What is a Business Case?

What is a Business Case?

What is a Business Case? Jonathan Poland

A business case is a document that presents a proposal for a project, strategy, or course of action. It is designed to provide stakeholders with the necessary information to decide whether to invest in a project. Essentially, a business case is a pitch that outlines the potential benefits and costs of a proposed course of action. The following is content that commonly included in a business case.

Problem Statement
The background of the project framed as a problem statement. Explains why the project is proposed.

Financial Analysis
A budget proposal and an analysis of return on investment, payback period and other financial projections.

Success Criteria
How the project will be deemed a success or failure.

Alternatives
Alternatives to the project including detail around what happens if you do nothing. Consider the opportunity costs of the proposal.

Approach
High level requirements that define what is to be done.

Assumptions & Constraints
State all assumptions and constraints upon which your analysis is based no matter how obvious they may seem. Anticipate the wants and needs of stakeholders and explicitly state what is out of scope of your analysis.

Risks
Identify potential negative outcomes that will impact your proposal or the project.

Recommendations
Suggest a way forward including milestone dates.

Brand Authenticity Jonathan Poland

Brand Authenticity

Brand authenticity is the degree to which a brand accurately represents itself and its values to consumers. It is the…

Brand Engagement Jonathan Poland

Brand Engagement

Brand engagement refers to the interaction between a customer and a brand, and can be used as a way to…

Liquidity Risk Jonathan Poland

Liquidity Risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that a financial institution or company will not be able to meet its financial obligations…

Product Risk Jonathan Poland

Product Risk

Product risk refers to the potential for negative consequences that may result from the development, production, or use of a…

Labor Specialization Jonathan Poland

Labor Specialization

Specialization of labor involves dividing work into specific roles or tasks, with the goal of improving productivity, efficiency, quality, and…

Crypto Jonathan Poland

Crypto

There are these new things in the world called crypto-currencies. You’ve definitely heard about them by now. The most famous…

Capital Financing 150 150 Jonathan Poland

Capital Financing

Capital financing is a critical aspect for businesses, particularly when it comes to development and expansion. It involves raising funds…

Product Analysis Jonathan Poland

Product Analysis

Product analysis is the process of evaluating a product for the purpose of product development, review, or purchasing. This evaluation…

Strategic Advantage Jonathan Poland

Strategic Advantage

A strategic advantage refers to a position that gives a company an edge over its competitors and makes it likely…

Learn More

Risk Tolerance Jonathan Poland

Risk Tolerance

A risk is the possibility of an adverse event occurring, while a trigger is the root cause of that event.…

Bottleneck Jonathan Poland

Bottleneck

A bottleneck refers to a point of constriction or reduction in capacity that can limit productivity, efficiency, or speed. It…

Time To Market Jonathan Poland

Time To Market

Time to market is an important metric for businesses because it can affect a company’s ability to remain competitive and…

What Is Innovation Capital? Jonathan Poland

What Is Innovation Capital?

Innovation capital is a form of intellectual capital that refers to the resources and processes that an organization uses to…

Ingredient Branding Jonathan Poland

Ingredient Branding

Ingredient branding, also known as component branding or parts branding, is a marketing strategy that focuses on promoting the individual…

Business Development Skills Jonathan Poland

Business Development Skills

Business development is a term that is often used to refer to sales jobs. However, it can also refer to…

Risk Mitigation Jonathan Poland

Risk Mitigation

Risk mitigation is the process of identifying, analyzing, and taking steps to reduce or eliminate risks to an individual or…

Best Industries for Selling B2G 150 150 Jonathan Poland

Best Industries for Selling B2G

The best industries for companies that want to acquire a government contract or grant are those that are aligned with…

Proof of Concept Jonathan Poland

Proof of Concept

A proof of concept (POC) is a demonstration that a certain idea or solution is feasible and likely to be…