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. This session explores the pre-writing tools needed to justify the recommendation, provides writing guidelines, and reviews a proven template for increasing your chances of getting a positive outcome.

ONE-DAY WORKSHOP

For 6 to 20 participants at your place of business

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WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

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.

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

YOU 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.

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Course Code: WSJ702

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