Business Case Development

Overview

Developing a Business Case is more than just the numbers; you also have to sell yourself. So how do you package your business case to make a compelling presentation? This Short Course is not only about the tools and techniques required to justify a business case from a technical and financial point of view, it is also about the presentation skills required to sell your Business Case altogether.

Topics Covered

Understanding the Audience requirements

• Understanding your communication style in relation to the audience.
• How to present in the wider context of operational performance.

Exercise:  Identify your own communication style.

Review the business case structure

• The five essential elements of building a compelling business case.

Exercise:  Identify strengths and weaknesses of a business case structure

Financial concepts

• Key ratios decision makers expect
• Typical financial jargon explained
• The methodology behind key financial metrics, such as IRR, NPV, WACC.

Exercise:  Applying key ratios and evaluating results

Understanding the Cost of Capital

• The purpose of applying the cost of capital
• Common applications of the cost of capital
• The calculation
• Common pitfalls

Methods and Assumptions

• Incremental cash flows vs full value data
• Benefits rationale
• Assumptions, data sources, scope and boundaries

Exercise:  Identifying incremental cash flows

Packaging the Presentation

• Cash flow model
• Cost models
• Sensitivity and risk analysis
• Non-financial results
• Avoiding common pitfalls

Exercise:  Understanding Business Case Essentials

Communicating the Business Case

• Factors to consider in your presentation
• Factors to consider in preparing a report
• Choosing your graph, visuals and other intelligible displays
• Questions to be anticipated

Who should attend

This Short Course will be relevant to business analysts and strategic planners, marketing, IT managers and project directors including those responsible for preparing project proposals and capital spending decisions.

Outcomes

This Short Course gives attendees an understanding of how to build and present a business case in a compelling and accurate manner, by discussing what should be included in a business case, how to demonstrate the value to your organisation from the outcomes of the case and how to link those returns with the organisation’s strategic objectives.