Course Overview
A business case is a tool for projecting the financial and business consequences of an organisational initiative. Organisations can miss valuable opportunities and make less-than-optimum decisions because of poorly constructed and communicated business cases.
In this course, you carefully analyse initiatives to construct a clear business case that enables organisations to make better decisions. You also apply a library of tools and templates for real-world application. Throughout this course you are immersed in a computer- and video-enhanced experience which simulates a real-world business case analysis that yields tangible work products and deliverables. Activities include:
- Developing and presenting a real business case
- Analysing your stakeholders
- Applying key interview skills
- Determining user scenarios for the proposed process or product
- Identifying and prioritising alternative solutions
- Performing cost benefit analysis
- Capturing and prioritising risk using a business case Risk Register
- Prioritising alternative solutions to align with key business criteria
- Creating a persuasive executive summary
Audience
Business analysts, project managers and anyone who creates business cases to justify investment in a program, product, or purchase; plus business and technical evaluators who evaluate and report on business cases.
Skills Gained
You Will Learn How To
- Analyse, create and communicate a successful business case to meet your organisation's unique needs
- Translate a concept or initiative into a range of viable options for achieving organisational goals
- Identify and compare costs and benefits of alternative solutions
- Apply risk assessment techniques to forecast and mitigate potential problems
- Prioritise alternative solutions according to key decision criteria
- Present the business case effectively to critical stakeholders to gain acceptance
Course Outline
Introduction
- Fundamentals of a business case
- Where the business case fits into the project life cycle
- Recognising decision makers
- Business case as an Organisation Process Asset (OPA)
Defining the Business Case
The six-step process model
- Focusing on the required elements
- Examining the role and value of the steps
Identifying the benefits and risks of the process
- Clarifying the business drivers
- Proving that benefits are realised
Scoping the Business Case
The two-step scoping process
- Harvesting stakeholder perceptions
- Collecting the business requirements
Applying the stakeholder perception matrix
- Creating the problem and opportunity statement
- Writing business requirements
Detailing the Initiative
Conducting stakeholder analysis
- Identifying business-level stakeholders
- Eliciting tacit knowledge from stakeholders
Analysing user scenarios
- Structuring and interpreting the scenarios
- Diagramming as an effective tool
Analysing Your Options
Developing possible alternatives
- Practical tools for researching alternatives
- Investigating your options to derive alternate solutions
Comparing costs and benefits
- Categorising tangible and intangible benefits
- Evaluating and selecting financial appraisal methods
Forecasting benefits
- Creating a benefits rationale
- The impact of time and risk
Applying basic cost models
- Four common financial analysis tools
- Creating a cost model
Managing Risk in Your Business Case
Risk assessment methods and tools
- Creating and using a risk register
- Applying the risk assessment matrix
Prioritising risks
- Framing risk with your stakeholder analysis
- Aligning risk evaluation results with stakeholder point of view
Prioritising Alternative Solutions
Examining decision processes
- Evaluating three common decision-making models
- Heuristics: rule-based decision making
Delivering and positioning the solution
- Prioritising and selecting alternatives by key decision criteria
- Aligning the business case with decision processes
- Selecting the business case delivery methodology
Crafting a Persuasive Executive Summary
Preparing the document
- Outlining the format and contents
- Overcoming the business document paradox
- Minimising content to get maximum results
Polishing the summary
- Avoiding common mistakes
- Applying fundamental tools and techniques
Presenting the Business Case
Organising the presentation
- Revisiting key decision maker hot buttons
- Preparing the message
- Sequencing the content
- Tailoring your presentation to the audience
Selecting the delivery medium
- Communicating your case with confidence
- Templates to build powerful presentations and wall-walks
Improving the presentation
- Validating your presentation
- Practising your role
- Generating feedback for improvement
Follow On Courses
- 315 Developing User Requirements
- 280 Finance & Accounting for Non-Financial Managers
- 247 MBA Essentials
- 252 Strategic Planning
- 219 Business and Report Writing
- 319 Technical Writing Comprehensive Introduction
- 381 Business Process Re-engineering
- 284 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- 288 Change Management: People and Process
