miksi on tyytymätön", eli mikä avuksi?
Vedetään kani hatusta ja todetaan, että hyödynnetään koneoppimista, jonka avulla voidaan

1. datasta laskea eri tekijöiden vaikutus poistumaan

2. ennustaa poistuvia asiakkaita (scoret)

Koneoppimisen kautta saatavat tulokset siis mahdollistavat useita konkreettisia toimenpiteitä, esim. asiakastuntemuksen, markkinoinnin ja palveluiden kehittämisen osalta. Ja ennen kaikkea, tulosten avulla voidaan vaikuttaa asiakaspoistumaan.

Vaihe 4 - ratkaisujen arviointi

Seuraavaksi prosessi etenee siten, että arvioidaan eri ratkaisuvaihtoehdot, huomioiden riittävän kattavasti niihin liittyvät tekijät.

Käytetään esimerkkinä äsken mainittua koneoppimista, ja laitetaan sekin puurakenteeseen.

Kuvassa listatut kohdat eivät ole kattavia, vaan lähinnä esimerkkinä. Olennaista on, että mukana olisi onnistumisen kannalta kaikki keskeiset asiat. Käytännössä noihin sinisiin boxeihin kirjattuihin kohtiin pitäisi löytää uskottavat vastaukset.

Kannattaa myös huomata, että usein hyvältä vaikuttavat ratkaisuvaihtoehdot (kalvoilla) saattavat luoda uusia potentiaalisia haasteita ratkottavaksi. Toisinaan niin suuria etteivät ne ole ratkaisuja ollenkaan.

Lisäksi on tärkää löytää sellaiset tekijät, joita ilman ratkaisu ei tule tuotannollistumaan eikä business tavoitteita siten saavuteta.

Esimerkkinä vuosia sitten ollut poistumaprojekti, jossa tuotantokäyttöön ei päästy, koska siellä ei ollut liiketoimintavastaavaa asialle.

Perusteellisemmin tehty business casen määrittely olisi kenties säästänyt turhalta POC-projektilta.

Kannattavuuslaskelma

Ratkaisun arvioinnissa on tietysti huomioitava sen kustannukset ja oletettu tuottopotentiaali. Yleensä tällöin käytetään ROI tai takaisinmaksuaikalaskelmia, joilla perustellaan investoinnin kannattavuus. Etenkin koneoppimisratkaisujen osalta on hyvä tiedostaa, että tulokset eivät ole varmoja, jolloin kannattaa hakea epäsymmetristä riski-tuottoskenaariota (pieni riski, iso tuotto).
Tässä esimerkissä luvut voisivat olla:

Investoinnin kokonaiskulu (sisältäen kaiken: data, koneoppiminen, tuotannollistaminen, markkinointi..) -150 000 eur ensimmäisenä vuonna ja sitten -50 000 eur / vuosi

2% pudotus poistumassa tuottaa +200 000 eur / vuosi

5 vuoden investointi, -350 000 eur

5 vuoden tuotto, +1 000 000 eur

5 vuoden nettotuotto +650 000 eur

Noilla luvuilla projektin aloitus olisi todennäköisesti järkevää. Ainakin houkuttelevaa.

Käytännön elämässä on kuitenkin usein tilanteita, joissa suoraviivaisen kannattavuuslaskelman tekeminen ei oikein onnistu. Silloinkin pitäisi pystyä järkeilemään, että miksi investointi olisi kannattava.

Vaihe 5 - päätösten aika

Lopuksi ollaan tilanteessa, jossa on kerätty kaikki relevantti tieto business casen osalta, jaettu ongelma osiin, muodostettu hyvin pohdittuja ratkaisuehdotuksia, tehty kannattavuuslaskelma (tai vastaava ajatustyö) ja varmistuttu ettei tunnistettuja show-stoppereita ole matkalla.

Mikäli ratkaisuvaihtoehtoja on useita, niin niiden priorisoinnissa voi käyttää apuna esim. seuraavaa matriisia.

Nyt kun ollaan vielä business casen määrittelyvaiheessa, niin priorisoinnin tekeminenkin perustuu aiempiin analyyseihin ja koulutettuun arvaukseen. Vasta kun toimenpiteitä on oikeasti koeponnistettu, niin tiedetään tulosten ja panosten välinen suhde.

Tässäpä tämä tällä kertaa, eikun pohtimaan business caseja.

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Our mission is to simplify digitalization. We deliver tomorrow's business environments today. We are recognized for our instinct to identify the most relevant innovations and for our ability to realize them with superior quality. We stand for more.

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Kohta-kohdalta oheistusta business casen laatimiseen https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-management/how-to-write-a-business-case

//Jenni Kemppainen

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A business case is the first step of a long journey. Try ProjectManager.com and get the online PM tools you need to manage your project from start to finish.
Get a Free 30-Day Trial

A business case is the way you prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the product you're pitching is a sound investment. Jennifer Bridges, PMP, illustrates the steps to writing one that will sway them.

The business case traditionally is a document that defines the core business benefit of a project in order to justify the expenditure of the initiative. It often details how the project aligns with strategic goals in the org, and as such is a crucial yet often overlooked responsibility for managers, who assume that senior leadership is responsible for this, or who simply get quickly subsumed by the day-to-day responsibilities of delivering the project.

Whether you're starting a new project or mid-way through one, take time to write up a business case to justify the project expenditure by identifying the business benefits your project will deliver and that your stakeholders are most interested in reaping from the work. The following four steps will show you how to write a business case:

Step 1: Identify the Business Problem

Projects aren't created for project's sake. They have a goal. Usually, they're initiated to solve a specific business problem or create a business opportunity.

Carolyn O'Hara, writing in HBR, notes that you should "Lead with the need."Therefore, your first job is to figure out what that problem or opportunity is, describe it, find out where it comes from and then address the time-frame needed to deal with it.

This can be a simple statement, but is best articulated with some research into the economic climate and the competitive landscape to justify the timing of the project.

Step 2: Identify the Alternative Solutions

How do you know whether the project you're undertaking is the best possible solution to the problem defined above? Naturally, choosing the right solution is hard, and the path to success is not paved with unfounded assumptions.

One way to narrow down the focus to make the right solution clear is to follow these six steps (after the relevant research, of course):

1. Note the alternative solutions.

2. For each solution, quantify its benefits.

3. Also, forecast the costs involved in each solution.

4. Then figure out its feasibility.

5. Discern the risks and issues associated with each solution.

6. Finally, document all this in your business case.

Step 3: Recommend a Preferred Solution

You'll next need to rank the solutions, but before doing that it's best to set up a criteria, maybe have a scoring mechanism to help you prioritize the solutions to best choose the right one.

Some methodologies you can apply include:

Depending on the solutions cost and benefit, give it a score of 1-10;

Base your score on what's important to you;

Add more complexity to your ranking to cover all bases.

Regardless of your approach, once you've added up your numbers, the best solution to your problem will become evident. Again, you'll want to have this process also documented in your business case.

Step 4: Describe the Implementation Approach

So, you've identified your business problem or opportunity and how to reach it, now you have to convince your stakeholders that you're right and have the best way to implement a process to achieve your goals. That's why documentation is so important; it offers a practical path to solve the core problem you identified.

Now, it's not just an exercise to appease senior leadership. Who knows what you might uncover in the research you put into exploring the underlying problem and determining alternative solutions? You might save the organization millions with an alternate solution than the one initially proposed. When you put in the work on a strong business case, you're able to get your sponsors or organizational leadership on board with you and have a clear vision as to how to ensure delivery of the business benefits they expect.

