Project Manager Tips & Hints

Business Case - Step 1 for a Project Manager

Business Case - Step 1 for a Project Manager

Perform an Environmental Analysis
To create a Business Case, start by identifying the core aspects of the business environment which resulted in the need for this project to take place. Examples include:

• Changes to the business vision, strategy or objectives
• Particular business processes or technologies which are not operating efficiently
• New competitor products or processes which have been identified
• Opportunities resulting from new technologies introduced to the marketplace
• Commercial or operational trends which are driving changes in the business
• Changes to Statutory, legislative or other environmental requirements.

You should collate any evidence to support the conclusions drawn above.

Complete a Problem Analysis
Then describe the business problem or opportunity to be addressed by the project.

Write a summary of the core business problem, including:

• A full description of the problem
• The reasons why the problem exists
• The elements which create the problem (e.g. human, process, technology)
• The impact the problem is having on the business (e.g. financial, cultural, operational)
• The timeframes within which the problem must be resolved.

Write a summary of the core business opportunity, including:

• A full description of the opportunity
• Any supporting evidence to prove that the opportunity is real
• The timeframe within which the opportunity will exist
• The impact that realization of the opportunity will have on the business.