Business Case Template

Structure a Business Case - Template

This mind map template helps you organize and balance the key elements of a business case, including advantages, costs, and risks, to justify your project or proposal. Start by outlining the project's objectives, followed by a detailed analysis of the potential benefits, associated costs, and any risks involved.

Use the template to ensure all aspects are thoroughly considered, providing a solid foundation for decision-making. Ideal for project planning and proposals, this template helps you present a clear and persuasive business case.

Where to next?

Where to next?

Since you have completed the outline of your business case, you can now Print or Download it or Share it with a colleague.

Project or Action

Enter the business case title

Type in the project or proposed action.

Expected advantages

Add an advantage of taking the recommended action.

For example:

• Better strategic support
• Better positioning for future opportunities
• Better long term payback

Add an advantage of taking minimum action.

For example:

• Least change or disruption
• Least additional expense
• Better short-term payback

Advantage

Add the advantage of taking no action.

For example:

• No changes or disruption
• No additional expense

How will the benefits of 'Advantage' be measured?

Is this a tangible or intangible effect?
What KPI will be used?

Expected disadvantages

Taking recommended action

Add a disadvantage of taking the recommended action.

For example:

• Negative impact on some stakeholders
• Resource demand may impact other initiatives

Taking minimum action

Add a disadvantage of taking the minimum action.

For example:

• Weaker position to take advantage of opportunities
• Problems are only delayed, not solved and will resurface again later

Taking no action

Disadvantage

Add a disadvantage of taking no action.

For example:

• No reduction in losses
• Weaker long term positioning
• Increased risk of disruption

KPI

How will the disadvantages of 'Disadvantage' be measured?

Is this a tangible or intangible effect? What KPI will be used?

Costs

Operating costs

Add a operating cost needed to sustain the effectiveness of the proposed project or change.

Include:

• New staff
• Materials
• Purchased services
• Administrative costs
• Sales and marketing costs

Capital costs

Cost

Capital costs

Add a one-time capital expenditure needed for this project.

Include:

• Capital items
• Project staff
• Contracted services
• Training

Risks

Risk

Type in a risk of Project or Action

Impact

• What would be the effects of Risk?
• Would it change the course of the project?
• Would it change the benefits, timescales or costs?

Controls

What steps are you taking to control 'Risk'?

How can you reduce the chances of it occurring? How can you reduce its impact if it does occur?

Options

Recommended action

Add an action to be taken in order to follow the recommended route.

Identify which actions are essential and which are optional.

Minimum action

Add an action to take or an item that will not change.

Include:

• The minimum actions to take (things that must be done)
• What will be left unchanged (things that could be done but will not be done)

No action

Item

Add an unchanged item

Identify something that will not change if no action is taken.

For example, 'Continue to use manual process' or 'Continue to tolerate losses in this segment'

Objectives

Assumptions

Assumption

What assumptions is the recommended action based upon?

What do you expect to change or continue to change? What do you expect to stay the same?

Alignment

Strategy

Add an organizational strategy to which this decision relates, either positively or negatively.

Strategic alignment

How does 'Project or Action' align with 'Strategy'?

Add notes about whether the proposed action supports this strategy or diverges from it.

Method

What methods were used?

Add some information about the methods used to determine the proposed action.

Include:

• Who did the research
• What input was gathered from stakeholders
• How the recommended action was identified

Stakeholders

Stakeholder

Add a stakeholder

Stakeholders are people who are involved in or affected by the decision to be made here.

Include:

• People who will see a change
• People who will benefit
• People who will be negatively affected

The need

Need

What was the need behind this project or proposal?

What problem does it solve, or what opportunity does it address?

Executive summary

Next steps:

Next step

What are the next steps you need to take, if approval is given?

Return on investment:

ROI

Return on investment

Summarise how the investment will be repaid.

Key benefits:

Benefit

Summarise the key benefits that will be obtained.

Proposed action:

Action

Type in the proposed action in a few words

Summarise the main points of the proposed action plan.

Mention:

• What problem or opportunity is addressed
• What action will be taken
• How risk will be controlled

Recommendation:

Recommendation

Type in a summary of your recommendations:

• Why is your recommendation strategic?
• Why is the balance of costs, advantages, disadvantages, and risks in favor of going ahead?

Decision required:

Decision

Decisions required

What decision needs to be taken? Do you need the approval to proceed to the next stage?

Prepared for:

Reader

Audience

Add a reader by role or name for this business case. This should be someone who can directly authorize the project or proposed action.