Thanks for watching!
To help you create a business plan you'll want to have a robust tool to collect and assemble all the various data you'll be collecting, and then easily share it both with your team and project sponsors. That's where ProjectManager.com comes in, and with this free 30-day free trial you can see the benefits for yourself.
Video In Review - How to Write a Business Case:

Jennifer explained the need for a business case, as it collects the proposal, outline, strategy and marketing plan in one document and offers a full look at how the project will benefit the organization.

There are four steps necessary to write a business case, which are as follows:

1. Research your market, competition and alternatives

2. Compare and finalize your approaches

3. Compile the data and present your strategies, goals and options

4. Document everything

Jennifer said there are templates you can use to write your business case and collect all the pertinent information, which includes the following:

With the popularity of "back-of-the-napkin" ideas spawning multi-billion dollar startups, it can be tempting to overlook good old fashioned business documentation. In fact, in some Lean or Agile organizations, over-reliance on documentation is seen as a clear impediment to innovation and collaboration.

Here's a shot of the whiteboard for your reference!

Transcription:

Today we're talking about how to write a business case. Well, over the past few years, we've seen the market, or maybe organizations, companies or even projects, move away from doing business cases. But, these days, companies, organizations, and those same projects are scrutinizing the investments and they're really seeking a rate of return.

So now, think of the business case as your opportunity to package your project, your idea, your opportunity, and show what it means and what the benefits are and how other people can benefit.

We want to take a look today to see what's in the business case and how to write one. I want to be clear that when you look for information on a business case, it's not a briefcase.

Someone called the other day and they were confused because they were looking for something, and they kept pulling up briefcases. That's not what we're talking about today. What we're talking about are business cases, and they include information about your strategies, about your goals. It is your business proposal. It has your business outline, your business strategy, and even your marketing plan.

And so, why is that so important today? Again, companies are seeking for not only their project managers but their team members to have a better understanding of business and more of an idea business acumen. So this business case provides the justification for proposed business change or plan. It outlines the allocation of capital that you may be seeking and the resources required to implement. Then, it can be an action plan. It may just serve as a unified vision. And then it also provides the decision makers with different options.

So let's look more about the steps required to put these business cases together. There are four main steps. One, you want to research your market. Really look at what's out there, where are the needs, where are the gaps that you can serve? Look at your competition. How are they approaching this, and how can you maybe provide some other alternatives?

You want to compare and finalize different approaches that you can use to go to market. Then you compile that data and you present strategies, your goals and other options to be considered.

And then you literally document it.

So what does the document look like? Well, there are templates out there today. The components vary, but these are the common ones. And then these are I consider what's essential. So there's the executive summary. This is just a summarization of your company, what your management team may look like, summary of your product and service and your market.

The business description gives a little bit more history about your company and the mission statement and really what your company is about and how this product or services fits in.

Then, you outline the details of the product or service that you're looking to either expand or rollout or implement. You may even include in there patents maybe that you have pending or other trademarks.

Then, you want to identify and layout your marketing strategy. Like, how are you gonna take this to your customers? Are you going to have a brick and mortar store? Are you gonna do this online? And, what are your plans to take it to market?

You also want to include detailed information about your competitor analysis. How are they doing things? And, how are you planning on, I guess, beating your competition?

You also want to look at and identify your SWOT. And the SWOT is your strengths. What are the strengths that you have in going to market? And where are the weaknesses? Maybe some of your gaps. And further, where are your opportunities and maybe threats that you need to plan for?

Then the operations overview includes operational information like your production, even human resources, information about the day-to-day operations of your company.

And then, your financial plan includes your profit statement, your profit and loss, any of your financials, any collateral that you may have, and any kind of investments that you may be seeking.
EDITOR'S NOTE (10.27.17): We've updated this post to include a complementary video and even more helpful hints to help further your understanding of the creation of an effective business case.
So these are the components of your business case. This is why it's so important. And if you need a tool that can help you manage and track this process, then sign up for our software now at projectmanager.com.

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A business case is the first step of a long journey. Try ProjectManager.com and get the online PM tools you need to manage your project from start to finish. Get a Free 30-Day Trial A business case is the way you prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the product you're pitching is a sound investment.

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Sivuilla 26-28 artikkeli, jossa business casea käsitellään monesta näkökulmasta.
http://www.e-julkaisu.fi/pry/1-2015/pdf/PT2015.pdf

//Jenni Kemppainen

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSsiRtalkzw

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5 Things You NEED to Know When Writing a Business Case

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-casen-anatomia-t%C3%A4rppej%C3%A4-niille-joiden-mielest%C3%A4-elsa-nurmi

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Business casen laskemisen projektin yhteydessä luulisi olevan yritystoiminnan peruskauraa. Laivat eivät seilaa tuurilla (ainakaan menestyksekkäästi) ja päätöksentekoa tukeva, taiten tehty business case voi myöhemmin pelastaa monelta sudenkuopalta. Silti isoissakin firmoissa kuulee tehtävän projektilähtöjä ilman mitään business caseja muun muassa koska "tälle on nyt vaan pakko tehdä jotain", "mun mielestä tää tulee olemaan hyvä juttu" ja "meidän kilpailijoilla on tää jo käytössä".

Paluu perusasioiden äärelle: mikä ihmeen business case, ja miten se eroaa projektisuunnitelmasta? Business case on se kasa paperia, PPT-dekkejä tai mitä tahansa preferoitua esitysmuotoa, joka erottaa liiketoimintaan vaikuttavan perustellun päätöksenteon hihasta ravistetusta mututuntumasta. Se pakottaa miettimään toiminnan järkevyyttä ja perusteluja ja tekemään päätöksiä niiden perusteella. Siinä missä projektisuunnitelma on nimensä mukaisesti suunnitelma projektin toteuttamisesta, voi business casen avulla päättää, kannattaako projektia toteuttaa ensinkään.

Mitä hyötyä business casesta on?

Business case siis auttaa tekemään valistuneita päätöksiä, mutta miten? Ensinnäkin business case kartoittaa kyseessä olevan liiketoiminnan tai sen osan nykytilaa ja hahmottaa niitä haasteita ja mahdollisuuksia, joita toiminnassa kohdataan. Ethän voi ratkaista nykytilan mahdollista ongelmaa, jollet ymmärrä, mikä ongelma on (tai onko sellaista ylipäänsä ollenkaan).

Matematiikka- ja excel-kammoisten kauhistukseksi business caseen toki sisältyy myös numeroita ja kalkulointia. Projekteilla on erilaisia hintalappuja ja tuotto-odotuksia, joita ilman on aika mahdotonta määritellä investoinnin taloudellisia vaikutuksia. Samalla toiminnalle on kuitenkin myös pakko asettaa mittareita, jollei niitä ole aiemmin ollut - muutoinhan onnistumisen määritteleminen käy varsin vaikeaksi. Kevyt laskujumppa siis tekee näkyväksi sen, mihin rahaa menee, mistä sitä tulee ja missä määrin.

Mikäli päädyt ratkaisuvaihtoehdoissa pohtimaan investoinnin tekemistä, auttaa business casen laatiminen lopulta hahmottamaan myös investoinnin kokonaisvaikuttavuutta, mukaan lukien mahdolliset muutokset itse organisaatiossa. Samalla se on myös väline viestiä mahdollisen projektin osallisille työn tavoitteet sekä perustella päätösten priorisointia. Parhaimmillaan business case voikin auttaa päätöksentekoa pysymään johdonmukaisena läpi projektin.

