Consideration of Business Case
The exact forum for the approval of your business case will depend on the nature of the proposal, however, the most typical route within the department will be via the Senior Management Team meeting.
Canvassing Support
Almost all projects involve elements of change which have the potential to cause anxiety or discomfort for those affected by it. More often than not it is beneficial to secure buy-in from a broad range of 'decision-makers' before submitting a business case for consideration. It is not uncommon for projects to stall when people feel 'out of the loop' (legitimately or otherwise) or where they perceive that the project might have a particular impact on their area of activity.
While your business case need not explicitly reference any consultations before submission (except for the Project Sponsor), it is advisable that you attempt to discuss your proposal informally with appropriate colleagues before submission.
Submit your Business Case
When you are happy with your business case, you should consult the secretary to the relevant committee or meeting to request that an item on the agenda be assigned to consider the proposal. It is crucial that members of the meeting have sufficient time to read the business case in advance of the meeting so you should expect to submit your proposal two weeks before the scheduled meeting.
It is likely you will be asked to present your proposal in summary at the meeting, allowing members of the opportunity to probe further into the proposal and seek any clarification before making a decision.
The committee will have three options available to it:
- Approve - Support the business case and agree that the project move onto the next stage (the Project Initiation Document)
- Refer - The committee may refer the business case back to the project lead for further work or may decide that it would be more appropriate that it be submitted to another committee for consideration
- Reject - The committee may decide that it does not see merit in proceeding with the opportunity presented
Decision-making Process
The role of the deciding committee is to assess the proposal against the wider strategic objectives of the department, the risk associated with it and the opportunity cost of proceeding with the project.
In deciding whether or not to green-light a project, the committee will consider the proposal against the following criteria:
- Is there a sound strategic rationale aligned with the mission and strategy of the department?
- Does the option deliver value for money?
- Will the project lead to a positive return on investment?
- Is the opportunity financially viable?
- Can the resource (human and financial) for the project be obtained?
- Is there confidence that the project will be delivered successfully?
The committee will award a RAG Rating against each of these questions which will be used to determine the next step (as above).
What next?
Your next stage will depend on the response to your business case. If you have been given the approval to proceed to the next stage, click to develop your Project Initiation Document (PID). If you have been asked to review your business case, return to the previous page.