lean business case presentation

• Strategy Templates

Consulting Templates

• Market Analysis Templates

• Business Case

• Consulting Proposal

All Templates

How to write a solid business case (with examples and template).

Table of contents

What is a business case, business case vs. business plan, how to structure your business case, how to write a business case.

• Business Case PowerPoint template

ROI calculator template

• Key elements of a strong Business Case 

Frequently asked questions

Nearly every new project requires approval—whether it's getting the green light from your team or securing support from executive stakeholders. While an informal email might suffice for smaller initiatives, significant business investments often require a well-crafted business case.  This guide, written by former consultants from McKinsey and Bain, will help you write a compelling business case. It provides the steps and best practices to secure the necessary support and resources for a successful project. 

A business case is a written document (often a PowerPoint presentation) that articulates the value of a specific business project or investment. It presents the rationale for the project, including the benefits, costs, risks, and impact. The main objective is to persuade internal stakeholders to endorse the project.

A business case answers the questions:

• Why should we do this?
• What is the best solution?
• What will happen if we proceed with this investment decision?  

Business cases can serve many purposes, but here are a few common reasons for developing one:

• Implementation of a new IT system
• Launching a new product line
• Construction of a new manufacturing plant or data center
• Opening new retail locations or expanding into international markets
• Implementation of new compliance and risk management systems
• Acquiring a competitor or a complementary business
• Investing in building a new capability 
• Obtaining additional resources for an ongoing initiative
• Deciding whether to outsource a function

Simply put, a business case justifies a specific project or initiative, while a business plan outlines an entire business's overall strategy, goals, and detailed planning.

Investors use a business plan to make informed decisions about investing. It details the financial, strategic, and operational aspects of a business, helping investors assess the potential return on investment. In contrast, a business case is narrowly focused on a particular project or initiative. It helps stakeholders evaluate the potential impact of that specific project on the business. Both documents require thorough research, careful writing, and effective presentation.  Here's an overview of their differences:

Before writing your business case

The fate of your project or initiative will usually lie with a small group of decision makers. The best way to increase your chances of getting a green light is to engage with stakeholders, gather their insights, and build support before writing the business case. Use their input to construct a rough draft and present this draft back to key stakeholders for feedback and approval. Only once you have understood their priorities and concerns should you proceed with writing the final business case.

To get buy-in from your stakeholders, you must tell your "story" so that it is easy to understand the need, the solution you're proposing, and the benefits to the company. Generally, decision-makers will care most about ROI and how your project aligns with the organization's strategic goals – so keep those issues front and center.

In our experience, the business case structure below is the most logical and effective, but you should generally use whatever format or template your company uses. If no templates exist, use the structure below and find a solid template (you'll find a link to a template later in this post).

Whatever structure or template you apply, remember that your story needs to be clear above all else.

Let's go through each of the 10 sections one-by-one:  

1. Executive Summary

A one-page summary providing a concise overview of the business case.

Highlight the key points, including the problem or opportunity, proposed solution, and expected benefits.

We recommend structuring your summary using the Situation-Complication-Solution framework (See   How to Write an Effective Executive Summary ) . The executive summary should be the final thing you write.  

2. Background and context

Start with the why. Outline the situation and the business problem or opportunity your business case addresses. Clearly describe the problem's impact on the organization.

This section may include an overview of the macro environment and dynamics, key trends driving change, and potential threats or opportunities. Share data that conveys urgency . For example: Is customer satisfaction dropping because of a lack of product features? Is an outdated IT system causing delays in the sales process? Are you seeing growing competition from digital-first players in the market? Are you seeing an opportunity as a result of changing customer needs?

3. What is the problem?

This is a key part of your business case. Your business case is built from your analysis of the problem. If your stakeholders don't understand and agree with your articulation of the problem, they'll take issue with everything else in your business case.

Describe the underlying issues and their solutions using data. You might include customer data, input from end users, or other information from those most affected by the problem.

4. High-level solution and vision

Start with a high-level description of the solution. Clarify the specific, measurable objectives that the project aims to achieve. Ensure these objectives align with the organization's strategic goals.

5. Option analysis

You have now answered the question: Why should we do this project? - and you have outlined a compelling solution.

In this section, you identify and evaluate different options for addressing the problem. Include a "do nothing" option as a baseline for comparison. Assess the pros and cons of each option, considering factors like cost, feasibility, risk, and potential benefits.

See a more in-depth article on how to think about and present risks in our blog post " Mastering Risk Mitigation Slides: A Best Practice Guide with Examples ".

Slide summarizing various options for a new IT system. Example from Slideworks Business Case Template Slide

6. Recommended Solution

Solution Details Propose the preferred solution based on the options analysis. Describe the solution in detail, including scope, deliverables, and key components. Justify why this solution is the best choice.  

Benefits Describe the benefits (e.g., cost savings, increased revenue, improved efficiency, competitive advantage). Include both tangible and intangible benefits, but focus on benefits you can quantify. Your stakeholders will want to know the financial impact.

Be very clear about where your numbers come from. Did you get them from colleagues in Marketing, Finance, HR, or Engineering? Stakeholders care about the sources for these assumptions and are more likely to trust your numbers if they come from (or are validated by) people they trust.

Cost Analysis In this section, you provide a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the proposed solution. Include initial investment, ongoing operational costs, and any potential financial risks.

Compare the costs against the expected benefits to demonstrate return on investment (ROI).

7. Implementation plan

Outline a high-level plan for implementing the proposed solution . Include key milestones, timelines, and dependencies. Describe the resources required, including personnel, technology, and funding.

Roadmap example - New digital venture. Slideworks Business Case Template

8. Risks and mitigations

In this section, you highlight potential risks and uncertainties associated with the project. Try to focus on the most important risks (you don't need to account for every potential scenario). These typically include those affecting cost, benefits, and schedule, but they can also include risks to the team, technology, scope, and performance.

Be realistic when you write this section. Transparency will gain the confidence of stakeholders and will demonstrate your foresight and capability.

Consider ranking your identified risk areas according to "likelihood of risk" and "impact of risk" (as shown in the example below). Then, propose mitigation strategies to manage and minimize risks.

Example of Risks Slide - Slideworks Business Case Template

Risks and mitigation slide - Slideworks Business Case Template

9. Governance and monitoring

Establishing a clear governance structure ensures that there is a defined hierarchy of authority, responsibilities, and accountability. A definition of the following  groups and roles are often included:

• Steering Committee : A group of senior executives or stakeholders who provide overall strategic direction, make high-level decisions, and ensure that the project aligns with organizational goals.
• Project Sponsor : An individual or group with the authority to provide resources, make critical decisions, and support the project at the highest level. The sponsor is often a senior executive.
• Project Manager : The person responsible for day-to-day management of the project, ensuring that the project stays on track, within budget, and meets its objectives. The project manager reports to the steering committee and project sponsor.
• Project Team : A group of individuals with various skills and expertise necessary to carry out project tasks. The team may include internal staff and external consultants.

You might also define what monitoring and reporting mechanisms that will be used to track the project's progress, identify issues early, and ensure accountability. These mechanisms often include specific Project Management Tools, ongoing status reports, and meetings.

10. Recommendations and next steps

In this last section, you summarize the key points of the business case and make a final recommendation to the decision-makers . Remember to Include your ROI number(s) again and repeat how your project aligns with the organization's strategic goals.

Consider ending your business case with a final slide outlining the immediate actions required to move forward with the recommended solution.

Business Case PowerPoint template

An effective business case requires both the right content and structure. A strong template and a few best practice examples can ensure the right structure and speed up the process of designing individual slides.

The Slideworks  Business Case Template for PowerPoint follows the methodology presented in this post and includes 300 PowerPoint slides, 3 Excel models, and three full-length, real-life case examples created by ex-McKinsey & BCG consultants.  

Often, companies have a preferred method of calculating a project's ROI. If this is not the case, you should use the one most appropriate to your project—break-even analysis, payback period, NPV, or IRR.

This free " Business Case ROI Template for Excel " can help you calculate project ROI and decide which method to use.

Key elements of a strong Business Case  

Involve subject-matter experts To develop a comprehensive business case, draw on insights from experts who understand the problem's intricacies and potential solutions. Involve colleagues from relevant departments such as R&D, sales, marketing, and finance to ensure all perspectives are considered.

Involve key stakeholders Get input from all relevant team members, including HR, finance, sales, and IT. This collaborative approach ensures the business case is built on verified expert knowledge. Encouraging teamwork and buy-in from internal stakeholders helps build a strong foundation of support.

Understand audience objectives Align your business case with the company’s strategic objectives and future plans. Clearly demonstrate how the project supports long-term company success. Consider the competition for resources and justify the investment by showing its relevance and importance.

Set a clear vision Communicate the purpose, goals, methods, and people involved in the initiative clearly. Detail what the project aims to solve or achieve and its impact on the organization. This clarity helps stakeholders understand the overall vision and direction of the project.

Be on point Be concise and provide only the necessary information needed for informed decision-making. Base your details on facts collected from team members and experts, avoiding assumptions. This precision ensures your business case is credible and actionable.

Check out our Go-To-Market Strategy post to take the next step on bringing your business idea to life.

What is the difference between a project business case and a project charter?

A project charter and a business case are distinct but complementary documents. The business case is created first and serves to justify the project's initiation by detailing its benefits, costs, risks, and alignment with organizational goals. It is used by decision-makers to approve or reject the project.

Once the project is approved, a project charter is often developed to formally authorize the project, outlining its objectives, scope, key stakeholders, and the project manager's authority. A summary of the business case is often included in the project charter.  

How long should a business case be?

A comprehensive business case doesn't have a specific page count but should be detailed enough to clearly communicate the project's benefits, costs, risks, and alignment with organizational goals. For small projects, it may be a few pages; for larger or complex projects, it typically ranges from 10-20 word pages (30-50 slides), excluding appendices. Sources: Harvard Business Press - Developing a Business Case 

Download our most popular templates

High-end PowerPoint templates and toolkits created by ex-McKinsey, BCG, and Bain consultants

Create a full business case incl. strategy, roadmap, financials and more.

• Market Analysis

Create a full market analysis report to effectively turn your market research into strategic insights

• Market Entry Analysis

Create a best-practice, well-structured market study for evaluating and comparing multiple markets.