Yksilötasolla business casen laadinta on myös varsin oiva tapa varmistaa perustelut ja tarvittaessa myös puolustukset omille näkemyksille. Projekteista ei aina selvitä pelkillä selkääntaputteluilla, mutta hyvillä perusteluilla voit ainakin välttyä selkäänpuukotukselta.

Mitä business case ei ole?

Business case ei ole takaisinmaksusuunnitelma tai matemaattinen harjoitus, vaan kokonaisvaltainen tilanne- ja vaihtoehtokatsaus, jonka laatiminen vaatii liiketoiminnan ymmärtämistä. Business casen työstäminen on erittäin hyvä happotesti itse kullekin organisaatiossa.

Mikäli liiketoiminnan logiikasta tai jopa sen ymmärryksestä löytyy puutteita tai muutostarpeita, on parempi huomata asia ennemmin kuin myöhemmin. Tällöin business casen tulos ei ehkä ole sitä, mitä odotettiin, mutta etkö mieluummin tietäisi olevasi liikkeellä puutteellisella kalustolla kuin huomaisit sen vasta ojan pohjalla?

Okei. Eli mitä minun nyt sitten pitää tehdä, jos haluan tehdä business casen?

64-sivuinen presentaatio liitteineen ja laskelmineen, jonka työstämiseen menee ikä, terveys ja parin viikon työtunnit.

No vitsi vitsi.

Business case ei ole mallimuotoon pakotettu kehikko (ellei sille sellaista ole pakotettu korporaatiomaailmassa), vaan työkalu. Business case itsessään voi olla laajempi tai suppeampi kokonaisuus tilanteen asettamista vaatimuksista riippuen. Rationaalisuus on aina rajoitettua ja jo suppeammalla setilläkin pääsee hyvin alkuun. Business case kannattaakin jollain tasolla laskea miltei kaiken kokoisiin investointeihin.

Rajansa toki kaikella: emme ehdota, että jokaisesta kulutettavasta eurosta tulee tehdä kattavat laskelmat ja selvitykset. Erityisen kehnosti turhan jäykkä toimintamalli sopii kokeilevaan liiketoimintaan. Voikin sanoa, että bisnesälyn lisäksi business casen laatijoilta tulisi löytyä myös ihan normaalia maalaisjärkeä, jonka avulla pystyy turvallisesti päättelemään, minkä laajuisesta selvitysoperaatiosta kulloinkin on eniten hyötyä.

Tiivistetysti alkuun voi päästä vaikka seuraavantyyppisellä kysymyspatteristolla:

1. Mikä on konkreettinen ongelma, jonka yritän ratkaista? Liittyykö ongelmaan jokin liiketoiminnallinen uhka tai sen ratkaisuun mahdollisuus?

2. Millaisia eri vaihtoehtoja ongelman ratkaisemiseksi on tarjolla (ja millä hinnalla)?

3. Mitä arvoa liiketoiminnalle syntyy eri ratkaisuvaihtoehdoissa?

4. Millaisia riskejä eri vaihtoehtoihin liittyy?

5. Millainen riski on olla ratkaisematta ongelmaa? Millaisia kustannuksia siitä aiheutuu?

6. Mikäli ongelma ratkaistaan jollakin vaihtoehdoista, mihin kaikkeen uusi ratkaisu organisaatiossa vaikuttaa? Tuleeko toimintaamme tehdä ratkaisun myötä myös muita muutoksia? Jos kyllä, mitä riskejä ja kustannuksia tästä syntyy?

7. Mikäli ongelma ratkaistaan jollakin vaihtoehdoista, millainen on onnistunut lopputulos ja kuinka sitä mitataan?

Lopputulemana huomaat selvittäneesi eri toimintavaihtoehtojen kustannukset ja tuotto-odotukset, tehneesi niiden toteuttamiselle riskianalyysin ja myös määritelleesi onnistumisen mittarit. Tämän jälkeen vaihtoehtojen rajaaminen onkin jo paljon helpompaa ja olet luultavasti välttänyt jäätävän määrän jälkisekoilua.

Kivuttomia projekteja emme voi luvata, mutta business casen avulla niissä yleensä ainakin sattuu vähemmän.
Tämä teksti on kirjoitettu yhdessä projektisupersankari Henna Hahlanterän kanssa, joka lienee uransa aikana pelastanut useammankin proggiksen mahalaskulta esittämällä oikeita kysymyksiä oikeaan aikaan.

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Business casen anatomia: Tärppejä niille, joiden mielestä projekteja ei perustella perstuntumalla

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Business casen laskemisen projektin yhteydessä luulisi olevan yritystoiminnan peruskauraa. Laivat eivät seilaa tuurilla (ainakaan menestyksekkäästi) ja päätöksentekoa tukeva, taiten tehty business case voi myöhemmin pelastaa monelta sudenkuopalta.

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Ohjeita ja vinkkejä business casen tekoon.

Mia Karihtala

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Five tips for making a scrum meeting sing

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Business cases can be tricky. They require good knowledge of key stakeholders and how best to reach them. Here’s how to put together one that works.

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Better Business Cases: Setting big projects up for success

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Better Business Cases: Setting big projects up for success

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https://www.proquest.com/docview/1443297108/17DCA06A097A4A25PQ/4?accountid=14446
Finnan kautta pääsee lukemaan.

Street, Tony . New Zealand Management ; Auckland (Sep 2013)

Artikkelissa kuvataan Business Casen osa-alueet ja kuvataan hyvien business casejen yhteneväisyyksiä.

Mia Karihtala

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Project Management Institute. 2015. Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide

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Project Management Institute. 2015. Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide

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Katso luvut 2.6 Assemble the Business Case ja
2.6.1. Value of the Business Case

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Business case käsitellään PMBOKIN (6th edition) luvussa 1.2.6. Project management business documents (ks. erityisesti alaluku 1.2.6.1. Project Business case)

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Videossa tutkitaan Projektien Business Casea, sen roolia projektin elinkaaressa ja mitkä ovat sen tärkeimmät elementit, jotta projektista saadaan laadittua yksityiskohtainen ja onnistunut Business Case. (Kati Haapasalo)

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Guide to developing the Project Business Case

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Guide to developing the Project Business Case

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Vuonna 2018 Walesin hallituksen laatima kattava opas parhaimmista käytännöistä julkisen hallinnon kehitysprojektien Business Case -määritelmien laadintaan. Oppaassa on käytetty "Five Case model"-metodologiaa. (Kati Haapasalo)

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Contribyten järjestämä webinaari business casesta. Esittelevät mm. näkökulman, missä tilanteissa business case ei ole tarpeellinen. (Terhi Raisio)

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Mikä on liiketoimintalaskelman (Business Case) rooli ideoiden arvottamisessa ketterässä ja leanissa tuotekehityksessä? Onko laskelmat hukkaa vai olennainen osa innovaatioprosessin toimintaa?

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Webinaari: Business case - menneisyyden havinaa vai innovoinnin työkalu?

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Mikä on liiketoimintalaskelman (Business Case) rooli ideoiden arvottamisessa ketterässä ja leanissa tuotekehityksessä? Onko laskelmat hukkaa vai olennainen osa innovaatioprosessin toimintaa?

