Making the Case for Change: Using Effective Business Cases to Minimize Project and Innovation Failures

The best time to stop projects or programs that will not be successful is before they are ever started. Research has shown that the focused use of realistic business case analysis on proposed initiatives could enable your organization to reduce the amount of project waste and churn (rework) by up to 40 percent, potentially avoiding millions of dollars lost on projects, programs, and initiatives that would fail to produce the desired results. This book illustrates how to develop a strong business case which links investments to program results and, ultimately, with the strategic outcomes of the organization. In addition, the book provides a template and example case studies for those seeking to fast-track the development of a business case within their organization.Making the Case for Change: Using Effective Business Cases to Minimize Project and Innovation Failures provides executive teams and change agents with the information required to make better business case decisions. This book can be used throughout the life cycle of the project to assist with gaining a better understanding of the following key knowledge areas for developing a business case:

Understanding the present problem/improvement opportunity
Documenting how the project, program, or initiative will add value to the organization
Validating the data and the assumptions that the projected improvements are based upon
Calculating the level of confidence that can be placed upon the conclusions that are reached
Assessing the alternative solutions that were considered
Weighing the costs vs. the benefits of the proposed initiative
Analyzing and mitigating the risks to completing 100 percent of the project‘s goals
Eliciting and prioritizing the requirements of key stakeholders and subject matter experts
Identifying the key people that are involved in the proposed project and the skil

H. James Harrington, Christopher F. Voehl, Frank Voehl