Related articles

Mastering Risk Mitigation Slides: A Best Practice Guide with Examples

Risk Mitigation Slides are an effective and efficient way to summarize your risk management strategy by assessing, prioritizing, and planning for risks. In this post, we will explore various risk mitigation slides and offer a few tips and tricks for building your own.

Jul 30, 2024

Complete Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy Framework with Examples

This guide, written by ex-Mckinsey and Bain consultants, teaches you how to craft a go-to-market strategy based on a proven framework.

Jul 13, 2024

How to Write Recommendation Slides Like a Consultant (Examples and Template)

In this article, we discuss what a Recommendation slide is, how it is different from a Next Steps slide, and how to create a best practice version with examples from McKinsey, BCG, and Bain decks.

May 9, 2024

• Consulting Toolkit
• Business Strategy
• Due Diligence Report
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Digital Transformation
• Product Strategy
• Go-To-Market Strategy
• Operational Excellence I
• Operational Excellence II
• Operational Excellence III
• Consulting PowerPoint Templates

• How it works
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

© 2023 Slideworks. All rights reserved

Denmark : Farvergade 10 4. 1463 Copenhagen K

US : 101 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor 10013, New York

SAFe lean business case

Create a lean business case for your portfolio epic based on SAFe agile practices

KEY FEATURES

Having one standardized and organized method to keep track of all of your portfolio epics is essential to successful  lean portfolio management . Moreover, adopting SAFe practices allows you to manage opportunities and risks via lean business cases that are implemented through the  build-measure-learn SAFe Lean Startup Cycle . With this template, you’ll be able to document a business case based on a benefit hypothesis and a defined MVP, rather than a speculative ROI that would require the full potential investment. With Confluence, you can organize all of your portfolio epic documentation in one space, making it easy to analyze inputs, record decisions, and keep everyone aligned to a common objective. Read more on the  SAFe epic article .

• Why Confluence?

How to use the SAFe lean business case template

Step 1. determine the scope and details of the epic..

The creation of the business case is usually the primary responsibility of the epic owner. Before diving into the creation of your lean business case, set the stage for this portfolio epic. Make sure you are creating the lean business case at the right time. It is part of the analyzing phase of the  portfolio Kanban  system. Too early would create waste, and too late risks making investments without understanding the context. First, decide who will be involved in the proposal, to ensure that all sponsoring stakeholders are included. Then, concisely describe the epic, define how the success of the epic will be measured in the Business Outcomes Hypothesis, and establish what leading indicators will be used to indicate progress. This will help you determine the scope of the epic, and most importantly, how to define your MVP. Make sure to include any background analyses you conducted, and leave space to capture the final go/no-go recommendation.

Step 2. Create the lean business case.

Once you’ve laid down the groundwork, you’re ready to write the lean business case. Start by using the  Epic Hypothesis Statement  to describe the epic. This provides a short and concise way to define the business rationale, or the “why” of this Epic. Then define what is in and out of scope for this epic, as well as any nonfunctional requirements. Then define the MVP that will be used to test the hypothesis, as well as potential features this MVP will spawn Estimate the cost, preferably in the same currency used to run  participatory budgeting . Don’t forget to provide an estimate of the overall cost of the Epic, once the MVP is successful. Lastly, document the kind of value return that is expected from the investment in the epic.

Step 3. Document any supporting data.

Document the solution analysis that was carried out during the analyzing phase. Reference any additional resources, links, and supporting evidence so other team members and stakeholders can access it easily. Ensure that the attachments are labeled, using the Notes and Comments section to jot down any miscellaneous evidence. All of this informs the upcoming go/no-go decision. Be careful of information overload. The lean business case was created to make the process of laying out a business case faster and to make the review process easier. Attaching too many support documents in this field can slow down the reviewers and negate some of the benefits.  Alternatively, this space can be used to document notes during your team planning meetings.

Step 4. Keep the epic up to date.

As analysis and implementation of the MVP continue, keep the lean business case up to date to facilitate any portfolio review meetings or future portfolio funding.

Related Templates

Aws architecture diagram.

Visualize your infrastructure to better identify weaknesses and pinpoint places for refinement.

1-on-1 meeting

Run 1-on-1 meetings and maintain productive working relationships.

Brainstorming

Plan, run, and document a remote brainstorming session for your next great idea.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

The Right Way to Present Your Business Case

• Carolyn O’Hara

Get key stakeholders on board with one effective presentation.

You’ve already put a great deal of work into preparing a solid business case for your project or idea. But when it comes to the critical presentation phase, how do you earn the support of decision makers in the room? How do you present your case so that it’s clear and straightforward while also persuasive?

• Carolyn O’Hara is a writer and editor based in New York City. She’s worked at The Week, PBS NewsHour, and Foreign Policy. carolynohara1

Partner Center

Drive Agile Value with SAFe Lean Business Case

• On May 18, 2023
• By David Usifo (PSM, MBCS, PMP®)

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a proven and widely-adopted methodology that helps organizations scale Agile practices across all levels of the enterprise.

One of the key aspects of implementing SAFe successfully is the Lean Business Case. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Lean Business Case in SAFe, its importance, components, and best practices for creating, reviewing, and updating it.

Table of Contents

Basics of the Lean Business Case

A Business Case is a formal document that captures the rationale behind a proposed initiative, project, or investment.

It outlines the expected benefits, costs, risks, and other relevant factors, providing a basis for informed decision-making.

Lean thinking  is an approach focused on maximizing customer value while minimizing waste. In the context of a Business Case, this means focusing on the most critical information and minimizing unnecessary complexity.

A Lean Business Case is a streamlined, hypothesis-driven version of a traditional business case, emphasizing agility, learning, and adaptability.

Key elements of a Lean Business Case include:

• A clear hypothesis statement
• Assumptions and dependencies
• Financial analysis
• Risks and mitigations
• An implementation plan

The Role of the Lean Business Case in SAFe

The Lean Business Case plays a crucial role in the SAFe framework, supporting several core principles:

• Aligning strategy with execution : Lean Business Cases help ensure that initiatives align with an organization’s strategic objectives and focus on delivering value.
• Decentralizing decision-making : By providing clear and concise information, Lean Business Cases empower teams and stakeholders to make informed decisions at all levels of the organization.
• Embracing a culture of continuous learning : Lean Business Cases encourage organizations to test hypotheses, learn from feedback, and adapt their plans accordingly.

In the SAFe implementation roadmap, the Lean Business Case is integrated with the Portfolio, Large Solution, and Program levels, fostering collaboration and decision-making among stakeholders .

Components of a SAFe Lean Business Case

The SAFe Lean Business Case is made up of the following components:

1. Hypothesis Statement

The hypothesis statement is the foundation of the Lean Business Case. It succinctly captures the problem or opportunity being addressed, the proposed solution, the target market and customers, and the success criteria for the initiative.

2. Assumptions and Dependencies

Documenting assumptions and dependencies helps to identify areas of uncertainty that may impact the success of the initiative. This includes business, technical, and organizational assumptions, as well as dependencies on other projects or initiatives.

3. Financial Analysis

The financial analysis provides an estimate of the costs, projected revenues, and financial returns associated with the proposed initiative. 

Key metrics include Return on Investment (ROI), Net Present Value (NPV), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). A sensitivity analysis can also be included to assess the impact of changes in key variables.

4. Risks and Mitigations

Identifying, prioritizing, and mitigating risks is essential to ensure the success of the initiative.  Risk assessment  involves examining potential threats, their likelihood, and their potential impact, as well as defining appropriate mitigation strategies.

5. Implementation Plan

The implementation plan provides a high-level timeline, resource requirements, key milestones, and governance structure for the proposed initiative. This helps stakeholders understand the scope, complexity, and dependencies of the project.

Creating a Lean Business Case in SAFe

1. steps to create a lean business case.

• Gather input and data from stakeholders : Engage with key stakeholders to gather insights, data, and perspectives that will inform the Lean Business Case.
• Develop hypothesis statement : Define the problem or opportunity, proposed solution, target market, and success criteria.
• Identify assumptions and dependencies : Document the assumptions and dependencies that underpin the hypothesis statement and financial analysis.
• Conduct financial analysis : Estimate costs, projected revenues, and financial returns, and perform sensitivity analysis.
• Assess risks and define mitigations : Identify and prioritize risks, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Create implementation plan : Outline the timeline, resource requirements, key milestones, and governance structure.
• Review and refine the business case : Engage with stakeholders to review, refine, and validate the Lean Business Case.

2. Tips for Creating an Effective Lean Business Case

• Focus on the most critical information : Identify the key elements that stakeholders need to understand and make decisions.
• Be concise and clear : Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary complexity or jargon.
• Use visuals to convey information : Leverage diagrams, charts, and other visuals to present information in an easily digestible format.
• Iterate and update as needed : Continuously refine the Lean Business Case as new information becomes available, and learn from feedback.

Reviewing and Approving a SAFe Lean Business Case

1. roles involved in the review and approval process.

• Portfolio Steering Committee : Ensures alignment with strategic objectives and oversees portfolio-level decision-making.
• Lean Portfolio Management : Provides guidance and support for Lean Business Case development and evaluation.
• Enterprise Architects : Assess technical feasibility and alignment with enterprise architecture standards and practices.
• Other relevant stakeholders : Contribute insights and expertise to inform the decision-making process.

2. Criteria for Evaluating a Lean Business Case

• Alignment with strategic objectives : The proposed initiative should support the organization’s strategic goals and priorities.
• Financial viability : The financial analysis should demonstrate a positive return on investment and acceptable levels of risk.
• Feasibility and risk : The initiative should be technically and organizationally feasible, with manageable risks and appropriate mitigations in place.
• Capacity and resource availability : The organization must have the necessary resources and capacity to execute the initiative successfully.

3. Decision-Making Process in SAFe

SAFe emphasizes collaborative decision-making, continuous exploration and learning, and adaptation based on feedback.

In the context of Lean Business Cases, this means that stakeholders should work together to evaluate proposals, identify opportunities for improvement, and make informed decisions about whether to proceed, pivot, or cancel initiatives.

Monitoring and Updating the Lean Business Case

Regular monitoring and updating of the Lean Business Case are essential to ensure that it remains accurate and relevant as the initiative progresses and new information becomes available.

This includes tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress against success criteria, conducting periodic reviews and updates, and incorporating lessons learned and feedback from stakeholders.