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Magasinet CIO (chief information officers) Sweden ger 5 tips för bra affärcase. Om du vill träna lite svenska. Mika Lankinen

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Att ha en förståelse för vad det är som gör affären framgångsrik och göra en vinnande presentation är nyckeln som kan öppna låsta dörrar.

1. Vad bör ett business case innehålla?

Strukturen på ett business case kan variera beroende på projekt och organisation men några saker måste finnas tydligt beskrivna:

* Varför är det värt att titta på just det här området
* Värdet för affären - vad kan affären tjäna på projektet?
* Kostnad- vad kommer det att kosta i form av pengar, resurser och tid?
* Leverans: hur ska det levereras och är det genomförbart- vart börjar man och vilka är riskerna?
* Ansvarsområden- vilka är ansvariga för projektet på olika nivåer
* Kontrollmekanismer - vilka kontrollmekanismer finns på plats för att säkra att projektet avslutas och att man uppnår de uppsatta målen.

Att förklara värdet för affären är den viktigaste av alla dessa komponenter. Det säger Jed Simms, grundare av konsultfirman Totally Optimised Projects .

-Även om många företagsledare anser att kostnad är väldigt viktigt så är det värdet för affären som är avgörande för om ett projekt blir framgångsrikt eller inte. Därför måste man skifta fokus från kostnad till värde. För närvarande ligger väldigt mycket av fokus på kostnad, även inom ledningsgrupper. Men det är omöjligt att nå vägen till framgång genom kostnadskontroll.

Att få stöd av betydande personer inom verksamheten kan vara ett bra sätt att få styrelsen att förstå hur betydelsefullt ditt projekt är. Det säger Kaylene O'Brien, på Deloitte Consulting.

- Ett framgångsrikt business case bör ägas av it-avdelningen men det är viktigt att ha stöd hos personer på affärssidan som kan stampa med foten i styrelserummet och säga att de behöver den här it-investeringen för att de ska kunna fullfölja sin strategiska plan på affärssidan.

Att ha en plan för hur man ska uppnå de tänkta vinsterna med projektet är en annan viktig punkt i ett buisness case enligt O'Brien.

- Det kan exempelvis handla om investeringskostnader som kan reduceras med hjälp av en supply chain-lösning. Gå igenom de olika stegen i processen, hur du planerar att gå till väga och vilka personer och processer som kommer att påverkas. Berätta hur du kommer att göra för att försäkra dig om att projektet kommer att ge de vinster det är tänkt att ge när du går live, och vilka mekanismer som kommer finnas för övervakning och rapportering.
2. Tala om affären, inte om teknik
- Beskriv ditt business case i affärstermer och inte i tekniktermer .De flesta företagsledare har begränsade kunskaper om it, säger O'Brien.

Det är svårare för styrelsen att säga nej till ett projekt om du kan visa att det kommer att påverka affären positivt än om du bara visar hur det kommer att påverka it-avdelningen.

- Det du vill är att påverka affären, projektet är bara ett medel för att nå det målet, säger O´Brien.

Jed Simms säger att CIO:er som presenterar ett nytt projekt måste tänka som om de vore CEO:er: Varför skulle jag investera i det här? Vad kommer det ge mig?

3. Förklara risken med att inte göra något

Ett vanligt misstag är att inte förklara vilka risker som finns med att inte driva ett projekt eller göra en omorganisering.

- Det är vanligt att CIO:er säger: "Vi arbetar med en gammal plattform och vi behöver flytta över till en ny plattform", men det är inte tillräckligt för att styrelsen ska förstå vilka risker som finns om man inte genomför förändringen, säger O´Brien.

Ett exempel på hur man kan beskriva situationen på ett mer konkret sätt är att presentera ett case där man inte genomför förändringsprojektet utan använder den gamla plattformen. På så sätt kan man visa hur det med tiden blir allt svårare att hitta kompetens som kan serva plattformen, något som i slutänden kan få konsekvenser för affären.

4. Tackla i problemen i tid

Att skaffa sig feed back från personer och avdelningar som berörs av projektet är viktigt när du tar fram ett business case, åtminstone om du vill undvika problem när du väl lägger fram det. Du vill inte stå där i slutet av processen och upptäcka att användare och andra tycker att det är ett dåligt projekt.

- Ett business case ska inte vara ett dokument som ploppar ut i slutet, utan en process där användare och andra rådfrågas och där man bygger ett förtroende under vägen. Försäkra dig om att alla möjliga lösningar tas med i beräkningen och att deras för- och nackdelar finns dokumenterade, säger Jed Simms.

Om du har gått igenom varje investering i projektet separat, och tittat på olika aspekter, redan innan du lägger fram ditt business case kan du undvika konflikter i slutskedet.

5. Fokusera på de mätbara fördelarna

- Alla fördelar måste gå att mäta, säger Jed Simms och fortsätter.

- Direkta fördelar som tillväxt är viktigare än indirekta fördelar som ökad produktivitet bland de anställda. Men självklart måste även indirekta fördelar redovisas för att styrelsen ska få en full förståelse av projektets värde.

Att fördelarna med ett projekt är mätbara behöver inte innebära att de går att mäta ekonomiskt. Men ledningen kommer alltid att titta på ekonomin i första hand och därför är det bästa att först presentera de ekonomiska fördelarna och ta de andra vinster sedan.

Oavsett vilken typ av vinster du redovisar är det viktigt att de är mätbara, du ska kunna visa på exakt vad som uppnås.

Men en CIO måste samtidigt kunna se fördelar som uppstår på längre sikt när ett projekt förändrar användarnas sätt att arbeta.

- Det är inte bara en teknisk lösning, det är också en förändringsprocess och människor kommer att förändras under vägen. Därför är det bra att ha stöd av någon ute i verksamheten som kan förklara hur den processen fungerar och hur den bidrar till att optimera verksamheten och få ut största möjliga nytta av projektet.

Av: IDG News

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Så får du med dig styrelsen - 5 tips för ett bra business case

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Att ha en förståelse för vad det är som gör affären framgångsrik och göra en vinnande presentation är nyckeln som kan öppna låsta dörrar. 1. Vad bör ett business case innehålla?

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Mitä vakuuttavaan liiketoimintatarkastelun vaaditaan. 3 kohdan nopeat vinkit. Mika Lankinen

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Miten projektien merkityksellisyyden saa esiin, miksi se auttaa projekteja onnistumaan paremmin? Mikä on uutta projektien maailmassa ja mitä kumuralaisille kuuluu? Tervetuloa artikkeliemme ja uutistemme pariin!

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Tässä esitellään mm. 5 vaihetta business casen luomiseen, business casen hyödyt ja 6 esimerkkiä, mitä erilaisten liiketoimintatapausten business casessa tulisi huomioida. (Terhi Raisio)

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Chase Consulting Group: Innovation and Strategy Specialists

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What is a business case?

It is becoming increasingly important for the board and senior management to focus on investments that deliver true business value. Initiatives throughout the business, including innovation; business ventures; factory relocations; new products and services; and IT investments, are accepted or rejected based on the business value they deliver.

To get the board or management to approve a project, it is necessary to build a business case that demonstrates why the project is needed and what the benefits of the project will be when it is finalized. The reasons and benefits of a project may seem perfectly obvious to you and others intimately involved with it; however, it may not be so apparent to stakeholders and other decision-makers. Often, they deal with a myriad of different business units and objectives and tasks that need to be done. A well-prepared business case can help your project stand out amongst the competing priorities within the organization and may be the key to getting approval and finances for the project.

