Effective Business Cases

The Effective Business Cases course is a 4-day course that is designed to teach students the most common disciplines and methodologies used to create and present a business case with clear, concise, and fact-based arguments that highlight project benefits, costs, and risks to win approval for projects. Students will learn the underlying structure and content of a business case as well as the role your audience plays in the development of it. Additionally, students will learn basic techniques for determining financial ROI, non-tangible benefits, and the probability of meeting expectations.

• Key elements of a business case document and presentation
• How to justify the investment to solve a business problem in a clear, concise, fact-based manner
• Basic financial metrics used within a business case, including feasibility studies and ROI analyses
• Ways to improve the odds of project approval
• Steps to prove your recommendation is "best"
• A step-by-step development process to create a business case

Business analysts, project managers, anyone who establishes business cases, and anyone who provides business justification for projects.

No prerequisites are required for this course.

1. The Case for a Business Case

• The Needs of Decision Makers
• Business Cases

2. Business Case Foundations

• Business Case Requirements
• Competition for Resources
• Business Case Roles and Responsibilities
• Business Case Content
• The Business Case and Project Portfolio Management
• The Business Case and the Product Life Cycle
• Business Case Process Overview

3. It Starts with Business Objectives

• The Role of Business Objectives
• Types of Business Objectives
• The Business Case Subject Statement

4. Comparing Alternatives: Costs

• Answering Difficult Questions about Costs
• The Cost Model
• Cost Model Categories
• Cost Assumptions

5. Comparing Alternatives: Benefits

• Answering Difficult Questions about Benefits
• The Benefits Model
• Benefit Types
• Steps for Computing Financial Benefits
• Benefits Assumptions

6. Cash Flow and Financial Metrics

• The Cash Flow Statement
• Common Financial Metrics

7. Risk and Sensitivity Analysis

• Risk Definition
• Risk Analysis for the Business Case
• Sensitivity Analysis

8. The Business Case Process

• Business Case Process Overview
• Prepare Phase
• Methods Phase
• Analysis Phase
• Report Phase

9. The Business Case Document and Presentation

• Business Case Reporting
• Business Case Content
• Executive Presentation

10. Follow-Up: What Happens After Project Selection

• Business Case Re-Evaluation
• Final Recommendations for Business Cases

Exercise 1: Be an Executive for a Day

Exercise 2: Completing a Business Case

Exercise 3: Creating Business Objectives and the Business Case Subject Statement

Exercise 4: Developing a Cost Model

Exercise 5: Comparing Alternatives: Benefits

Exercise 6: Creating an Incremental Cash Flow Statement

Exercise 7: Calculating ROI, Cost/Benefit, and Payback Period

Exercise 8: Calculating the Net Present Value

Exercise 9: Calculating the Internal Rate of Return

Exercise 10: Analyzing Risks and Sensitivity

Exercise 11: Identifying the Business Case Team and Reference Group

Exercise 12: Identifying Business Case Presentation Requirements

Student Case Study

Instructor Case Study

Please check the course description to find prerequisite information.