1. Importance of Monitoring and Updating the Lean Business Case

• Ensures alignment with evolving strategic objectives and priorities
• Provides an opportunity to learn from feedback and adapt plans and assumptions as needed
• Maintains transparency and accountability across the organization

2. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Track Progress

• Financial metrics (e.g., Return on Investment (ROI), Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR))
• Operational metrics (e.g., delivery milestones, resource utilization)
• Customer value metrics (e.g., customer satisfaction, market share)

3. Periodic reviews and updates

• Conduct regular progress reviews with stakeholders
• Update the Lean Business Case to reflect changes in assumptions, risks, or other factors
• Revise the implementation plan, financial analysis, and risk mitigation strategies as needed

4. Incorporating Lessons Learned and Feedback

• Gather insights and feedback from stakeholders throughout the initiative lifecycle
• Use this information to refine the Lean Business Case, improve decision-making, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the SAFe implementation

The SAFe Lean Business Case is a vital tool for aligning strategy with execution, fostering collaboration and informed decision-making, and promoting a culture of continuous learning.

By following the best practices outlined in this article, organizations can create, review, and update their Lean Business Cases effectively, ensuring that they deliver maximum value and minimize waste.

Embrace the Lean Business Case to drive success in your SAFe implementation and achieve your strategic objectives.

David Usifo (PSM, MBCS, PMP®)

David Usifo is a certified Project Management professional, professional Scrum Master, and a BCS certified Business Analyst with a background in product development and database management.

He enjoys using his knowledge and skills to share with aspiring and experienced Project Managers and Business Analysts the core concept of value-creation through adaptive solutions.

Related Posts

Understanding SAFe Lean-Agile Principles for Business Agility

A Guide to Empirical Process Control in Scrum

A Guide to Agile Software Development Team Structure

The Essential Guide to Agile Release Burndown Charts

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Add Comment  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

Privacy Overview

Lean Business Case

A Lean Business Case (LBC) helps you to get the minimum viable information required to make a decision for investment of time, money or other resources. This template helps groups of people to accelerate collaborative definition of the key elements of an LBC before distilling it into a simple one-page LBC.

We recommend you use this template to:

set up an introduction meeting with contributors,

allow them time to capture inputs asynchronously,

regroup to discuss and decide on what's most important in the template,

distill into a format suitable for your decision making processes.

Watch a video

• Agile Workflows
• Design Sprints
• Strategy & Planning

Submit your template →

Do you have a great board to share with the world? We' ll help you turn it into a template to share with the community.

Similar templates

Hybrid by Design: Workplace of the Future

SDG Impact Jam

Filter by Keywords

10 Free Business Case Templates in PowerPoint & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Every great project kicks off with a solid plan. But before diving into that plan, you need a clear and concise business case to back it up.

Here’s some good news—we’ve got you covered with top-tier business case templates you can use in ClickUp and Word.

What is a Business Case Template?

What makes a good business case template, 1. clickup business case analysis template, 2. clickup business plan template, 3. clickup business plan document template, 4. clickup lean business plan template, 5. clickup case study template, 6. clickup case study design template, 7. clickup business analysis project plan template, 8. clickup business development plan template, 9. powerpoint business case template by slidemodel, 10. business case presentation template by 24slides.

Think of a business case template as your project’s passport. A business case template details the “why’s” and “how’s” of a project or proposed business change—its benefits, cost, risks, objectives, and more.

Whether pitching an idea or seeking approval, a business case template provides the structure you need.

A compelling business case template isn’t just about numbers; it paints a clear picture. It showcases benefits, draws attention to potential risks, and defines clear objectives.

Moreover, a solid business case template is versatile, user-friendly, and adaptable to various business needs. In fact, several business case templates use a similar structure to answer or address these areas:

• Executive Summary : It gives a brief overview of the project, the overall objectives, and expected outcomes
• Problem Statement : Clearly defines the problem you’re facing and what needs to be solved
• Proposed Solution : This outlines your proposed solution in detail and includes how it will solve the problem
• Cost Benefit Analysis : This provides a detailed breakdown of the associated costs with the solution and the potential financial benefits
• Project Timeline : Outline the timeline for implementing the solution, including key milestones—basically anything that will help the project manager keep things on track
• Risk Analysis : Identify potential risks and how they will be mitigated
• Conclusion : Summarize why the proposed solution is the best choice for the business

10 Business Case Templates to Use in 2024:

Below are our favorite business case templates on the market today.

Diving into a new project demands a solid foundation. And what better way to lay it than with a well-structured business case? But crafting such a document can be challenging. Enter ClickUp’s Business Case Analysis Template : your ultimate solution!

This business case template is your assistant to visualizing and comparing different approaches to a business problem swiftly, determining the viability of your project with a cost-benefit analysis, and pinpointing key factors to the success of your business case.

Use our business case template’s custom statuses to monitor the progress of your business case analysis, and create custom fields so you can approach that business case analysis systematically. You can view different facets of the business case analysis as a Doc View, a Gantt chart, a Calendar View, or simply a list of tasks.

Bring ClickUp’s full suite of project management tools to bear as you map task dependencies to feasible due dates, then track business case progress automatically using AI-powered automations. These features are part of what makes ClickUp some of the best operations management software available.

This business case template allows you to identify your business problem and outline your business objective in ClickUp Tasks. Then, brainstorm together in ClickUp Docs to identify potential solutions for your business case.

Finally, design your roadmap and assign tasks to the team. You can automatically monitor the progress on your business case with your custom statuses and set up regular check-ins on the project calendar.

Are you embarking on a new business case? Navigate seamlessly with ClickUp’s Business Case Analysis Template.

Every flourishing venture begins with a robust business plan. It’s not just about having an idea but charting a clear course to bring it to fruition. ClickUp’s Business Plan Template simplifies this journey, providing you an efficient route to outline:

• Crystal clear goals and mission
• Comprehensive strategy, along with an execution timeline
• Performance checkpoints, risk alerts, and success metrics

Envision it, and ClickUp’s template will guide you to actualize it!

Why is a Business Plan Template essential? With ClickUp’s Business Plan Template, you can:

• Zero in on your precise objectives and aspirations
• Profile your target audience and their sectors
• Highlight your edge over competitors
• Craft a strategy aimed at exponential growth
• Write an executive summary to give investors a high-level overview of all your research

This meticulously designed business case document uses custom statuses so you can navigate from in progress through the revisions stage and finally mark each task as “complete!”

Organize your tasks with custom fields, and switch between views to emphasize different information based on your priorities.

ClickUp’s robust project management package lets you tag multiple teammates, nest subtasks in larger tasks, and set priority indicators.

This business plan template is set up so you can brainstorm your objectives with your team in ClickUp Docs and then itemize your product’s unique selling point in ClickUp Tasks. Execute your objectives on time and budget with the help of ClickUp’s Gantt charts. At the end of your proposed project, revisit your accomplishments with ClickUp Goals to see where you hit the target and where you may need to revise your approach.

If business success is your destination, ClickUp’s Business Plan Template is your map.

Crafting an impeccable business plan can be an intricate journey, given its importance in rallying investors and stakeholders. But what if there was a tool to simplify and enrich this journey?

Meet ClickUp’s Business Plan Document Template , your ally in:

• Unifying your team towards a shared vision
• Amassing all critical data for an in-depth blueprint
• Centralizing materials for seamless accessibility

Embark on fresh undertakings or rejuvenate current ones; this free business case template molds your aspirations into executable steps. Begin your ascent towards achievement today!

This ClickUp template equips you with:

• Your project scope and a charted path laden with quantifiable goals
• Resource management tools to accomplish tasks for task accomplishment
• Proactive risk anticipation and mitigation strategies
• Instant, precise data retrieval and modification

Naturally, this template includes a Doc View, but as a project manager, you have options like Gantt charts, Workload Views, and Calendar Views to help you see at a glance the information that matters most to you.

Keep a tight grip on your project with advanced comment tracking and AI automations that make your workflow run smoothly in the background while you get more work done.

To get the most out of this template, start by gathering your business objectives, audience research, product offerings, and financial picture. You can use research management software to help with this stage. Then, you can use ClickUp’s Table View to lay out a clean, easy-to-read executive summary and your market assessment and financial appraisal for investors.

Aspiring to propel your business idea into reality but are hindered by the extensive demands of traditional planning? ClickUp’s Lean Business Plan Template is your savior.

Forge an efficient, succinct business strategy, offering:

• A bird’s-eye view of your enterprise
• Intuitive blueprints for devising a cogent business plan
• Incremental assistance for fleshing out each plan segment

Elevate your business cases quickly and affordably with ClickUp’s streamlined approach.

The template allows you to define your business, describe your target market, set budgets, and create goals.

Once that’s done, use custom statuses to monitor your progress toward achieving your goals. You can set reminders to check in on different areas of your business and use different views to check on your priorities, brainstorm additions to your business plan, or see a timeline of the tasks to be completed.

With ClickUp, turning your vision into a viable venture has never been more accessible. Simplify, strategize, and succeed.

Crafting an influential case study is an art of strategic organization and detailed execution. Enter ClickUp’s Case Study Template , your ultimate companion to orchestrate, frame, and present your research seamlessly.

Use this simple business case template to gather and consolidate data to support your case study and extract meaningful conclusions and takeaways from that information.

This approach to case studies gives you space to weave a real-world, impactful narrative that resonates with your audience. These stories are an important way to validate your sales propositions with concrete results. Telling others about your clients’ successes also builds trust with prospects.

You can brainstorm potential stories with ClickUp Whiteboards, then put your plan to paper with ClickUp Docs. After that, organize your writing process with an actionable task list.

The ClickUp AI writing assistant can help you turn your ideas into a cohesive story. Then, use ClickUp’s integrated email and collaborative editing tools to get final approval from the client.

A great case study stands tall in the realm of effective enterprise marketing tools . Let ClickUp be the wind beneath its wings.

Harness the power of compelling narratives with ClickUp’s Case Study Design Template , tailored for businesses keen on weaving success tales—a well-crafted case study not only shares successes but bolsters your brand credibility.

With this template, you can:

• Demonstrate problems your customer encountered and how your offerings emerged as the proposed solution
• Showcase tangible results, affirming the prowess of your product/service to potential clients
• Ensure an organized, standardized business process , ensuring brand-consistent design and presentation across all case studies
• Save precious time with streamlined research, design, and publication processes

Use this template to track the progress of your case study, seamlessly manage and visualize the data that will inform the case study, and incorporate ClickUp’s project management features like nested subtasks, multiple assignees, and priority labeling to make case study creation a breeze.