The business case is a process to critically examine the opportunities, alternatives, project stages, and financial investment to make a recommendation for the best course of action that will create business value.

Business cases help organizations make better investment decisions.

A business case is different to the business plan

Think of your business case as a sales pitch with robust analysis and justification. The business case is one of the most powerful decision-making tools available to the organization's leadership team. It is a decision-making tool that provides the leadership team with an assessment of the investment, benefits and risks of a particular decision.

A business case answers the question: what will happen if we proceed with this investment decision? The justification for the business case is presented in a carefully constructed document detailing the rationale to convince a decision-maker to approve the investment recommendation.

The business case process helps organizations formulate innovations, projects and changes. The business case document is a crucial building block of project success with senior-level involvement. It explains the project's business value to enable the stakeholders to make decisions.

The fundamental questions to consider in developing the business case are:

Which of the alternatives should we invest in to generate the most value for the organization?

Is it strategically the best approach?

Should the organization consider investing at all in this proposal?

The practical question must also be addressed: can the business proposal be implemented as planned, delivered to time and budget and produce the expected benefits?

The making of a business case will carefully examine the benefits and risks involved in proceeding with the recommendation, the alternatives and the benefits of the recommendation, and the risks of not proceeding. A strong business case will make a compelling recommendation for implementation.

In comparison, a business plan is a documented set of business goals, objectives and strategies that an organization aims to achieve over the next three to five years. The business plan includes market information, customer segmentation, products and services, sales forecasts and cost estimates, and financial forecasts.

Why create the business case?

Preparing the business case enables you to take a disciplined approach to critically examine the opportunity, the alternatives, the project stages and the financial investment to make a recommendation for the best course of action to create the business value.

When the time is taken to develop a solid business case, the investment proposal is much more informed. In turn, this will increase the benefits and value of the project and reduces the risks. There is also a much greater likelihood of securing support to proceed with the investment.

A business case is required when you need to:

Demonstrate the value of a proposed product or service would generate for your organization;

Obtain board approval for investment;

Decide whether to outsource a particular function;

Relocate business operations and manufacturing facilities;

Prioritize projects within your organization that are competing for funding and resources;

Secure the financial funding and resources to implement the project.

By well-documenting the business case, you can proficiently present the recommendation to stakeholders whose support is required for approval. The documented business case will provide confidence and a level of certainty that the considered proposal will be successful.

Types of business cases

The required depth of analysis that is documented in support of your case will be based on the size and complexity of the investment decision. For example, the business case for an investment of $5m or less is much simpler than the business case for an investment of $500m or more.

The business case sets out a justification for the investment that a potential investment would require. A preliminary business is often prepared for large investments and high-risk projects as the first step in preparing the full business case. Then, it is used to decide whether the potential project merits being investigated in more detail. For example, the preliminary business case may include cost estimates with a 20% tolerance, whereas the full business case would include costings with less than a 10% tolerance.

The business case should be prepared early in the project before any decision has been made to initiate. It allows the organization to explore the high-level options for meeting business requirements. This may include an assessment of comparable projects.

Experienced organization's may have in-house expertise allowing them to prepare a business case. However, some organizations will not have the full range of skills required and may wish to appoint an independent management consultant to assist them.

5 Steps to Developing a Solid Business Case

The process of developing the business case is important; a well-executed process enables you to develop a solid business case that increases the benefits and value and reduces the risks. This also leads to a much greater likelihood of securing support to proceed with the investment.

Here are the five key steps for creating the business case.

Step 1: Confirm the opportunity
Describe the situation and the business opportunity that your proposal will impact. This will include the background to the project, the investment logic and the high-level business requirements.
Step 2: Analyze and develop shortlisted options
Identify the alternative approaches and select three or four options to analyze. Gather information about each alternative, analyze the options and develop the shortlisted options.
Step 3: Evaluate the options
Evaluate how the options will deliver the business objectives, quantify the benefits of each potential solution, then select the preferred option, taking into account the strategic and financial value created and the risks.
Step 4: Implementation strategy
Create the implementation plan for the preferred option, detailing how to achieve the business objectives, the resources needed, who will be accountable for each milestone, and how to mitigate the project risks.
Step 5: Recommendation
Confirm the recommended option. Create the business case documents and present the business case recommendation to the board and management team for approval to proceed.

You will need to complete all of these steps to create a solid business case.

What to Include in the Business Case Document?

A business case document should explain the following:

The investment decision;

Key objectives for the project;

The business need;

Provide necessary background and supporting information to put the investment into context;

Describe how the investment aligns with the organization strategic business plan;

Describe the different options explored and why you are recommending this option or solution;

Provide a robust budget, estimate of the whole-of-life costs of the investment and its financial benefits and the projected financial statements;

The business benefits including an estimate of the non-financial benefits;

How to make sustainability core to the recommendation and outcomes.

Describe the approach to be used, including timelines, resources, the procurement strategy, project governance, and how to embed sustainability practices;

Rigorously assess the inherent risks, different scenarios and sensitivities, including how they are likely to affect the investment and outline strategies for mitigating them;

Convey the level of uncertainty surrounding the proposal;

Provide options for the board and management to consider in reaching a decision.

Who Prepares the Business Case?

Anyone in any professional role may assume responsibility for producing and writing the business case if the decision-makers trust that individual. Thus, line managers, corporate managers, business analysts, internal and external consultants, and IT managers are included.

The project sponsor or project manager may lead the development of the business case.

The goals of the recommended project, the project customers, users and stakeholders, and the business outcomes and benefits are more important than technology, domain knowledge, or deliverables in a robust business case.

The business case writer focus is on evaluating, analyzing, quantifying and delivering the business value. Poor project results can result from insufficient attention to the details of a business case and accompanying analysis.

Advantages of a Business Case

The business case document or presentation communicates the high-level information relevant to a critical decision.

The business case initiates the discussion about the required funding for a potential investment project. It is your sales pitch!

Developing business cases offers real advantages:

The business case helps to identify and evaluate alternatives and to compare their relative costs and benefits. A business case is a tool for strategic planning and decision-making.

The purpose of the business case is to outline the organization's plan for the project - risk, return, the investment required, time and financial break-even and other elements.

Aligning stakeholders expectations to the project's approach, outcomes and benefits of an initiative.

It increases the likelihood of a project's success.

The business case can be turned into a project plan. It highlights the project's milestones and how to apply the project resources.

It is easier to see success.

The strategy section puts the business case into context, explaining why the organization is looking to invest.

The justification gives a detailed breakdown of the costs, revenue, and net impact of the investment, presenting the case for the investment.

It explains the risks and opportunities associated with the recommendation.

Six Business Case Examples

These six business case examples highlight the different business cases organizations are developing to grow their business.

1. Infrastructure Business Case Example

This business case example is an economic business case to justify infrastructure projects or significant industry or sector projects.

Major infrastructure projects take many years to build and cost multiple billions. They also employ thousands of workers at their peak. Along the investment journey, several business cases are developed until the final business case is approved. To create the best possible business case, multiple options are explored and analyzed. Then the shortlist options are evaluated in detail to recommend the best option. These types of business cases also address environmental impacts.

Three types of business cases are developed in high-risk, high-value projects:

The preliminary business case or feasibility study can be more than 1,000 pages, including appendices and costing several million dollars. The full business case can cost many millions and taking at least 12 months to develop and include significant community consultations during the process.

Here is the Infrastructure Business Case for the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel project.

2. New Product Business Case Example

This business case example justifies the investment to introduce a product or service into a highly competitive market.

