Business Case Assurance Resources

Guide To Writing A Compelling Business Case

The information in this guide is intended for general purposes only. For more specific guidance around your organisation’s projects, please get in touch with our team.

In this section, you will find:

Business cases represent the argument for changing from the status quo to something better. As organisations determine where to put their next investment of resources and money, it can be a challenge to get good ideas into action. The business case captures the thinking and planning into one artefact that will help those in charge decide whether to push go or not.

In this guide, we’ll talk about some of the important aspects of business case writing – because a good idea is only the first part of the challenge of putting things into practice. Drawing upon our time providing assurance around business cases, we’re able to offer some common themes and suggestions to help you.

Managing risks in a project portfolio IQANZ

Be clear about who needs to be involved

Prior to any drafting taking place, you need to know who is involved with the business case (and potentially the project/programme long term). This is important because, without such roles, the responsibility for each element of the business case will be left ambiguous. This often leads to delays in completing the work and getting it submitted to a leadership team for approval.

Your group on the business case should involve people that can speak to the financial, procurement, risk, technology, project management, people, commercial engagements and any other part of the proposed business activity. While there may be multiple people involved with completing each section of the business case, there needs to be only one owner for each of these, all accountable to the senior responsible owner (SRO).

If these roles aren’t articulated and understood, you’ll be struggling to wrangle information from people in a timely manner.

Work out who will write the actual business case

Writers, doers, researchers, contributors – they don’t all need to be the same people. Some in the business are experienced subject matter experts (SMEs), but aren’t the best to write the business case draft (either through different skill sets or simply time constraints).

Don’t automatically assume that each section of the business case will be the result of that owner’s own research and writing alone – they will likely interface with trusted personnel across the organisation to best meet the brief.

Someone – preferably a skilled business case writer – should ensure the whole business case flows together and contains all the elements required. They should also review and refine each section as required. However, the draft contributions to the business case will likely come from different sources. Sometimes business analysts write drafts from the information they collect.

Who will gather or supply information?

And with some in the group writing the document (these may or may not be the ‘owner’ for that section), there will be others that will gather information (in the business case group/team) and plenty more who will supply information.

The suppliers of information can come from many places including:

  • Business leaders and stakeholders
  • Financial team
  • Risk analysis personnel
  • Procurement
  • IT staff
  • Potential vendors
  • Business Analysts
  • Market research

The important thing to remember is that you need people actively seeking out answers and information and gathering this in a way that’s easy to build a draft from. You will need your people to have a sense of the questions to ask these sources first to retrieve the right kinds of information. This is why the team associated with developing the business case needs to meet regularly between them prior to gathering material.

Structuring a business case clearly

One of the secrets to effective business case writing is in how the information flow is handled. Like a movie, book or song, the business case is telling a story. There needs to be an effective introductory section that outlines the reason for creating a business case. Then, the scene needs to be set for the environment that this proposed investment would be delivered in. Then, with the scene set, the business case should identify what the problem or opportunity is, what could be done to resolve it, and which out of those options, is the best. The rest of the business case then goes about illustrating the plan – how it will be paid for, who will be engaged, how the project will be managed, the bread and butter of delivery.

From the plan, it’s time to identify and alleviate the concerns with business risks – all those things that could or will happen that have the ability to impact the project’s success. The business case needs to highlight these and address them at the same time – ensuring that the proposed activity won’t be derailed by them.

With the case put forth, the document may then move to the ‘next steps’ which gives the business clear direction on what needs to happen to get this proposed work into action.

The pillar of your business case – the argument for change

The business case at its core is demonstrating why a certain change needs to happen. Creating the case for change should be reinforced throughout the business case, from the introduction to the financial case to the management plan and even risks. Risks don’t just need to be those associated with doing the project, but the risks the business is facing by not doing the proposed activity.

Change comes about when there’s either a compelling threat or opportunity – or both to be addressed. An organisation should have strategic goals designed to improve its function whether that’s to generate revenue, grow reach, or serve the taxpayer (in the case of the public sector). Business cases should align with these strategic objectives at a high level. For example, the strategy may be to better serve the New Zealand public with their access to their personal information, and the business case may be for the establishment of a new secure user portal. This alignment helps business cases resonate with decision-makers who will often have KPIs closely tied to these imperatives.

A well rounded business case

A business case isn’t simply an action plan; it speaks to every aspect of that project’s feasibility, affordability and practicality. Make sure your business case includes analysis and proposed approaches to all elements of that initiative.

