Many IT projects start because someone wants a solution, not because a problem is to be solved for good reason. The business case reverses the order: first the problem and expected benefit, then the solution and its cost.
Content
Starting point and problem, goals and measurable benefit, options considered including doing nothing, lifetime cost with investment, operations, licences and maintenance, risks and their impact, assumptions and a recommendation. Benefits are described as concretely as possible, such as working time saved, errors avoided or regulatory duties met, each with a measure.
Options and utility
A business case without alternatives justifies a decision already taken. Comparing realistic options, often with weighted scoring, shows why the recommended solution is best and what it costs compared with the second best.
Anchoring in HERMES
In HERMES the business case is created in initiation and reviewed at every phase transition. If costs, benefits or risks change significantly, continuation must be decided again. A business case never looked at after approval misses its purpose.
Typical mistakes
Calculating only the investment and forgetting operations and licences over the years. Claiming benefits without making them measurable. Not disclosing assumptions. And leaving out risks because they might jeopardise approval. An honest presentation protects the project later from the accusation of having been sugar-coated.