This template has space for you to define the goal for the case study, choose and describe your subject, collect all your data in a Table View, draft the narrative in ClickUp Docs, and then create a task list for marketing and promoting your case study. A communication plan template can also be a helpful tool for this stage.

With ClickUp’s innovative design template, crafting impactful case studies becomes an organized, efficient endeavor, enhancing your brand’s narrative prowess.

Embarking on a business analysis project requires meticulous planning, resource utilization , and clear objectives. ClickUp’s Business Analysis Project Plan Template is a tailored solution to navigate these complexities seamlessly.

This template is for you if you need to:

• Craft a bespoke business analysis plan aligning with your organizational goals
• Perform a risk assessment and create mitigation strategies
• Effortlessly adapt to changing scenarios and ensure timely project delivery
• Equip your project team to dive deep into business nuances, ensuring a holistic understanding of products, clientele, and operational facets

The ClickUp Business Analysis Project Plan Template lets you lay out the scope and objectives of your plan, identify key personnel and their roles, build an action plan, and then assign the necessary resources to achieve your goals on time and on budget.

Use ClickUp to assemble your team and assign them roles. You can document deliverables in ClickUp Docs along the way and tag significant milestones with ClickUp Tasks.

With ClickUp’s template, business analysis project planning is simplified and supercharged for optimal outcomes.

Crafting a robust business plan is the cornerstone of entrepreneurial achievement. With myriad tasks to manage and objectives to meet, a streamlined tool becomes imperative. That tool is ClickUp’s Business Development Plan Template —your ultimate companion in carving out a successful business trajectory.

With this template, you can set precise, achievable targets and track your progress toward achieving them. Document clear blueprints to meet your business aspirations, but use ClickUp’s collaborative tools to edit and iterate on those plans along the way.

The beauty of this template is it ensures all stakeholders are synchronized and aligned because you have defined actionable steps to use your resources effectively.

With ClickUp’s Business Development Plan Template, chart a course toward unparalleled entrepreneurial success!

Elevate your business presentations with SlideModel’s Free Business Case PowerPoint Template . Tailored for modern professionals, this dynamic template facilitates a comprehensive discourse on new business initiatives, elucidating their relevance, objectives, and potential returns.

This template is ideal for consultants, budding entrepreneurs, and SMEs aiming to pitch their project description or corporate strategy to stakeholders or investors.

It includes an engaging title slide, slides for introduction, problem statement, solution proposal, benefits, implementation, and key takeaways. You’ll enjoy the eye-catching human character vector graphics for sharp visuals, versatile infographic icons, and a wavy timeline chart to illustrate milestones.

The template has full editability across color palettes, backgrounds, and fonts. The template’s adaptability ensures its seamless integration into diverse presentations.

Although optimized for PowerPoint, you can also download versions that cater to Google Slides and Keynote.

In search of an impressive medium to present your business case? SlideModel’s template is a click away. For alternative designs, explore their featured Business Case PowerPoint Template collection. Secure your copy today!

Introducing the Business Case Presentation Template by 24Slides —a comprehensive toolkit for innovators and visionaries ready to revolutionize their organization. Every groundbreaking idea warrants a robust presentation that encapsulates its essence, both financially and technically.

Crafted with precision, this template offers an array of instrumental slides tailored to articulate your idea seamlessly:

• Clearly define your vision and the strategic goals you aim to achieve
• Delve deep into potential challenges, ensuring stakeholders are well informed and prepared
• Offer a lucid timeline, pinpointing milestones and mapping out your project’s trajectory

Every slide has been meticulously designed to foster clarity, conviction, and comprehensibility. With the 24Slides template, you are empowered to present a holistic overview of your idea, bolstering its feasibility and implementation potential.

For those committed to driving value and championing transformative ideas, this Business Case Presentation Template serves as the ultimate companion. Express, elucidate, and execute your vision with unparalleled finesse.

Why ClickUp Stands Out in the Business Tool Realm

Templates are great, but when combined with an intuitive platform offering robust project management features? It’s a game-changer.

ClickUp isn’t just a library of versatile business templates. It’s a comprehensive tool designed to streamline your projects, optimize communication, and enhance productivity.

From setting up workflows to collaborating with your team in real-time, ClickUp seamlessly integrates every aspect of project management.

So whether you’re drafting a business case, planning a project, or managing day-to-day tasks, ClickUp is your one-stop hub, combining utility with unparalleled efficiency. Dive into ClickUp today and experience the future of business management.

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

Receive the latest WriteClick Newsletter updates.

Thanks for subscribing to our blog!

Please enter a valid email

• Free training & 24-hour support
• Serious about security & privacy
• 99.99% uptime the last 12 months

The Lean Post / Articles / Lean Management Case Studies Library

Lean Management Case Studies Library

By Chet Marchwinski

May 16, 2014

Learn how a variety of businesses and organizations used lean management principles to solve real business problems. We’ve arranged the examples in 16 categories to help you find the ones right for your environment.

Lean Management Examples from a Variety of Businesses

The following case studies of lean management principles in action show you how a variety of real businesses solved real business problems under diverse conditions.

We’ve arranged the stories in 16 categories to help you find the examples you need. There is some overlap. For instance, a “Lean Manufacturing” case study may also appear with “Privately Held Companies.”

Lean Manufacturing

• Logistics, Supply Chain, and Warehousing
• Lean Material Handling
• Job Shops (Low-volume, High-mix Manufacturing); Tool and Die
• Lean in Government
• Lean Healthcare
• Lean Accounting
• Lean Construction
• Lean in Office and Service Processes
• Lean in Education

Problem Solving

Pull Systems

Culture Change

People Development

Privately Held Companies

Maintenance

Many of the executives who took part in these transformations are interviewed in LEI’s Senior Executive Series on Lean Leadership . After reading the case studies, be sure to get their personal perspectives on leading change. (Feel free to link to this page, but please respect the copyrights of LEI and journalists by not copying the articles.)

Are you doing something new or notable in the practice of lean management? Let us share what you learned with the lean community. For more information, contact LEI’s Director of Communications Chet Marchwinski at cmarchwinski at lean dot org

Thrustmaster Turns Around

Learn how Thrustmaster of Texas successfully adopted lean thinking and practices to make sustainable improvements in a short period of time, and how other manufacturers of highly engineered, low-volume products can follow their lead using the Lean Transformation Framework.

Lean + Circular Principals = a New True North for Manufacturer

SunPower’s lean journey resembled most others until it defined a new mission, a new True North by combining lean principals with those of the “circular economy” to launch what it is calling a CLean Transformation.

Sustain Your Lean Business System with a “Golden Triangle” After a medical device maker took a hit to margins to fight off global competition, it rebuilt them by lifting its lean operating system to a higher level and keeping it there with a “golden triangle” of sustainability.

Followup Story:

Manufacturing Balancing Act: Pull Versus ERP

In this follow-up to “Sustain Your Lean Business System with a ‘Golden Triangle,’” a case study about Phase 2 Medical Manufacturing, the company needs warehouse space to keep pace with sales growth spurred by the lean transformation. Instead, it expands a pull system by connecting the plan-for-every-part database that underpins one-piece flow production with ERP, typically associated with big batch production.

Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture at O.C. Tanner If you are in the “appreciation business”, you have to live it in your own workplace. For O.C. Tanner that meant a lean transformation had to show the company appreciated and wanted people’s problem-solving ideas. Here’s a report on that effort, including what worked and what didn’t.

Lean Partnership with Dealer Network Helps Vermeer Reduce End-to-End Inventory on Top Sellers

A lean transformation had taken heavy-equipment manufacturer Vermeer away from batch manufacturing, but batch ordering by dealers was delaying how quickly they got equipment like brush chippers. Learn how it  began converting its domestic industrial-line distribution network to lean replenishment, improving service to end customers and improving cash flow for Vermeer and its dealers.

Herman Miller’s Experiment in Excellence At Herman Miller, the lean management effort helps it build problem solvers as well as world-class office furniture. And as this case study shows, lean practices also helped it weather a brutal recession.

Build Your “House” of Production on a Stable Foundation Rigorous problem solving creates basic stability in a machining intensive facility.

A Journey to Value Streams: Reorganizing Into Five Groups Drives Lean Improvements and Customer Responsiveness An approach to creating a value-stream culture centered on autonomy, entrepreneurialism, and lean principles.

Change in Implementation Approach Opens the Door at EMCO to Greater Gains in Less Time A relatively quick, intensive project accelerates the rate of improvement and creates a showcase facility for spreading lean concepts.

Creating the Course and Tools for a Lean Accounting System A lean accounting implementation fills the frustrating disconnect between shop-floor improvements and financial statements.

For Athletic Shoe Company, the Soul of Lean Management Is Problem Solving After taking a lean tools approach to change, management re-organized the transformation around problem solving and process improvement to create a culture that engaged people while boosting performance.

Knife Company Hones Competitiveness by Bucking the Status Quo An iconic family-owned company turns to lean manufacturing to reduce costs by at least 30% to keep its U.S. operations open.

Lean Transformation Lives and Dies with Tools and Dies After a failed first try at just-in-time production , a company transforms tool maintenance, design, and fabrication to create a solid foundation for a second attempt.

Seasoned Lean Effort Avoids “Flavor-of-the-Month” Pitfall A look at how one company’s approach to what new tools it introduced, in what order, and how it prevented each new technique from being viewed as a “flavor of the month” fad.

Shifting to Value-Stream Managers: a Shop-Floor Revolution Leads to a Revolution in Plant Organization

Two years into a lean transformation, the low-hanging fruit has been plucked and progress has started to slow. Read how a Thomas & Betts plant recharged the transformation and reached higher levels of performance by using value-stream managers to span functional walls.

Using Plan-Do-Check-Act as a Strategy and Tactic for Helping Suppliers Improve

At Medtronic’s Neuromodulation business unit, the plan-do-check-act cycle is used on a strategic level to guide overall strategy for selecting and developing key suppliers as well as on a tactical level for guiding lean transformations at supplier facilities.

back to top

Logistics, Supply Chain, and Warehousing How a Retailer’s Distribution Center Exemplifies the Lean Precept “Respect for People,” and Reaps the Benefits

To make sure training engaged and resonated with people after previous attempts at a lean transformation faltered, LifeWay matched lean management tools and principles to its Bible-based culture and language.

Lean management case study series: Lean in Distribution: Go to Where the Action Is!

