Business Case Studies: Valuable Tools

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

A business case is the strongest tool available for persuading senior management to buy into your recommendation. And it can’t be done effectively without a great deal of thinking going into the process.

When senior managers are deciding whether or not to go ahead with a proposal, they need to feel confident that the recommended proposal has been carefully considered and is the best approach under the circumstances.  That’s the role of a business case.

This workshop provides the tools and techniques required to build a strong business case so you increase your chances of success. We explore the pre-writing tools needed to justify the recommendation, provide writing guidelines, and review a proven template for increasing your chances of getting a positive outcome.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• All those who must write business case studies to justify large expenditures of money, resources or time
• All those who must compete for funding for projects or equipment purchases

PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN TO:

• Build data and substance into your business case
• Organize your arguments in a logical fashion
• Write persuasively
• Present your case study with authority

COURSE OUTLINE

The Role of the Business Case

• Understanding the differences between business cases, proposals and recommendation reports
• Understanding the factors that will increase your chance of success
• Knowing when, why, and who should be involved in the preparation of business cases
• Deciding on how much analysis is required
• Identifying the holes or inconsistencies in your arguments
• Improving your ability to communicate the purpose of the project

The Components of a Business Case

• Exploring the ingredients of an effective business case study
• Preparing a detailed current state assessment
• Describing the project and its scope
• Undertaking a SWOT analysis
• Comparing alternatives
• Discussing benefits
• Analyzing risks
• Using PERT or Gantt charts to reflect timing
• Making the solution visually understandable

The Writing Style of a Business Case

• Organizing the data to meet the reader’s needs
• 7 steps for writing clearly and concisely
• Writing powerful executive summaries
• Handling difficult areas
• Using persuasive writing techniques
• Using a 10-step success checker

The Appearance of a Business Case

• Choosing the appropriate window dressing
• Fielding questions
• Using visual aids

Presenting Your Business Case

• Slide Deck Versus PowerPoint

METHODS TO BE USED:

Participants will be involved in individual and group exercises and discussions.

Prior to the session, the facilitator will work with the client to build a case study for the participants to work on during the workshop.