The business case should address:

Strategic positioning of the new product/service/innovation in the market.

Market demand and pricing.

Initial order quantities for products.

Service delivery model.

Customer service and supporting clients and channel partners.

3. Marketing an Innovation, Product or Service

This business case example supports the marketing strategy for an innovation, new product or service.

The business case demonstrates to prospective buyers how to justify the purchase. In addition, it explains the return on investment (ROI) from purchasing the new technology, product or service.

4. Customer Experience Business Case Example

This business case example recommends a project or initiative to improve client experience.

The business case makes the recommendation for the decision-makers to approve the project, funding and resources. It explains:

* How the client experience will be improved

* Quantities the strategic, financial and client outcomes.

* Determines the return on investment (ROI).

* Recommends the implementation approach.

5. Business Expansion and Government Grant Business Case

This business case example justifies the investment to expand and diversify the business and secure government grants.

The business case addresses:

The expansion strategy and the proposed investment.

The market demand, export growth and import replacement.

The roadmap to expand the business.

The jobs growth from the investment.

The outcomes for the industry or sector.

How the grant will bring forward the investment.

Why the government grant is needed.

How the business will fund its contribution.

6. Investment (Equity or Finance) to Scale-up the Business

This business case example seeks to raise an equity investment or finance a business or joint venture.

The business case addresses:

* The opportunity and return on investment for the investor or financier.

* How the business or joint venture will scale up and achieve the projected growth.

* Details where the funding will be applied in the business, such as capital, working capital, operating expenses, etc.

* Explains the return on investment (ROI) from the investment.

Successful Business Case Examples

Chase Consulting has been developing business cases for over twenty years. A common characteristic of our successful business cases is that we followed the 5 STEPS framework for developing business cases and used a comprehensive set of business case templates. This approach ensured that we created high-quality business cases; it saved us time and increased our productivity.

Here are six successful business case examples:

1. Improving the customer experience

2. Accelerated investment to enter new markets

3. Equity investment to scale up the business

4. Customer service improvement

5. Service planning to meet population growth

6. Business expansion to enable revenue growth

These six business case examples were successful because they clearly articulated the:

Recommendations and the investment decision required.

Strategic, financial and social benefits.

Options and scenarios evaluated.

Project financials, we strengthen these business cases by including solid financial tools, such as Net Present Value, Rate of Return, and Pay-Back Period.

Project timing, plus the project plan and each milestone.

Major risks and mitigating actions.

Before You Start Your Business Case

If you want to be sure that your business case is the best that it can be, here are a few things that you should keep in mind:

Think of your business case as a sales pitch with robust analysis and justification - you are creating a compelling and robust business case.

The process of developing a business case - use our 5 STEPS framework

Use the right business case templates with professional formats.

Write the business case for decision-makers to approve your recommendations.

Presenting the business case as a persuasive presentation.

Consider getting business case help.

A strong business case is often more than a necessity to get your idea funded. It can be used to get you up and operational as quickly as possible.

Our Business Case Guide explains the 5 Steps to Develop a Solid Business Case.

Need the Business Case Guide?

Need Business Case Templates?

Using a set of proven business case templates will increase your productivity, save you time and improve the quality of your business case.

Plus, a high-quality business case makes your project stand out amongst the competing priorities within the organization; it may be the key to getting approval and the finances for your project.

So how do you write a high-quality business case with recommendations that stand out? You know, the evidence and recommendations that management wants to support, agree with and approve.

Here's how ...

Learning How to Write Business Cases?

The How to Write Business Cases course is designed for individuals and teams who want to build their business cases using the 5 STEPS framework for successful business cases.

The course will benefit individuals and teams from all organizations, including private and public sector, and non-profit social enterprises. You learn how to create, analyze, evaluate & communicate a successful business case to meet your organization's needs

Need Business Case Advice?

At Chase Consulting, we can help you strengthen your business case. Our framework is structured and logical.

We help you develop a robust business case. We make sure that you cover all the aspects and ensure you meet the required standards.

We help you with coaching and mentoring to create compelling, results-oriented business cases to achieve your objectives. You will achieve your objectives by having clear, results-oriented business cases.

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Five Steps to Develop a Solid Business Case with Examples - Chase Consulting Group: Innovation and Strategy Specialists

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It is becoming increasingly important for the board and senior management to focus on investments that deliver true business value. Initiatives throughout the business, including innovation; business ventures; factory relocations; new products and services; and IT investments, are accepted or rejected based on the business value they deliver.

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https://online.jcu.edu.au/blog/how-to-write-business-case
Vuonna 2020 Australialaisen Yliopiston julkaisema blogi, jossa käsitelty Business casen peruskäsitteitä. Lisäksi annettu vinkkejä ja esimerkkejä Business casen laadintaan sekä esittämiseen.

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In business, resources are finite, and opportunities come at a cost. In pursuing profit and growth, organisations continually ask themselves several questions: What projects should we invest in? What products or services should we offer? How do we best utilise resources? The answers are not simple, and they need to be supported by research, facts, and figures. To facilitate decision-making, research, facts, and data that support certain decisions are presented as a business case.

Business cases are critical pieces of project documentation that outline a business problem and provide options to solve it. The aim of a business case is to convince decision-makers that a particular course of action will result in the best outcome for an organisation.

Business cases need to be created daily within organizations. They have consequences for the individual presenting it, the department and the business at large. As such, it's critical to understand how to create and present them effectively. Here, you will discover the different types of business cases, how to write a business case and how to present one. You will also find an example of a business case and resources to help you create your own.

Business case basics

Business cases have characteristics that are similar to other types of organisational documentation. Below is information on what business cases are (and what they are not) and the different types of business cases you can produce.

What is a business case?

Every day, hundreds of different projects take place within organisations around the world. Of these projects, many are business-as-usual (BAU). BAU projects are projects the business carries out as part of their everyday activities. Outside of these, there are also special projects that don't form part of an organisation's everyday activities but are still critical. These projects may require a business case to be created.

A business case will help decision-makers understand why a special project needs to be completed and how they should do so.

Why create a business case?

Business cases perform two important functions. Firstly, they help organisations understand project options and what each will cost in terms of time, money and opportunities lost or gained.

Secondly, they show decision-makers that there is rigour behind certain courses of action. For example, a business case might show that two IT systems have been analysed but that a certain provider will fit the business's requirements better. Business cases show that decisions are based on research and facts, as opposed to one person's opinion. They can help businesses justify their spending, as well as help to protect project leads if something goes wrong.

How is a business case different from a business plan?

Business cases and business plans both help to convince key decision-makers to proceed with a certain course of action. Yet, there are critical differences between a business case and a business plan:

Business cases and project plans both present details of certain projects. Yet, there are important differences:

What are the different types of business cases?

For any business case, there are numerous stakeholders who want to have their say. These stakeholders come from different departments within a business and have different interests in the project. For example, a representative from the finance team might be most interested in whether the business can afford the project, whereas someone from the management team might be more interested in whether his or her team can deliver the project.

Catering to the differing and sometimes conflicting interests that various stakeholders can have requires a sound business case structure. One model that provides this structure is the Five Cases Model, which stipulates that a business case must be presented from five different perspectives: strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management.

How is a business case different from a project plan?

Business cases and project plans both present details of certain projects. Yet, there are important differences:

1. The Strategic Case

The aim of the strategic case is to make a case for change and show how it strategically aligns with the direction of the business. To do this, you align your project's goals and objectives with those of the business.

