Build a Comprehensive Business Case

Do not fill in this field

Enter no text in this field

Get Instant Access
to This Blueprint

Business Email

Full Name

Company

Phone

Job Title

Determining project ROI is difficult because:

Many ideas are half baked
No one defined what they meant by project ROI
The requestor expects the PMO to come up with the business case for their project

Trying to develop ROI for projects without input and guidance from your leadership team and finance department is a sure-fire way to fail.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Financial analysis is not the business case, but it makes your business case defensible. The outputs of various calculations are critical to standardize a business case process. However, finance is part science and part art. The business case should transparently represent the assumptions built into the analysis and should overtly explain what those numbers mean, and what the implications of the numbers are, to the audience reviewing the documentation.

Impact and Result

Collaborate to define the necessary KPIs and calculations for the business case standard.
Have a clear and agreed upon RACI for the business case process.
Determine when it makes sense to invest the resource time and money to develop a comprehensive business case.

Build a Comprehensive Business Case Research & Tools

1. Build a Comprehensive Business Case Storyboard – A step-by-step document that walks you through how to properly develop a defensible business case.

Use this research to understand the finance basics, determine business case governance and when a business case is necessary, complete business case analysis, and build a comprehensive executive business case presentation.

2. Business Case Classification Matrix – An excel tool to help you determine the right criteria to evaluate the rigor necessary around the business case process.

Use this tool to classify your projects to help determine the appropriate queue for business case development.

3. Comprehensive Business Case Analysis Tool – An excel tool to complete your business case financial analysis.

Use this tool to help develop steering-committee-ready deliverables for your projects with business case needs.
Features of the Comprehensive Business Case Analysis Tool include: a configurable calendar and cost/benefit allocation cadence (e.g., months, quarters, or years), the ability to develop a cost-benefit analysis from one-to-four options, and a robust set of graphs and reports that can go into a presentation template.

4. Executive Business Case Presentation – A PowerPoint template to aggregate your business case analysis into a consumable and concise format.

Use this template to put your analysis into a consumable and concise format. Bring the requestor, sponsor, and BA or BRM together to craft the presentation you will be articulating to the leadership team.

Onsite Workshop: Build a Comprehensive Business Case

Onsite workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Define the Current State

The Purpose

Align stakeholders on terminology and goals

Key Benefits Achieved

Develop stakeholder buy-in for the process rationale

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Review the business context

1.2

Identify the current pain points around business case development

SWOT Analysis

1.3

Become familiar with business and finance terminology

Business Case Process Start-Stop-Continue

1.4

Understand the key elements of a business case

Goals for the business case process

Module 2: Develop Business Case Framework and Governance

The Purpose

To clarify roles and responsibilities

Key Benefits Achieved

Develop a repeatable and enforceable business case process

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Develop a Business Case Classification Matrix

Business Case Classification Matrix

2.2

Determine responsibility, accountability for the business case, as well as who should be consulted and informed

Business Case Process RACI

2.3

Draft a workflow to detail the business case development and approval process

Business Case Development Workflow

Module 3: Pilot the Comprehensive Business Case Analysis Tool

The Purpose

Pilot a project for the business case development process

Key Benefits Achieved

Get familiar with Info-Tech’s Comprehensive Business Case Analysis Tool

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Brainstorm a candidate to pilot

Comprehensive Business Case Analysis

3.2

Set up the comprehensive business case analysis tool

3.3

Populate the project costs

3.4

Populate the ongoing maintenance costs

3.5

Review the results of the analysis

Module 4: Develop an Executive Business Case Presentation

The Purpose

Articulate the analysis and benefits of your pilot project to the leadership team

Key Benefits Achieved

Get familiar with Info-Tech’s Executive Business Case Presentation

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Determine the appropriate audience and forum for the business case presentation

Executive Business Case Presentation

4.2

Craft a presentation using the Executive Business Case Presentation template and make the final recommendation

4.3

Develop a roadmap to operationalize the process for business case development

Process Implementation Roadmap

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.