Starting with daily management walkabouts and standard work , this distributor had laid the groundwork for steady gains for years to come, just two years after its first kaizen workshop .

Putting Lean Principles in the Warehouse

Executives at Menlo Worldwide Logistics saw an opportunity to leapfrog the competition by embracing lean in its outsourced warehousing and receiving operations.

Lean Thinking Therapy Spreads Beyond the Shop

A company expands the lean transformation from the shop floor to international distribution, domestic shipping, and product development.

Sell One, Buy One, Make One: Transforming from Conventional to Lean Distribution

Large inventories to cover fluctuations in demand once characterized Toyota’s service parts distribution system — but no more. Here’s how one DC made the switch.

Material Handling

Following Four Steps to a Lean Material-Handling System Leads to a Leap in Performance

Creating the critical Plan for Every Part was one step in a methodical four-step implementation process to replace a traditional material-handling system.

Low-volume, High-mix Manufacturing; Tool and Die

The Backbone of Lean in the Back Shops

Sikorsky managers apply the lean concept of “every part, every interval” (EPEI) to level the mix in demand and create flow through a key manufacturing cell .

Landscape Forms Cultivates Lean to Fuel Growth Goals

With single-item orders 80% of the time, a low-volume, high-mix manufacturer decided single-piece flow cells were the best way decided the best way to add new products without having to constantly reconfigure production.

Lean Transformation Lives and Dies with Tools and Dies

After a failed first try at just-in-time production, a company transforms tool maintenance, design, and fabrication to create a solid foundation for a second attempt.

Canada Post Puts Its Stamp on a Lean Transformation

The “ inventory ” of mail already is paid for, so moving it faster doesn’t improve cash flow as in lean manufacturing. But Canada Post discovered that traditional batch-and-queue postal operations could benefit from lean principles.

Lean Thinking in Government: The State of Iowa

This story examines a kaizen event at a veterans home and more broadly at the lean effort in Iowa government.

Lean Thinking Helps City of Chula Vista with Budget Crunch

Goodrich Aerostructures’ Chula Vista plant introduces city government to lean thinking and practices so in order to maintain municipal services without resorting to further cuts in the workforce.

Using Lean Thinking to Reinvent City Government

Grand Rapids, MI, turns to lean principles to consolidate operations, eliminate wasted time and effort, and streamline to improve productivity while providing the quality of service that residents want.

Transforming Healthcare: What Matters Most? How the Cleveland Clinic Is Cultivating a Problem-Solving Mindset and Building a Culture of Improvement

The Cleveland Clinic reinvents its continuous improvement program to instill a problem-solving mindset and the skillset to solve everyday problems among the clinic’s thousands of caregivers.

View from the Hospital Floor: How to Build a Culture of Improvement One Unit at a Time

In order to do more and improve faster, the Cleveland Clinic is rolling out a methodology for building a “culture of improvement” across the 48,000-employee hospital system as this followup to the above story shows. Here’s how it works according to the people making the changes.

Dentist Drills Down to the Root Causes of Office Waste

Dentistry is a job shop that Dr. Sami Bahri is out to improve fundamentally for the benefit of patients through the application of lean principles.

Lean management case study series: Pediatric Hospital in Tough Market Pegs Growth to Lean Process Improvement

Lean improvement projects at Akron Children’s Hospital have saved millions of dollars, increased utilization of expensive assets, and reduced wait times for patients and their families.

Lean Design and Construction Project an Extension of Lean Commitment at Akron Children’s Hospital

Input from nurses, doctors, therapists, technicians, and patient parents heavily influenced design decisions..

“Pulling” Lean Through a Hospital

A thoughtful rollout of lean principles in the ER and eye-opening results created a “pull” for lean from other departments.

Best in Healthcare Getting Better with Lean

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, stresses to doctors that the lean effort is aimed not at changing the moment of care, the touch moment between doctor and patient, but the 95% of the time when the patient is not in the doctor’s office

Fighting Cancer with Linear Accelerators and Accelerated Processes

Cross-functional team design and implement a lean process to dramatically increase the number of patients with brain and bone metastases receiving consultation, simulation, and first treatment on the same day without workarounds or expediting.

Massachusetts General Looks to Lean

A proton therapy treatment center, for many adults and children the best hope of beating cancer, applies lean principles to increase capacity.

New Facility, New Flow, and New Levels of Patient Care: The wait is over for patients at the Clearview Cancer Institute in Alabama

Physicians and staff have tirelessly reengineer processes and patient flow to eliminate as much waiting and waste as possible.

The Anatomy of Innovation

At a hospital in Pittsburgh, the emerging vision for the “hospital of the future” is described as giving the right patient, the right care, at the right time, in the right way, all the time.

Creating the Course and Tools for a Lean Accounting System

A lean accounting implementation fills the frustrating disconnect between shop-floor improvements and the financial statement.

Knife Company Hones Competitiveness by Bucking the Status Quo

An iconic family-owned company turns to lean manufacturing to reduce costs by at least 30% to keep its U.S. operations open.

Office and Service Processes

The “inventory” of mail already is paid for, so moving it faster doesn’t improve cash flow as in lean manufacturing. But Canada Post discovered that traditional batch-and-queue postal operations could benefit from lean principles.

Lean Landscapers

At an Atlanta landscaping company, lean practices are making inroads into a service industry in unusual yet fundamental ways.

LSG Sky Chefs Caters to New Market Realities

Business at airline caterer LSG Sky Chefs dropped 30% when airlines cut flights after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Sky Chefs responded with a rapid launch of a lean initiative.

leveraging Lean to Get the Oil Out

Aera Energy LLC, a California oil and gas company,  relies on lean principles to improve key processes, including drilling new wells, repairing existing ones, and maximizing the number of barrels of crude pumped each day.

Columbus Public Schools Use Process Thinking to Improve Academic Achievement.

Columbus, OH, public schools, experiment with lean tools and process thinking to remove wasteful activities that don’t help them help students learn.

Lean Inroads into Alabama Academia

How the University of Alabama in Huntsville integrated lean concepts throughout its industrial engineering curriculum.

Linking Lean Thinking to the Classroom

Value-stream mapping is one of many activities included in the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS), an academic program designed to link high-school classroom learning to the skills needed in college and business.

Build Your “House” of Production on a Stable Foundation

Rigorous problem solving creates basic stability in a machining intensive facility.

For Athletic Shoe Company, the Soul of Lean Management Is Problem Solving

After talking a lean tools approach to change, management re-organized the transformation around problem solving and process improvement to create a culture that engaged people while boosting performance.

Toothbrush Plant Reverses Decay in Competitiveness

The rapid introduction of a lean system, beginning with just-in-time production and pull, helps a highly automated Midwest plant fight off overseas competition by reducing lead times and inventory while augmenting the plant’s advantage in service.

A Journey to Value Streams: Reorganizing Into Five Groups Drives Lean Improvements and Customer Responsiveness

An approach to creating a value-stream culture centered on autonomy, entrepreneurialism, and lean principles.

Making Lean Leaders — Ariens internship program develops lean and leadership skills

Besides making snow-blowers, mowers, and string trimmers, Ariens Co., of Brillion, WI, makes lean leaders.

Starting with daily management walkabouts and standard work, this 84-year-old, family-owned distributor laid the groundwork for steady gains for years to come, just two years after its first kaizen workshop.

Sustain Your Lean Business System with a “Golden Triangle”

After a medical device maker took a hit to margins to fight off global competition, it rebuilt them by lifting its lean operating system to a higher level and keeping it there with a “golden triangle” of sustainability. You’ll recognize two elements of the triangle right away: visual control and standardized work . The third, accountability management or a kamishibai system, is probably less well known but just as critical.

Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture at O.C. Tanner

If you are in the “appreciation business”, you have to live it in your own workplace. For O.C. Tanner that meant a lean transformation had to show the company appreciated and wanted people’s problem-solving ideas. Here’s a report on that effort, including what worked and what didn’t.

Lean Thinking in Aircraft Repair and Maintenance Takes Wing at FedEx Express

A major check that used to take 32,715 man-hours was cut to 21,535 hours in six months. That translated into a $2 million savings, which dovetailed with the company’s emphasis on reducing costs during the recession.

Construction

Input from nurses, doctors, therapists, technicians, and patient parents heavily influenced design decisions—from incorporating emergency room hallways that protect the privacy of abused children to the number of electrical outlets in each neonatal intensive care room.

Virtual Lean Learning Experience (VLX)

A continuing education service offering the latest in lean leadership and management.

Written by:

About Chet Marchwinski

Chet has been a humble, unwashed scribe of the lean continuous improvement movement since books by Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo first hit North America in the 1980s. At LEI, he contributes to content creation, marketing, public relations, and social media. Previously, he also wrote case studies on lean management implementations in…

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Be the first to learn of new learning opportunities and the latest practical, actionable information. Subscribe to an LEI newsletter.

Join us on social, privacy overview.

Download the Lean Canvas Template in Powerpoint (PPT) - Neos Chronos

Download the lean canvas in powerpoint (ppt)..

Welcome to Neos Chronos. Your editable Lean Canvas Template should download automatically - typically your browser will open a pop-up window. If your download does not start automatically, please use the

Manual Download Format: Powerpoint (PPT)

button to proceed.

DISCOVER MORE RESOURCES

Beside the Lean Canvas we have developed a wealth of complimentary business modelling tools, resources and templates for startup founders and enterprise executives who want to introduce lean methods into their businesses. Check our template library and feel free to use them for your work.

Download more resources No cost, no registration required.

We have created our resources in the template library as a service to the entrepreneur community. This is why we provide them under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , unless marked otherwise. Like more than two (2) million people so far, you are free to use and adapt the content for your own purposes as long as you visibly acknowledge Neos Chronos as the source in any derivative work. In practical terms this means that you are free to use and adapt this Lean Canvas Template as long as you do not remove our copyright notice, and you do not restrict the rights you received from us when sharing the result with others.

You are welcome to link back to this page if you found it useful. This is the easiest form of attribution and it helps us reach more people.

EXPLORE OUR SERVICES

If you want to make the most out of your brand new resource, then one of the following personalised services may be for you. At Neos Chronos we have helped over 120 startups progress in their entrepreneurial journey and our advisors created over £150 million of sales revenue for the companies they have served.

workshop for startups

LEAN CANVAS

workshop for enterprises

BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS

workshop for all

VALUE PROPOSITION CANVAS

Entrepreneur for a day, credits & references.

