Project Services- Robust Business Cases

Robust Business Cases

Overview

Xelocity’s Robust Business Case methodology is founded on practical hands on experience and best practice, namely, UK’s Five Case Model and the State of Victoria’s Investment Logic Mapping, closely aligning our approach with New Zealand Treasury’s Better Business Cases framework. Our methodology provides the basis for establishing a proven, repeatable and scalable approach to support robust business cases being prepared for all projects.

Our experience, supported by global data, shows that robust Business Cases consistently display the following key attributes:

Founded on a problem or opportunity that represents real (strategic) value
Demonstrates a high degree of objectivity combined with rigorous analysis and evaluation
Takes a "whole-of-life" approach and addresses biases with respect to overstating benefits and understating costs and timelines
Considers alternative options with an identified preferred solution
Contemplates all necessary arrangements for the successful delivery and realisation of benefits

Why Robust Business Cases?

Organisations often suffer from an absence of robust business cases or use business cases as a tick box exercise without rigour or detailed analysis. However, a robust business case is a vital ingredient for optimum investment decision making, setting projects up to succeed, and realising benefits.

Robust business cases will answer the following questions:

Why are we considering this proposed investment?
How will it contribute strategically?
How is value going to be achieved?
How certain is it that the stated value will be delivered?
What is required to set the investment delivery up to succeed?
Who is accountable for the delivery of the value?

The Business Case must set the subsequent delivery and benefit realisation of the project up to succeed. The Wrappers™ Model provides the framework for effective benefits management with Business Cases playing a central role in the Model.

Fundamental to our methodology is to offer a ‘how to’ capability that guides an organisation through a process to develop robust business cases.

The image below dictates an example of such a high level process:

Benefits of Robust Business Cases

The primary benefits our clients and global research have attributed to robust business cases cover the following:

Repeatable and scalable process
Business Case assurance
Portfolio prioritisation and selection decision making
Strategic contribution ("doing the right things and doing them well")
Focus on benefits and organisational value from the very beginning
Project delivery performance
Benefits realisation

Delivering Value

We provide a range of Business Case services, all focused on generating robust Business Cases for your organisation:

Business Case Framework™ - A proven and pragmatic ‘how to’ capability encompassing a complete set of processes, templates and the Business Case Toolkit™
Two-day Training Course - A powerful two-day course that covers all aspects of developing a robust business case. An in-company option is available to customise the course for your organisation
Business Case Development - The placement of one of our experienced business case developers who, using our proven Business Case Framework to lead the development of a robust business case
Facilitation and Support - Engagement of our consultant(s) to support your organisation to develop a robust business case
Assurance - The independent and rigorous review of your business cases and/or process to provide assurance that the business case is "fit for purpose"
Business Case Capability Programme - A comprehensive programme that integrates our Business Case Framework, a selection of the above services, with your organisation’s existing practices. The emphasis is placed on training and coaching your staff to build and establish a sustainable capability to consistently develop robust business cases