Building an Effective Business Case
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Learn the importance of carefully analyzing, creating, and communicating a successful business case in order to maximize its chance for approval. In this business analysis training course, you gain the skills to define desired outcomes, design evaluation criteria, weigh costs against benefits, and communicate a comprehensive business case to improve decision making.
You Will Learn How To
- Analyze, create, and communicate a compelling business case
- Identify and prioritize alternative solutions to align with business criteria
- Perform cost-benefit analysis
- Identify the risks associated with an initiative
Course Outline
- Introduction
- Fundamentals of a business case
- Where the business case fits into the project life cycle
- Business case as an Organization Process Asset (OPA)
- Defining the Business Case
The six-step process model
- Defining the ADAPTS business case analysis process
- Focusing on the required elements
- Examining the role and value of the steps
Identifying the benefits and risks of the process
- Business case structure and process
- Proving that benefits are realized
- Agreeing on the Scope
The two-step scoping process
- Harvesting stakeholder goals
- Clarifying the business drivers
Applying the stakeholder perception matrix
- Creating the problem statement
- Turning goals into business requirements
- Developing the Initiative
Conducting stakeholder analysis
- Identifying business-level stakeholders
- Capturing user scenarios
Deducing key decision criteria
- Constructing a compliance matrix from the scenarios
- Prioritizing criteria with affinity diagramming
Determining possible alternatives
- Practical tools for researching alternatives
- Applying key criteria to judge alternate solutions
- Comparing Costs and Benefits
Estimating costs
- Benefiting from a Cost Estimation Worksheet
- Evaluating and selecting financial appraisal methods
Forecasting benefits
- Categorizing tangible and intangible benefits
- Proving intangible benefits with a benefits rationale
Creating and applying a basic cost model
- Employing four common financial analysis tools
- Producing a cash flow model
- Managing Business Case Risk
Risk assessment methods and tools
- Recognizing the impact of time and risk
- Creating and using a risk register
- Applying a risk assessment matrix
Prioritizing risks
- Framing risk with your stakeholder analysis
- Aligning risk evaluation with stakeholder point of view
- Targeting Your Recommendation
Delivering and positioning the solution
- Three common decision-making heuristics
- Aligning the business case with stakeholders
Aligning and prioritizing initiatives
- Prioritizing and selecting alternatives
- Selecting the business case delivery methodology
- Crafting a Persuasive Business Case
Preparing the document
- Overcoming the business document paradox
- Minimizing content to get maximum results
Polishing the Executive Summary
- Exploiting the Executive Summary template
- Avoiding common mistakes
- Presenting the Business Case
Organizing your presentation
- Revisiting key decision-maker hot buttons
- Preparing the message
- Sequencing the content
- Tailoring your presentation to the audience
Selecting the delivery medium
- Communicating your case with confidence
- Templates to build powerful presentations and wall-walks
Improving the presentation
- Validating your presentation
- Generating feedback for improvement
Convenient Ways to Attend This Instructor-Led Course
Hassle-Free Enrolment: No advance payment required to reserve your seat.
Tuition due 30 days after you attend your course.
In the Classroom
Live, Online
Private Team Training
In the Classroom — OR — Live, Online
Tuition — Standard: $2745 Government: $2415
Oct 25 - 27
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EDT
Online (AnyWare)
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Nov 15 - 17
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EST
New York / Online (AnyWare)
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Jan 3 - 5
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EST
Ottawa / Online (AnyWare)
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Mar 21 - 23
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EDT
Rockville, MD / Online (AnyWare)
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Apr 25 - 27
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EDT
Herndon, VA / Online (AnyWare)
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Jun 27 - 29
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EDT
Ottawa / Online (AnyWare)
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Sep 5 - 7
(3 Days)
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EDT
Rockville, MD / Online (AnyWare)
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Guaranteed to Run
Private Team Training
Enroling at least 3 people in this course? Consider bringing this (or any course that can be custom designed) to your preferred location as a private team training.
For details, call 1-888-843-8733 or Click here »
Tuition
Standard
Government
In Classroom or
Online
Standard
$2745
Government
$2415
Private Team Training
Course Tuition Includes:
Training Hours
Training Hours
Non-Standard Course Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Exam: 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm
FREE Online Course Exam (if applicable) – Last Day: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
By successfully completing your FREE online course exam, you will:
- Have a record of your growth and learning results.
- Bring proof of your progress back to your organization
- Earn credits toward industry certifications (if applicable)
Learning Tree is an Endorsed Education Provider™ (EEP™) by the International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®). This course has been approved by IIBA as supporting core concepts and knowledge outlined in A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide).
For more information about IIBA Continuing Development Units (CDUs) and how to register them with the IIBA, plea
Enhance Your Credentials with Professional Certification
Learning Tree's comprehensive training and exam preparation guarantees that you will gain the knowledge and confidence to achieve professional certification and advance your career.
This course is endorsed by IIBA for Professional Development Hours (PD Hours) and Continuing Development Units (CDUs). For additional information and to confirm which courses are eligible towards your IIBA certification, click here.
Earn 17 PDUs
PMI, the Registered Education Provider logo, PMP, CAPM, PMI-ACP,
and PMBOK are marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
This course is approved by PMI® for 17 professional development units (PDUs). For more on the Project Management Institute and a full list of courses approved for PDUs.
Technical : 9 PDUs
Business & Strategic : 8 PDUs