All names and trademarks mentioned herein and in the Lean Canvas Template are the property of their respective owners. Please observe the Neos Chronos Terms of Use .

• Deciphering Digital Business Models
• How to Create your Business Model with the Lean Canvas
• How to Create your Strategyzer Business Model Canvas
• How to Create your Value Proposition Canvas
• A Simple Model for Sales Success
• A Primer to Selecting Advisors, Coaches and Mentors
• Startup Equity Dilution Calculator
• Metaverse Startup Ideas and Metaverse Business Opportunities

For more information on how our advisory services can help you accelerate your entrepreneurial journey, please contact us to arrange an introductory meeting or

Book a Discovery Session now! Get to know us. Put us to the test.

Neos Chronos

Neos Chronos are an advisory services firm for startups and large enterprises. We care that enterprise executives solve their hardest strategic issues and avoid disruption, and startup founders accelerate growth and avoid business-critical mistakes.

Download business model templates

Services Insights People News Contact

Site Search Sitemap Resources Privacy Terms of Use

Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Pinterest

Share This Page

We are back in Europe and hope you join us!

Prague, Czech Republic, 15 – 17, May 2023

Evolving the Scaled Agile Framework:

Update to SAFe 5

Guidance for organizing around value, DevSecOps, and agility for business teams

• SAFe Contributors
• Extended SAFe Guidance
• Community Contributions
• SAFe Beyond IT
• Books on SAFe
• Download SAFe Posters & Graphics
• Presentations & Videos
• FAQs on how to use SAFe content and trademarks
• What’s new in the SAFe 5.1 Big Picture
• Recommended Reading
• Learn about the Community
• Member Login
• SAFe Implementation Roadmap
• Find a Transformation Partner
• Find a Platform Partner
• Customer Stories
• SAFe Training

What if we found ourselves building something that nobody wanted? In that case what did it matter if we did it on time and on budget? —Eric Ries

Portfolio epics are typically cross-cutting, typically spanning multiple value streams and Program Increments (PIs). SAFe recommends applying the Lean Startup build-measure-learn cycle for epics to accelerate the learning and development process, and to reduce risk.

This article primarily describes the definition, approval, and implementation of portfolio epics . Program and Large solution epics, which follow a similar pattern, are described briefly at the end of this article.

There are two types of epics, each of which may occur at different levels of the Framework. Business epics directly deliver business value, while enabler epics are used to advance the Architectural Runway  to support upcoming business or technical needs.

It’s important to note that epics are not merely a synonym for projects; they operate quite differently, as Figure 1 highlights. SAFe generally discourages using the project funding model (refer to the Lean Portfolio Management article). Instead, the funding to implement epics is allocated directly to the value streams within a portfolio. Moreover, Agile Release Trains (ARTs) develop and deliver epics following the Lean Startup cycle (Figure 6).

Defining Epics

Since epics are some of the most significant enterprise investments, stakeholders need to agree on their intent and definition. Figure 2 provides an epic hypothesis statement template that can be used to capture, organize, and communicate critical information about an epic.

Download Epic Hypothesis Statement

Portfolio epics are made visible, developed, and managed through the  Portfolio Kanban system where they proceed through various states of maturity until they’re approved or rejected. Before being committed to implementation, epics require analysis. Epic Owners take responsibility for the critical collaborations required for this task, while  Enterprise Architects typically shepherd the enabler epics that support the technical considerations for business epics.

Defining the Epic MVP

Analysis of an epic includes the definition of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for the epic. In the context of SAFe, an MVP is an early and minimal version of a new product or business Solution that is used to prove or disprove the epic hypothesis . As opposed to story boards, prototypes, mockups, wire frames and other exploratory techniques, the MVP is an actual product that can be used by real customers to generate validated learning.

Creating the Lean Business Case

The result of the epic analysis is a Lean business case (Figure 3).

Download Lean Business Case

The LPM reviews the Lean business case to make a go/no-go decision for the epic. Once approved, portfolio epics stay in the portfolio backlog until implementation capacity and budget becomes available from one or more ARTs. The Epic Owner is responsible for working with Product and Solution Management  and  System Architect/Engineering to split the epic into Features or Capabilities during backlog refinement. Epic Owners help prioritize these items in their respective backlogs and have some ongoing responsibilities for stewardship and follow-up.

Estimating Epic Costs

As Epics progress through the Portfolio Kanban, the LPM team will eventually need to understand the potential investment required to realize the hypothesized value. This requires a meaningful estimate of the cost of the MVP and the forecasted cost of the full implementation should the epic hypothesis be proven true.

• The MVP cost ensures the portfolio is budgeting enough money to prove/disprove the Epic hypothesis and helps ensure that LPM is making investments in innovation in accordance with lean budget guardrails
• The forecasted implementation cost factors into ROI analysis, help determine if the business case is sound, and helps the LPM team prepare for potential adjustments to value stream budgets

The MVP cost estimate is created by the epic owner in collaboration with other key stakeholders. It should include an amount sufficient to prove or disprove the MVP hypothesis. Once approved, the MVP cost is considered a hard limit, and the value stream will not spend more than this cost in building and evaluating the MVP. If the value stream has evidence that this cost will be exceeded during epic implementation, further work on the epic should be stopped.

Estimating Implementation Cost

The MVP and/or the full implementation cost is further comprised of costs associated with the internal value streams plus any costs associated with external suppliers. It is initially estimated using t-shirt sizing (Figure 4) and refined over time as the MVP is implemented.

Estimating Epics in the early stages can be difficult since there is limited data and learning at this point. T-shirt sizing is a cost estimation technique which can be used by LPM, Epic Owners, architects and engineers, and other stakeholders to collaborate on the placement of epics into groups (or cost bands) of a similar size. A cost range is established for each T-shirt size using historical data. Each portfolio determines the relevant cost range for each T-shirt size. The gaps in the cost ranges reflect the uncertainty of estimates and avoid too much discussion around the edge cases. The full implementation cost can be refined over time as the MVP is built and learning occurs

Supplier Costs

An Epic investment often includes a contribution and cost from suppliers, whether internal or external. Ideally, enterprises engage external suppliers via Agile contracts which supports estimating the costs of a suppliers contribution to a specific epic. For more on this topic, see the Agile Contracts advanced topic article.

Forecasting an epic’s duration

While it can be challenging to forecast the duration of an epic implemented by a mix of internal ARTs and external suppliers, an understanding of the forecasted duration of the epic is critical to the proper functioning of the portfolio. Similar to the cost of an epic, the duration of the epic can be forecasted as an internal duration, the supplier duration, and the necessary collaborations and interactions between the internal team and the external team. Practically, unless the epic is completely outsourced, LPM can focus on forecasts of the internal ARTs affected by the epic, as internal ARTs are expected to coordinate work with external suppliers.

Forecasting an epic’s duration requires an understanding of three data points:

• An epic’s estimated size in story points for each affected ART, which can be estimated using the T-shirt estimation technique for costs by replacing the cost range with a range of points
• The historical velocity of the affected ARTs
• The percent (%) capacity allocation that can be dedicated to working on the epic as negotiated between Product and Solution Management, epic owners, and LPM

In the example shown in Figure 5, a portfolio has a substantial enabler epic that affects three ARTs and LPM seeks to gain an estimate of the forecasted number of PIs. ART 1 has estimated the epic’s size as 2,000 – 2,500 points. Product Management determines that ART 1 can allocate 40% of total capacity toward implementing its part of the epic. With a historical velocity of 1,000 story points per PI, ART 1 forecasts between five to seven PIs for the epic.

After repeating these calculations for each ART, the epic owner can see that while some ARTs will likely be ready to release on demand earlier than others, the forecasted duration to deliver the entire epic across all of the ARTs will likely be between six and eight PIs. If this forecast does not align with business requirements, further negotiations will ensue, such as adjusting capacity allocations or allocating more budget to work delivered by suppliers. Once the epic is initiated, the epic owner will continually update the forecasted completion.

Implementing Epics

The Lean Startup strategy recommends a highly iterative build-measure-learn cycle for product innovation and strategic investments. This strategy for implementing epics provides the economic and strategic advantages of a Lean startup by managing investment and risk incrementally while leveraging the flow and visibility benefits of SAFe (Figure 6). Gathering the data necessary to prove or disprove the Epic Hypothesis is a highly iterative process that continues until a data-driven result is obtained or the team consumes the MVP budget. In general, the result of a proven hypothesis is an MVP suitable for continued investment by the value stream. Continued investment in an Epic that has a dis-proven hypothesis requires the creation of a new epic and approval from the LPM Function.

SAFe Lean Startup Cycle

After it’s approved for implementation, the Epic Owner works with the Agile Teams to begin the development activities needed to realize the epic’s business outcomes hypothesis:

• If the hypothesis is proven true,  the epic enters the persevere state, which  will drive more work by implementing additional features and capabilities. ARTs manage any further investment in the Epic via ongoing WSJF feature prioritization of the Program Backlog . Local features identified by the ART, and those from the epic, compete during routine WSJF reprioritization.
• However, if the hypothesis is proven false, Epic owners can decide to pivot by creating a new epic for LPM review or dropping the initiative altogether and switching to other work in the backlog.

After evaluating an epic’s hypothesis, it may or may not be considered to remain as a portfolio concern. However, the Epic Owner may have some ongoing responsibilities for stewardship and follow-up.

The empowerment and decentralized decision-making of Lean budgets depend on Guardrails for specific checks and balances. Value stream KPIs and other metrics also support guardrails to keep the LPM informed of the epic’s progress toward meeting its business outcomes hypothesis.

Program and Solution Epics

Epics may also originate from local ARTs or Solution Trains, often starting as initiatives that warrant LPM attention because of their significant business impact or initiatives that exceed the epic threshold. These epics warrant a Lean Business Case and review and approval through the Portfolio Kanban system. The Program and Solution Kanban article describes methods for managing the flow of these epics.

Last update: 20 October 2022

Privacy Overview

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

• Our Courses
• About DCM Learning
• Training Resources
• Inhouse Training

Lean Six Sigma Project Examples | 17 Full Case Studies

Ready to begin your first Lean Six Sigma project? Looking for examples for inspiration or reference to get you started? Here are some project storyboards from different industries and from home. Remember, Lean Six Sigma can help you with more than just work!