To present the strongest possible strategic case, outline the business problem to be solved, detail the scope of what you are trying to achieve, and describe the benefits and risks. Explain how a particular process, if successful, would contribute positively to the business overall.

2. The Economic Case

The aim of the economic case is to identify which of the options you are presenting provides the best value to the business, including broader considerations, such as social and environmental effects. This is important if you are presenting a case for a project that the public will interact with, such as developing a product or building a structure.

To present the best possible economic case, show that you've appraised multiple options (i.e. created a long list), ruled out options based on cost and value (i.e. created a shortlist), and then explored, in detail, what each remaining option provides.

3. The Commercial Case

The commercial case is the next logical step after the economic case. When looking at a project from this perspective, show that you can procure suppliers (or internal resources) and that you can do so fairly and cost-effectively. =

To present the best commercial case, anticipate the resources you need and then factor in any contingencies that might occur within the delivery of the project.

4. The Financial Case

When thinking from a financial case perspective, show that the business can afford to fund the preferred option you are presenting.

To do so, demonstrate that you have analysed the capital, revenue and whole-of-life costs of your preferred option. Do so in a structured manner, such as by using a profit and loss analysis or other financial ratio analysis.

5. The Management Case

Lastly, the management case needs to show managerial stakeholders that adequate plans are in place for the delivery, monitoring and evaluation of your preferred option.

To do this, present a plan for how your preferred option will be project managed in accordance with best practices, and also show that independent assurance is available if required. For example, consider contract management and how to ensure benefits are realised and human resources are used fairly and appropriately.

When considering how to write your business case, the Five Cases Model is useful, as it considers the perspectives of different stakeholders. Using the Five Cases Model will ensure you present a balanced business case and support agreement on your preferred option more quickly.

How to write a business case

Business cases are critical documents within organisations and can steer strategic decision-making. As such, it's important to understand how to write a business case in a structured, professional manner. Here is a list of what should be included in a business case, followed by a detailed description of each.

1. Executive summary

2. Background information

3. Project definition

4. Business Requirements

5. Option presentation and evaluation

6. Presentation of preferred option

7. Strategic alignment

8. Benefits

9. Risks

10. Project implementation plan

11. Financial Analysis

12. Resources required

13. Authorisations

14. Appendices

1. Executive summary

Business cases can become hundred-plus-page documents, so it's important to begin with an executive summary. The executive summary should include a brief description of the business problem, options presented and the preferred option.

2. Background information

Many people will have a stake in your business case, and many may have little or no context for the project. As such, you need to provide background information on the project. Background information might include why the project needs to take place, similar projects that have taken place, and what has happened in the lead up to preparing the business case.

3. Project definition

In this section, outline all of the critical details of your project. Describe your project and include details on the business problem that it will solve.

4. Business requirements

For any given project, there will be a number of business requirements. For example, did the business have preferred suppliers to work with? Did they have a budget? Did they need a return to be realised within a certain amount of time? Specify these requirements and how your project will meet them.

5. Option presentation and evaluation

The purpose of this section is to show stakeholders that you have researched different options and selected the best one for your business.

Some business cases may require that you conduct research, present a long list of options and then create a shorter list (and a final selection) based on certain criteria. For other business cases, all you will need to do is write a short description of options. What is appropriate will depend on the scale of the project.

Regardless of how you present options, show that you have evaluated them based on the criteria you have been provided. For example, you might look at the price for software, or you might consider price and features. Whatever criteria you are using, make sure you apply it equally to all options to show that you have reached a rational conclusion.

6. Presentation of preferred option

Present your preferred option. Detail why you have selected it and why it best meets the evaluation criteria. Show how it meets business requirements.

7. Strategic alignment

For projects within smaller organisations, it might be obvious how the project aligns with the strategic objectives of a business. For example, a business case for an EFTPOS machine within a restaurant allows customers to pay for their food, so it has a direct correlation with the business's cash flow. However, for larger organisations, the alignment between a particular project and the company's objectives may not be so clear.

The strategic alignment section is your chance to demonstrate how your project actively contributes to your company's broader business and strategy plans.

8. Benefits

The benefits section is crucial in a business case. Outline the clear benefits of your chosen option.

The benefits you outline should be two-fold. Firstly, they should discuss why the project should proceed in general. Secondly, they should outline the benefits of what you are recommending, so as to convince stakeholders it is the right option going forward.

9. Risks

Often, people are concerned that if they present the risks of a project in too much detail, decision-markers won't decide to move forward with a project. This isn't true. All projects involve risks, and as part of the due diligence in writing your business case, you need to present them honestly and fairly.

In this section, present the risks, including the likelihood that these risks might eventuate.

10. Project implementation plan

To approve a project, stakeholders want a clear vision of how the project will be implemented. Detail this plan here.

Give stakeholders a brief insight into how the project will proceed, which stakeholders need to be involved, what resources are required and a timeline.

11. Financial analysis

The financial analysis section of your business plan is critical in demonstrating that the project is affordable to the business, that they can fund it, and that it will deliver financial value in the short and long term.

Depending on the scale of your project, a simple analysis may be required, or conversely, you may need to go into detail and present forecasts and other financial reports.

12. Resources required

In this section, include all resources, including physical assets, intellectual resources, human resources and financial resources that your project will need.

13. Authorisations

The authorisations section details who needs to sign off on what and at what stage.

14. Appendices

The appendices house important information that doesn't belong in the body of your business case, such as more detailed research on the options you've presented, further analysis of risks and benefits, or more in-depth financial models or project plans.

Business cases are important business documents and require a detailed structure to ensure they function as they should. Including the sections detailed above will give you the best chance of creating a successful business case.

How to present a business case

Learning how to write a business case is only the first step. The next critical step is presenting it to stakeholders.

Six Tips for Presenting Your Business Case Successfully

Follow the steps below to successfully present a business case:

1. Find the right delivery mode

Finding the right delivery mode will ensure that your business case is well received by decision-makers. Think about how your decision-makers like to be engaged. Would it make sense to send them the business case file first and then present the highlights to them? Or do you want them to view your presentation with no prior knowledge of your business case? Here, consider what presentation medium you use. For example, would a short video introduction work best? Alternatively, will you use PowerPoint? If you use PowerPoint, how can you do so in a way that's convincing while providing the right amount of detail? Do you need to practice your presentation before you deliver it? Ensuring that you have all of these elements right is the first step in presenting your business case.

2. Prepare an elevator pitch

Senior stakeholders are time-poor, so it's critical to have a short, sharp elevator pitch that summarises your business case. This is important, as not everyone has time to read the business case. Ensure you have the basics covered with your elevator pitch so stakeholders can make an informed decision.

3. Create a hook

Your business case will contain many critical facts and figures. To engage your stakeholders, you will need to translate them into an emotional story. The story you create around your business case will differ from your elevator pitch. It will include how the project will benefit people. For example, you might talk about how much easier life will be for employees with a new type of software or all the happy families who will enjoy an apartment block. Creating a connection through emotion will help you make an impact and be memorable when presenting your business case.

4. Begin with the business need

Every business case should address a business problem. To get stakeholder buy-in for your business case, start by reminding them of what this problem is so they will have greater incentive to hear about your solution.

5. Make it interactive

Interactive presentations are more engaging and memorable. As such, view and deliver your business case as a discussion. To do this, regularly ask questions to specific stakeholders, and ensure you proactively answer any questions asked to you. Also, if you make your presentation interactive, you won't have to rely as much on your slides, which will make you appear more confident.

