Business Case PreparationBased on materials prepared by Marty Chakoian martysemeron.comWhy do a business case? Validationdoes what you want to do make sense? Communicationa formal way of making sure everyone who needs to know, does. Solicitationhow are you going to compete for funds?Preparing a Business Case Note - A variety of ways of structuring WA DIS Guidance SUNY Albany “And justice for All” example New Zealand Shared Workspace example No one way is correct Be aware of relevant guidance Agencies can be picky about formats in this areaParts of a Business Case Problem/Opportunity What is the problem you are trying to solve? What is the need that is going unmet? Who wants it? Why? Include external drivers and changesParts of a Business Case Options What are the realistic ways the problems could be solved or opportunity addressed? What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the options? Consider level of detail in answering these questions: do you need a formal cost/benefit analysis for each option?Parts of a Business Case Proposed Solution What is your proposed option? How will it solve the problem or address the opportunity? What is the rationale for choosing it over all others? Parts of a Business Case Project Definition Get to the details of what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. Address schedule, budget, project management and governance What makes you think you can be successful? Are there models or examples to draw from?Parts of a Business Case Benefits What are the benefits to the public or to your constituent base? What are the benefits to your organization? How can you quantify those benefits?Parts of a Business Case Success Criteria What are the measurable outcomes? How and when will you measure them? What levels do you expect to achieve? To whom will you be reporting the results?Parts of a Business Case Assumptions Be explicit Obstacles How will you overcome them? Risks How will you mitigate them?Parts of a Business Case Cost/benefit analysis Document assumptions Dont overlook the disruption that comes with change Achieve a positive net present value or be prepared to explain why notParts of a Business Case Conclusions Recommendations Next Steps