• Reducing Underwriting Resubmits by Over 20%  

Governments

• A Call to Change: Pioneering Lean Six Sigma at Los Angeles County  
• Can Lean Six Sigma Be Applied in County Government?  
• How the City of San Antonio Increased Payments for Street Maintenance Using Lean Six Sigma  
• Reducing Bid Tab Creation Cycle Time by 22%  
• Reducing Cycle Time for Natural Disaster Response by 50%  

Manufacturing

• Increasing First Run Parts From 60% to 90% With Lean Six Sigma  
• Reducing Bent/Scratched/Damaged (BSD) Scrap for Building Envelopes  
• Reducing Lead Time in Customer Replacement Part Orders by 41%  
• Reducing Learning Curve Ramp for Temp Employees by 2 Weeks  
• Reducing Purchase Order Lead Time by 33% Using Lean Six Sigma  
• Herding Cats Using Lean Six Sigma: How to Plan for and Manage the Chaos of Parallel Processes  
• Lean Six Sigma Increases Daily Meat Production by 25%  
• Lean Six Sigma Helps Feed People In Need 45% Faster  
• Accelerating Lean Productivity With Immersive Collaboration  
• Reducing Incorrect Router Installations by 60% for Call One  
• Reducing Software Bug Fix Lead Time From 25 to 15 Days  

Lean Reviews: Stories from Our Customers

Over the past 2 years, over 2,000 learners (2,197 to be exact) have come to DCM to learn more about lean and get certified.  Read (and watch) their reviews to see how our courses have helped them achieve their career goals.

Inhouse Tailored Training for Your Team

We provide training programs that are developed by industry, for industry. Our range of programs can be delivered in a way that suits the needs of your business to offer your employees learning that is accessible and flexible.

We add value to your business by providing specialised, flexible and scalable training that meets your training needs. As your workforce grows and evolves, our globally certified and industry-validated learning solutions can assess, train and qualify your employees. For more information on how we can help please visit the in-house training page .

Membership, Stay Connected. Stay Relevant.

Completing a program is a point-in-time exercise that delivers huge value, but there is a next step to maintaining the currency of your skills in the ever-evolving professional world.

Membership is the next step .

A unique platform, membership is designed to ensure that you are in tune and up-to-date with the latest tools, trends and developments. Being a member provides just-in-time training and continuous professional development, and an exclusive and evolving content library informed by subject matter experts and industry leaders.

Unlock your full learning potential with our free DCM membership! Join our community and access exclusive resources to boost your educational journey.

Thanks for signing up. Here are some training courses for you to explore.

By clicking “Start Learning”, you agree to automatically become a DCM member at no additional cost, unless already a member. You have the option to opt out at any time.

Free Bitesize Courses

We have over 100 free courses available to explore, all created by expert trainers, packed full of practical exercises and real-world examples.

Make sure you Safeguard Your Training Investment . DCM offer courses accredited by:

Course Categories

*Add your email and we will send you the full course directory to review at a time that suits you.

Open Your Brochure

Just to let you know, we are offering €200 credit for the course when you become a member with DCM.

We are very proud of our advisory team in DCM Learning. If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask our team. They will be more than happy to help.

We value your privacy and we will only get in touch about upcoming courses or events that are available to members.

It's so simple... We'll send you the €200 credit and access to the exclusive members area with a full list of the free courses.

By clicking “Get Your Voucher”, you agree to our terms and privacy policy .

• Contact sales

Start free trial

How to Write a Business Case (Template Included)

Table of Contents

What is a business case, business case template, how to write a business case, key elements of a business case, how projectmanager helps with your business case, watch our business case training video.

A business case is a project management document that explains how the benefits of a project overweigh its costs and why it should be executed. Business cases are prepared during the project initiation phase and their purpose is to include all the project’s objectives, costs and benefits to convince stakeholders of its value.

A business case is an important project document to prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the project proposal you’re pitching is a sound investment. Below, we illustrate the steps to writing one that will sway them.

The need for a business case is that it collects the financial appraisal, proposal, strategy and marketing plan in one document and offers a full look at how the project will benefit the organization. Once your business case is approved by the project stakeholders, you can begin the project planning phase.

Our business case template for Word is the perfect tool to start writing a business case. It has 9 key business case areas you can customize as needed. Download the template for free and follow the steps below to create a great business case for all your projects.

Projects fail without having a solid business case to rest on, as this project document is the base for the project charter and project plan. But if a project business case is not anchored to reality, and doesn’t address a need that aligns with the larger business objectives of the organization, then it is irrelevant.

The research you’ll need to create a strong business case is the why, what, how and who of your project. This must be clearly communicated. The elements of your business case will address the why but in greater detail. Think of the business case as a document that is created during the project initiation phase but will be used as a reference throughout the project life cycle.

Whether you’re starting a new project or mid-way through one, take time to write up a business case to justify the project expenditure by identifying the business benefits your project will deliver and that your stakeholders are most interested in reaping from the work. The following four steps will show you how to write a business case.

Step 1: Identify the Business Problem

Projects aren’t created for projects’ sake. They should always be aligned with business goals . Usually, they’re initiated to solve a specific business problem or create a business opportunity.

You should “Lead with the need.” Your first job is to figure out what that problem or opportunity is, describe it, find out where it comes from and then address the time frame needed to deal with it.

This can be a simple statement but is best articulated with some research into the economic climate and the competitive landscape to justify the timing of the project.

Step 2: Identify the Alternative Solutions

How do you know whether the project you’re undertaking is the best possible solution to the problem defined above? Naturally, prioritizing projects is hard, and the path to success is not paved with unfounded assumptions.

One way to narrow down the focus to make the right solution clear is to follow these six steps (after the relevant research, of course):

• Note the alternative solutions.
• For each solution, quantify its benefits.
• Also, forecast the costs involved in each solution.
• Then figure out its feasibility .
• Discern the risks and issues associated with each solution.
• Finally, document all this in your business case.

Get your free

Use this free Business Case Template for Word to manage your projects better.

Step 3: Recommend a Preferred Solution

You’ll next need to rank the solutions, but before doing that it’s best to set up criteria, maybe have a scoring mechanism such as a decision matrix to help you prioritize the solutions to best choose the right one.

Some methodologies you can apply include:

• Depending on the solution’s cost and benefit , give it a score of 1-10.
• Base your score on what’s important to you.
• Add more complexity to your ranking to cover all bases.

Regardless of your approach, once you’ve added up your numbers, the best solution to your problem will become evident. Again, you’ll want to have this process also documented in your business case.

Step 4: Describe the Implementation Approach

So, you’ve identified your business problem or opportunity and how to reach it, now you have to convince your stakeholders that you’re right and have the best way to implement a process to achieve your goals. That’s why documentation is so important; it offers a practical path to solve the core problem you identified.

Now, it’s not just an exercise to appease senior leadership. Who knows what you might uncover in the research you put into exploring the underlying problem and determining alternative solutions? You might save the organization millions with an alternate solution than the one initially proposed. When you put in the work on a strong business case, you’re able to get your sponsors or organizational leadership on board with you and have a clear vision as to how to ensure the delivery of the business benefits they expect.

One of the key steps to starting a business case is to have a business case checklist. The following is a detailed outline to follow when developing your business case. You can choose which of these elements are the most relevant to your project stakeholders and add them to our business case template. Then once your business case is approved, start managing your projects with a robust project management software such as ProjectManager.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a short version of each section of your business case. It’s used to give stakeholders a quick overview of your project.

2. Project Definition

This section is meant to provide general information about your projects, such as the business objectives that will be achieved and the project plan outline.

3. Vision, Goals and Objectives

First, you have to figure out what you’re trying to do and what is the problem you want to solve. You’ll need to define your project vision, goals and objectives. This will help you shape your project scope and identify project deliverables.

4. Project Scope

The project scope determines all the tasks and deliverables that will be executed in your project to reach your business objectives.

5. Background Information

Here you can provide a context for your project, explaining the problem that it’s meant to solve, and how it aligns with your organization’s vision and strategic plan.

6. Success Criteria and Stakeholder Requirements

Depending on what kind of project you’re working on, the quality requirements will differ, but they are critical to the project’s success. Collect all of them, figure out what determines if you’ve successfully met them and report on the results .

7. Project Plan

It’s time to create the project plan. Figure out the tasks you’ll have to take to get the project done. You can use a work breakdown structure template  to make sure you are through. Once you have all the tasks collected, estimate how long it will take to complete each one.

Project management software makes creating a project plan significantly easier. ProjectManager can upload your work breakdown structure template and all your tasks are populated in our tool. You can organize them according to your production cycle with our kanban board view, or use our Gantt chart view to create a project schedule.

8. Project Budget

Your budget is an estimate of everything in your project plan and what it will cost to complete the project over the scheduled time allotted.

9. Project Schedule

Make a timeline for the project by estimating how long it will take to get each task completed. For a more impactful project schedule , use a tool to make a Gantt chart, and print it out. This will provide that extra flourish of data visualization and skill that Excel sheets lack.

10. Project Governance

Project governance refers to all the project management rules and procedures that apply to your project. For example, it defines the roles and responsibilities of the project team members and the framework for decision-making.

11. Communication Plan

Have milestones for check-ins and status updates, as well as determine how stakeholders will stay aware of the progress over the project life cycle.

12. Progress Reports

Have a plan in place to monitor and track your progress during the project to compare planned to actual progress. There are project tracking tools that can help you monitor progress and performance.

Again, using a project management tool improves your ability to see what’s happening in your project. ProjectManager has tracking tools like dashboards and status reports that give you a high-level view and more detail, respectively. Unlike light-weight apps that make you set up a dashboard, ours is embedded in the tool. Better still, our cloud-based software gives you real-time data for more insightful decision-making. Also, get reports on more than just status updates, but timesheets, workload, portfolio status and much more, all with just one click. Then filter the reports and share them with stakeholders to keep them updated.

13. Financial Appraisal

This is a very important section of your business case because this is where you explain how the financial benefits outweigh the project costs . Compare the financial costs and benefits of your project. You can do this by doing a sensitivity analysis and a cost-benefit analysis.

14. Market Assessment

Research your market, competitors and industry, to find opportunities and threats

15. Competitor Analysis

Identify direct and indirect competitors and do an assessment of their products, strengths, competitive advantages and their business strategy.

16. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis helps you identify your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses are internal, while the opportunities and threats are external.

17. Marketing Strategy

Describe your product, distribution channels, pricing, target customers among other aspects of your marketing plan or strategy.