5. Follow up

Following up after your business case presentation is important, as not everyone may have had time to ask questions or felt comfortable doing so. Follow up individually, if possible, to ensure stakeholders have the opportunity to privately voice their concerns. Understanding how to present a business case is as important as knowing how to write a business case. If you follow the steps described above, you will have a higher chance of success.

Business case resources

When learning how to write a business case, it's helpful to have best-practice templates to work with. Here are some resources you can use:
Smartsheet
Smartsheet provides numerous business case templates, including one-page business case templates, construction and project management business case templates, and a PowerPoint business case template.
Safety and quality
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare provides a solid template for healthcare (and general) business cases.

The importance of your business case

Business cases have significant impacts on organisations. They help steer everything from small decisions to those that change the course of organisations forever. Learning how to craft best-practice business cases can set you up to be effective and efficient when you prepare them in the future.
Learning how to write successful business cases is one part of what success looks like as an executive in modern organisations. Broaden your horizons and opportunities with an Online Master of Business Administration from James Cook University. Learn more here.

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How to Write a Business Case: Tips, Resources and Examples

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Business cases are critical pieces of project documentation that outline a business problem and provide options to solve it. The aim of a business case is to convince decision-makers that a particular course of action will result in the best outcome for an organisation.

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Kirja löytyi Finnan kautta, mutta en ole varma saako e-kirjana. Kirjaa tuntui saavan mm. Åbo Academyn kirjastosta. Kirjan teksti on kuvauksen mukaan ammattikieltä vapaata ja helppolukuista. Asiaa on havainnollistettu todellisilla käytännön esimerkeillä ja jokaisen luvun lopussa on pohdiskelevia harjoituksia, jotka auttavat oppimisessa.

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Making the business case : proposals that succeed for projects that work

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Tässä on ladattavissa 15 ilmaista business case templaattia joita voi tulostaa ja käyttää apuna.

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Download these 15 Free Business Case Templates to help you prepare and print your own Business Case Document easily.

Business Case Templates are a set of marketing tools that aid the organization in the creation and review of business case studies. Many businesses use a template to assist in the process of determining if a specific project is worth the investment. If you're looking for tips on developing your own templates or printable versions of these templates, read on.

Importance of Business Case Templates

A business case template is essentially the entire story that describes the entire ROI for an investment. It starts with an introduction statement, then investigates what the value of resolving it or finding ways to resolve it is followed by details about the business case itself. Finally, a business case template can become a critical document for the project manager when preparing, designing and reporting its results. Following are some tips on how you can create your own or obtain a printable version.

In order to fully understand the value or business impact of your project, it's important to provide stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of its findings. It should include a written executive summary. The executive summary is designed to answer the most common questions that would be asked by stakeholders during a financial analysis or other decision making process. An executive summary should discuss the nature of the project, describe its market, give the business impact findings and explain how the project manager arrived at the final recommendations.

Most executives sum up their findings in one of two ways: recommending a recommended solution or describing a problem but not suggesting a solution. Most executives have a personal stake in each recommendation; however, the key stakeholders in any business case will want to know why the recommendation was made. For example, the largest customer may not be interested in the solution provided by the shortest path. Therefore, a lengthy explanation of the entire methodology is not always necessary. The executive summary should clearly state the recommendations and why they were chosen. For example, the Maholic case study recommends that the best solution is to implement a three fold process that provides customer, employees, and business benefits.

Using these Business Case Templates

Another way to present the business case analysis is through a series of charts and graphs. These visual presentations can accompany a written executive summary or they can be used independently. A key strategy for presenting data in Business Case Templates is to avoid presenting everything in detail. Instead, focus on identifying the problem, identifying the target customers, and quantifying the business value. In some cases, business case examples may provide supporting evidence to support each of these steps.

Business Case Templates can be tailored to all different types of projects, whether they are those that focus on software development, digital marketing, consumer research or a new product concept. The key is to carefully consider the key benefits each benefit offers the client and then to determine which action would provide the most value over the existing alternatives. By detailing the steps required to develop a new product or create a new market, an executive summary can illustrate how much effort would be required from the perspective of the client and what results might be realized if those efforts were undertaken.

The most popular templates available are those that generate Business Case Results, which are a series of charts and graphs that provide the project sponsor with an effective comparison of all of the steps and costs associated with the various options. The resulting report can serve as an executive summary or as a companion to the business case definition. It should include all of the project cost, savings, time necessary, impact on profit, business value, and other factors. Each chart and graph should be easily understood, and each should provide a concise description of the business value, as well as the impact it will have on the stakeholders. However, a good template is only as good as the template designer, and it is up to the project sponsor to make sure that the end result meets the original purpose.

Free Business Case Templates

The best business case studies are those that are designed to be used in a real-life setting and that clearly demonstrate the expected results of all of the steps and costs. This means that they should be comprehensive, detailed, and accurate. The end result should provide a complete picture of what steps would be necessary to realize a profitable outcome for the project, and it should clearly identify the targeted users, their preferences, their financial situations, their resources, their scope, and other important considerations. While it is certainly possible to use a business case study to demonstrate a point, it is also extremely important for the end result to be a realistic one that demonstrates the effective and beneficial use of the original concept.

Here is a link for this outline Business Case Template 01,

Here is a link for this outline Business Case Template 02,

Here is a link for this outline Business Case Template 03,

Reference= SmartSheet

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15 Free Business Case Templates - Free Word Templates

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Download these 15 Free Business Case Templates to help you prepare and print your own Business Case Document easily. Business Case Templates are a set of marketing tools that aid the organization in the creation and review of business case studies.

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Johdanto business caseen. Muiden youtubesta löytyneiden videoiden tavoin esittelee perusasioita.

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Introduction to Preparing Business Cases | What are the contents of a Business Case?

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Contribyten julkaisema Lean Business Case Playbook (pdf) opastaa etenemään uusien liiketoimintamahdollisuuksien kartoittamisessa iteratiivisesti

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Reino Myllymäki esittelee kirjaansa Business Case: perustele projektisi hyvin

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Reino Myllymäki esittelee kirjaansa Business Case: perustele projektisi hyvin

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Reino Myllymäki esittelee tiiviisti kirjansa sisältöä. Myllymäki mm. ehdottaa business casen sijasta käytettäväksi suomenkielisenä terminä "projektin perustelu". (ko. kirjaa ei taida päästä lukemaan verkossa, mutta tämä julkistustilaisuuden esitys vaikuttaa tosi kattavalta!)

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Ketterät Kirjat Oy Reino Myllymäen Business Case  kirjan julkistus 2019 01 18

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Tutorial business casen kirjoittamiseen

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How to Write a Business Case - Project Managment Training

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Ketteryys alkaa hyvästä Business Casesta

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Ketteryys alkaa hyvästä Business Casesta

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Lyhyt juttu business casen merkityksestä.

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Ketteryys alkaa hyvästä Business Casesta

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Projektitoiminnan ketteröittäminen sekä Lean ajattelu ovat päivän trendejä jotka nousevat esille keskustelussa kun puhutaan projektitoiminnan johtamisen kehittämisestä. Perinteisesti ketteryydelle haetaan edellytyksiä projektityökulttuurin ja projektityömallien kautta. LEAN ajattelussa haluamme holistisesti päästä pois kaikesta turhasta ja käyttää rajallinen energiamme vain siihen joka luo merkitystä ja on todistettavasti tärkeää.