A good guide is Treasury’s Five Case Model. It requires the team to review the proposed activity from a number of key perspectives:

  • Strategic Case
  • Economic Case
  • Commercial Case
  • Financial Case
  • Management Case

Starting with these headlines is a great foundation on which to build a successful business case – public sector or not. IQANZ helps organisations to build business cases around these areas regularly, so get in touch with us if you’d like more help with these.

Writing with a clear acknowledgement of the ‘customer’ – who will this benefit and how?

Every meaningful change in an organisation will have a positive impact on an ‘end user’ or ‘customer’. In the case of the public sector, that will be New Zealand – businesses, people, communities etc. For a private enterprise, this might be the paying customer or the shareholder.

A business case that’s written well, knows who it’s trying to help in its proposed activities. That is best established through the introduction and case for change – how will what’s being pushed forward in this document actually help the end user that the organisation deems a priority?

It’s not just the case for change that should consider the customer, though. Each element, including the commercial case, can all have knock-on effects in some way. A good example of this is the tax dollars that fund an initiative and the responsible use of these to generate the best outcomes at the best value for money. In other words, choosing good but not overpriced suppliers and resources.

How will what you’re doing make a measurable difference in your target customer’s life? Answer this question in your business case.

Writing in plain language

We’re delighted to see the growth in the popularity of plain language across the board. The government has been promoting the adoption of plain language throughout departments for many years, with a bill even put forth in recent years to formally promote its use in official documents and websites.

A business case should be no different. Convoluted language simply creates a bigger mental load for readers. And with most decision makers on your business case also having to read other lengthy documents throughout the week, any way to make it easier (and shorter) to read should be used. Please, no more 300-page business cases!!

Plain language doesn’t mean ‘dumbing down’ or oversimplifying. Rather it’s a matter of writing with efficiency and direct purpose. Your business case will probably be lengthy if the investment is considerable or complex, but there’s no need to make things longer with verbosity.

Showing an understanding of the organisations’ broader strategic initiatives

Does your business case refer to the organisation’s long-term strategic objectives? Having the benefits of your proposal aligned to what senior leadership, board or a minister have mandated as the 12 months, 3yr, 5yr objectives is a direct way to contextualise the value of what you’re putting forth. The business case that’s untethered to these strategic outcomes requires decision-makers to draw their own connections. If they aren’t immediately obvious, the business case might be at risk of failing. If it doesn’t fit with the established plan, it has to be pretty special to get considered.

A business case should be pushing towards an already-established strategic objective in most cases unless there’s a time sensitivity around it, such as a sudden market change. If the organisation is finding that many business cases are coming through that are compelling but misaligned, it perhaps may be a sign that the strategic objectives need further assessment or that the organisation needs a better understanding of its direction.

Demonstrating research of the current landscape

A business case doesn’t just talk about the project itself but the world in which that project will take place. What teams in the business will be impacted? What other projects are currently going on that may overlap or interact with this one? Are there obstacles the business is facing that this business case is acknowledging? Are there mandates from the minister or board that may impact the proposed investment?

The research into the current landscape will also include things like the availability of internal and contract resources, the timeframes quoted by 3rd party vendors and other more specific details on delivery.

All combined, this broad view of the organisation’s current status and how it corresponds to the proposed work will help the business case resonate better with decision-makers who are likely acutely aware of these factors and may even have KPIs directly related to these.

Discuss your business case with us

IQANZ have been providing business case assurance to some of the most complex public and private organisations in New Zealand. We know both from experience and our proven methodologies the elements that create a compelling business case. If you’re wanting assurance on your own business case, start by contacting our team to discuss.

Where to next?

Read our other business case resources:

Managing risks in a project portfolio 1

The Better Business Case framework explained

What is the Better Business Case Framework? We explain this in our guide.
Learn More >>

Designing a portfolio delivery plan IQANZ

Business Case Sign off process

Progressing a business case through approval involves a number of stakeholders and considerations. We discuss these in our guide.
Learn More >>

Guide to portfolio governance IQANZ

Guide To Writing A Compelling Business Case

Writing a business case should provide a clear, engaging argument for business activity that will drive positive outcomes.
Learn More >>

Business Case Checklist IQANZ

Business Case Checklist

Download Business Case Checklist.
Learn More >>

Building a balanced project portfolio IQANZ

How To Present A Business Case In Person

Presenting a business case in person is usually a part of any proposed investment for an organisation.
Learn More >>

Secret to successful portfolio delivery IQANZ

Why Business Cases Get Denied

Sometimes a business case doesn’t get through the proposal stage. We share some reasons why.
Learn More >>

Prioritising projects in an organisation IQANZ

Reviewing A Business Case

Checking a business case is ready for presentation and approval is more than crossing t’s and dotting i’s. We suggest some ways to ensure a thorough check.
Learn More >>

Latest Business Case Articles