The topic focused on software for quality in manufacturing. All project team members will be available during the project timeframe. After youve homed in on the problem area, you need to define the business case for the six sigma project approach youre considering. For example, if your business case suggests the implementation of a new marketing strategy as a means to enter new markets, you should definitely take the time to meet with the marketing team in order to ensure that the processes contained in your business case can be feasible implemented by marketing personnel.
The business case is developed during the early stages of a project. Building a business case for your next it project is a good way to show not only what your company could save, but what your project is worth. Business case shows why a project makes financial sense to your company. A business case helps to determine whether or not a project justifies an organizations investment into a project. Below, we illustrate the steps to writing one that. This business case outlines how the web platform wp project will address current business concerns, the benefits of the project, and recommendations and justification of the project. It provides the information necessary to determine whether a project is worth the required investment. A business case is created before a project is ever initiated. Properly building a business case for erp software investment can be challenging without first understanding the fundamentals of erp. Usually, a business case analysis is developed by the stakeholders of the business or a project. When a business analyst is preparing a stage 1 business case and a technical options analysis by it services indicates that the recommended option will involve procuring software from a third party supplier, then a meeting should be called to discuss and agree the. But building a business case for sharepoint poses specific challenges because much of its roi is intangible. Your readers look at the business case as a tool for making gono.
The department of technology support and training tst at eberly college of business. Generally, a successful business case leads to a purchase or an rfp. It often involves software updates, new systems, and increased personnel. Build a business case for project management software in 6 steps. A business case is the way you prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the product youre pitching is a sound investment. A business case also known as a business need defines a problem or opportunity, measures the effect of a project that solves a problem or exploits an opportunity, and clarifies the costs and benefits of a proposed plan. The panel included vendors offering software for quality improvement and quality management systems. This guide explains the format and content of a business case document and the processes involved in its. How to build a business case for an enterprise software. The options for meeting demand include buying new equipment, the expansion of an. Break down the costs associated with the software purchase and implementation.
In the project business case example provided above, weve attempted to show an early stage business. You need a business case when you have to justify a resource or expenditure on a project. When constructing a business case for project management software, be sure your argument includes the following elements. Looking for a free business case for software template. This business case template takes your projects to the next level. For example, a software project might decrease processing time for a specific task, and the business case may be that the existing staff can serve additional clients without adding additional resources. All developer and project team will have specialized skills and knowledge about new technology required by the project. After a vendor has been chosen, a second business case may need to be drafted to approve the specific purchase. If you cannot make a business case for the software, an upgrade isnt going to fly with your management either. Typical business case examples brighthub project management. Information technology business case development pdf. Funding is available for purchasing hardwaresoftware for. One reallife business case example comes from a company that produces oil burners for auto repair or body shop facilities.
Our free business case template provides a sound foundation for developing the business case for your next project. Sometimes, its not easy to quantify benefits and disadvantages of a project. Since this howto guide covers a lot of ground and is a long read you may want to check out the table of contents below for. At this stage, you arent looking to define the project but rather to. The business case template adapted from buttrick, the project workout, p. A simple business case template will help to create a clear, concise presentation that will relate to stakeholders and others who may not have your expertise when it comes to your project. It helps project stakeholders with project planning and decisionmaking. A business case is an instrument used to justify a proposed project that requires some type of capital expenditure. Instructions in blue italics are included for each section. Some focused on getting funds for specific it projects, while others wanted high level buyin for strategic decisions, and a few needed to justify. A business case is the first step of a long journey.
In the second business case, refer to the original document and any responses made in the approval process. Project level data for business cases may include annotated engineering reports, water or energy audit. Provide a brief overview of what youll cover in the following sections. Developing a business case for any it investment is a complicated exercise. We have also provided a business case example in our media gallery that talks about improving a process. Hurons business cases are structured proposals that outline the benefits and considerations of an initiative to add informational and analytical value to decision making. They may be removed prior to document submission indicate whether it is a software or hardware business case. Download our free business case template to help you prepare for your. Building a better business case for buying software posted by robert kugel on feb 27, 2014 8. As project planning begins and more assumptions are identified, they will be added accordingly. For example, if youve discovered that switching to new form of project management software could result in increases in productivity and accountability then you might focus on giving your audience the answers theyre looking for.
Define the problems youre facing andor the goal youre trying to achieve. How to build a successful business case for an it project. The business case for project portfolio management software. How to build a business case for project management software. This business case template takes your projects to the. This includes both physical costs, such as the number. Writing the business case helps you describe or characterize the issues and estimate the potential value of improvement projects. The gkb business case team looks forward to feedback from the it evaluation committee concerning the usefulness of this business case to the committees decision, along with suggestions for future improvements to the process of business case development.
Learn how to build a business case and secure funding for an investment in project management software. Whether youre looking to purchase your teams first project management pm software or looking to upgrade your current system, youll have to put together a business case to justify the investment to executives though many business leaders believe that pm technology is critical to. Quantify the impact of recommendations provide analysis to support and justify the. How this manifests itself will differ from one project to another and from one organization to another, depending on the complexity of each. A business case is a formal document that describes the business reason for initiating a software development project.
Hurons business cases are structured proposals that outline the benefits and. It details the allocation of capital and resources to execute the plan, as well as the benefits for initiating the project or task. It does so by presenting the business need and a costbenefit analysis. Develop a project plan with short, medium, and longrun goals.
These managers started with a wide range of personal motivations and needs. A business case analysis is made to present ways on how the requirements of a program or a project can be provided in a timely manner to ensure the smooth flow and effectiveness of the entire program life cycle. The first business case is designed to get approval for the project, allocate budget funds and assign staff. This document presents 3 business cases developed over the course of the 12 weeks that huron was engaged by uwsa. How to write the business case for six sigma dummies. How to write a business case business case template. Even if you make a business case for the software, that case must mesh with other plans you may not know about. For example, one company had a paperbased expense reporting system. At its core, erp is a process by which wholesalers or distributors manage data and integrate key business functionality to improve productivity. The purpose of a project business case is to provide justification for a project to be undertaken.
Building a better business case for buying software. An important question was raised from the audience. In some instances, enterprise deployments may start in just one facility or a few and then scale across the organization over time as value is proven. Teams need a solution that supports the collaborative nature of the modern workplace, while at the same time provides all the capabilities one would expect from a traditional project and portfolio. This business case template is the input document to obtain approval of a solution request. Information technology it business case credibility and. A good business case captures and documents the reasoning for starting a new project. Think of it as weighing up the pros and cons and then taking a sensible decision. Ali indiana university of pennsylvania indiana, pa, usa. A simple business case template is one that should be free of excess jargon without talking down to the reader. When it comes to an rfp software business case, the project sponsor. A business case document is a formal, written argument intended to convince a decisionmaker to approve some kind of action. A business case is the justification for some activity e.
When we purchase software for improving quality or any other function, we have to justify the cost. The business case also discusses detailed project goals, performance measures, assumptions, constraints, and alternative options. Assume a managed services company regularly receives requests to provide custom software development. Use our business case template to start developing. Making a compelling business case there are a number of elements that would be useful in helping decision makers to make a robust business case for new software the primary requirement for making a strong business case is also the primary reason decision makers say they cannot do so. Try and get the online pm tools you need to manage your project from start to finish.
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