18. Risk Assessment

There are many risk categories that can impact your project. The first step to mitigating them is to identify and analyze the risks associated with your project activities.

ProjectManager , an award-winning project management software, can collect and assemble all the various data you’ll be collecting, and then easily share it both with your team and project sponsors.

Once you have a spreadsheet with all your tasks listed, you can import it into our software. Then it’s instantly populated into a Gantt chart . Simply set the duration for each of the tasks, add any dependencies, and your project is now spread across a timeline. You can set milestones, but there is so much more you can do.

You have a project plan now, and from the online Gantt chart, you can assign team members to tasks. Then they can comment directly on the tasks they’re working on, adding as many documents and images as needed, fostering a collaborative environment. You can track their progress and change task durations as needed by dragging and dropping the start and end dates.

But that’s only a taste of what ProjectManager offers. We have kanban boards that visualize your workflow and a real-time dashboard that tracks six project metrics for the most accurate view of your project possible.

Try ProjectManager and see for yourself with this 30-day free trial .

If you want more business case advice, take a moment to watch Jennifer Bridges, PMP, in this short training video. She explains the steps you have to take in order to write a good business case.

Here’s a screenshot for your reference.

Transcription:

Today we’re talking about how to write a business case. Well, over the past few years, we’ve seen the market, or maybe organizations, companies or even projects, move away from doing business cases. But, these days, companies, organizations, and those same projects are scrutinizing the investments and they’re really seeking a rate of return.

So now, think of the business case as your opportunity to package your project, your idea, your opportunity, and show what it means and what the benefits are and how other people can benefit.

We want to take a look today to see what’s in the business case and how to write one. I want to be clear that when you look for information on a business case, it’s not a briefcase.

Someone called the other day and they were confused because they were looking for something, and they kept pulling up briefcases. That’s not what we’re talking about today. What we’re talking about are business cases, and they include information about your strategies, about your goals. It is your business proposal. It has your business outline, your business strategy, and even your marketing plan.

Why Do You Need a Business Case?

And so, why is that so important today? Again, companies are seeking not only their project managers but their team members to have a better understanding of business and more of an idea business acumen. So this business case provides the justification for the proposed business change or plan. It outlines the allocation of capital that you may be seeking and the resources required to implement it. Then, it can be an action plan . It may just serve as a unified vision. And then it also provides the decision-makers with different options.

So let’s look more at the steps required to put these business cases together. There are four main steps. One, you want to research your market. Really look at what’s out there, where are the needs, where are the gaps that you can serve? Look at your competition. How are they approaching this, and how can you maybe provide some other alternatives?

You want to compare and finalize different approaches that you can use to go to market. Then you compile that data and you present strategies, your goals and other options to be considered.

And then you literally document it.

So what does the document look like? Well, there are templates out there today. The components vary, but these are the common ones. And then these are what I consider essential. So there’s the executive summary. This is just a summary of your company, what your management team may look like, a summary of your product and service and your market.

The business description gives a little bit more history about your company and the mission statement and really what your company is about and how this product or service fits in.

Then, you outline the details of the product or service that you’re looking to either expand or roll out or implement. You may even include in their patents may be that you have pending or other trademarks.

Then, you want to identify and lay out your marketing strategy. Like, how are you gonna take this to your customers? Are you going to have a brick-and-mortar store? Are you gonna do this online? And, what are your plans to take it to market?

You also want to include detailed information about your competitor analysis. How are they doing things? And, how are you planning on, I guess, beating your competition?

You also want to look at and identify your SWOT. And the SWOT is your strength. What are the strengths that you have in going to market? And where are the weaknesses? Maybe some of your gaps. And further, where are your opportunities and maybe threats that you need to plan for? Then the overview of the operation includes operational information like your production, even human resources, information about the day-to-day operations of your company.

And then, your financial plan includes your profit statement, your profit and loss, any of your financials, any collateral that you may have, and any kind of investments that you may be seeking.

So these are the components of your business case. This is why it’s so important. And if you need a tool that can help you manage and track this process, then sign up for our software now at ProjectManager .

Deliver your projects on time and on budget

Start planning your projects.

How to Write a Business Case: Examples, Templates, and Checklists

By Joe Weller | April 24, 2019 (updated February 26, 2023)

• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn

Link copied

This article presents expert tips on how to write a business case. We also provide a checklist to prepare for, write, and present a business case, along with free, easy-to-use Word and PowerPoint business case templates.

Included on this page, you'll find details on how to write a business case , sections to include in your business case , a business case checklist , and business case presentation examples .

What Is a Business Case?

A business case is a formal, structured document; an informal, short document; or a verbal exchange that defines the benefits of an initiative or project.

In addition, a business case forecasts the costs, benefits, and risks of an initiative, so decision makers — and even the project initiators — can decide whether a project is worthwhile and why to choose one approach over similar strategies.

Jim Maholic has over 20 years of experience with IT strategy and business case development, including two stints as a CIO, two management positions with the Big Four consulting firms, and leadership positions at several technology companies.

He describes a business case in this way: “A business case is the full story that explains the ROI for a capital project. It begins with a statement of a business problem, then explores how we can solve it or what the value of solving it is. For example, ‘Our revenues aren’t rising as fast as they should,’ or ‘Inventory isn't turning over as fast as it should,’ or ‘Costs are too high.’ That's where the business case starts.

“Then, we find out how big this problem is. We talk to people in the company and find out what they think the value of solving the problem is. All this information is packaged into a story that says, ‘Here's the problem. Here's the value of solving the problem. Here's what it costs in hardware, software, or whatever. Here are the benefits. And here’s the whole story.’”

Business Cases Explain Why You Should Invest

A business case explains why stakeholders should invest in a project. The purpose of a business case contrasts with that of a project proposal , which provides a high-level outline of what you want to initiate and its benefits to the company, or that of a project plan , which explains how you execute a project. You should create your business case during the earliest stages of project planning .

A business case can also become a key document for a project manager when planning, creating milestones, and evaluating progress.

Other names and uses for business cases are financial justification, cost-benefit analysis (CBA) , total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis , and return on investment (ROI) analysis . Nonprofits and government entities sometimes refer to business cases as case statements .

What Is Business Case Analysis (BCA)?

A business case analysis (BCA) looks not only at lowest costs, but also at technical value and other nonquantitative factors in what is known as a best-value analysis . The BCA addresses the triple constraints of time, money, and scope, and it can include measures such as performance, reliability, viability, and supportability.

Although business case analysis is used interchangeably with business case , some experts consider the analysis to be part of the business case as a whole.

What Is a Business Case Used For?

A business case helps a company or an organization prepare for new ventures or changes. This document is a crucial building block of project success and underpins the foundations of  senior-level involvement and strong planning. Business cases summarize the benefits of an endeavor, clarifying a project’s business value to help stakeholders make decisions.

A good business case should focus less on the technology, domain knowledge, or specific deliverables and more on the users of a product and the goals of a project. In the same vein, a project manager should focus not only on creating output, but also on delivering value. An initiative can offer many types of value, including contributing to strategic aims, increasing efficiency, and supporting compliance. Insufficient attention to the details of a business case and the accompanying research can lead to poor project results.

Business cases usually describe these items:

• A business problem or opportunity
• Possible solutions and their benefits and disadvantages (sometimes known as disbenefits )
• Risks associated with the main solution
• Implementation timeline
• Consequences for implementing a solution and for retaining the status quo
• Resources required for the initiative or project

Advantages of a Business Case

A business case may seem like just another document destined for the shelf or the shredder, but it can offer real advantages:

• All stakeholders have similar expectations concerning the value and benefits of an initiative to an organization.
• You can convert a business case into a project plan with milestones. You increase the chances of a project’s success with planning.
• A business case becomes a gauge for determining whether an endeavor continues to offer value during execution and after a team produces a deliverable.
• Project planners can more easily establish objectives and goals.
• You can more easily discern success.
• Teams apply the right resources more efficiently.

Who Prepares a Business Case?

You might think that business cases are the purview of financial officers and accountants. In fact, people who have direct knowledge of processes and teams should be responsible for creating these documents.

Some pundits say that the individual who advocates change must enact the change, so anyone in any role could assume the responsibilities for producing a business case. This includes consultants, line managers, or IT managers. In some organizations, the project sponsor or project manager may guide the preparation of the business case and include input from relevant departments and SMEs.

When Do You Need a Business Case?

It’s no longer enough to complete a project and present a deliverable. In an economy that often seems as unstable as it was in 2008, stakeholders want to see that a deliverable creates value and benefits for an organization. This is particularly true for complex projects or those that  require justification for enlisting external resources. Public sector projects frequently need business cases.

What's in a Business Case?

A business case outlines for a decision maker the benefits and business value of a proposed initiative. The term business case frequently refers to a written document that is submitted for review or presented at a meeting, but can also apply to an informal, spoken proposal.

What Should Be in a Business Case?

A well-written business case flows logically from presenting a problem or opportunity through the advantages and disadvantages of solutions to describing the recommended solution. When you require great detail, you can chunk text into sub-sections so that the content is easier to scan, as well as faster and less overwhelming to read. Following are the common sections of a business case in sequential order:

• Executive summary
• Problem statement
• Analysis and financial details
• Recommendation

Many organizations have pre-established templates for writing business cases. If your organization doesn’t, search online for free, easy-to-use business case templates for construction business cases, one-page business cases, and more. Depending on the narrative needs of the business case, it can contain many possible sections:

• Preface: A preface may indicate the intended audience and any related documents.
• Table of Contents: If your document is delivered as a PDF file, consider hyperlinking your table of contents to the appropriate sections.
• What is the problem?
• What do you believe is the value of solving the problem?
• How much are you asking for?
• When will we start seeing benefits?

     “I’ve had some presentations that don't get beyond that first page,” Maholic muses.

• Description of the Product or Service: When proposing a new object or concept, detail what the deliverable is and how it works.
• A Problem Statement or Mission Statement: By describing the problem or the mission of the organization, you can contextualize the proposed initiative.
• Business Drivers for the Initiative: Indicate what benefits will contribute to the strategic aims of the organization.
• Finance Section: Explain how much the project will cost and whether it is affordable. Detail the cash flow. Describe the expenses to execute (or not execute) the project in a cost comparison against forecasted benefits. Conduct a sensitivity analysis , a technique for determining how the different values of an independent variable affect a dependent variable.
• Financial and nonfinancial benefits
• Quality improvements
• Cost savings through efficiencies
• Added revenue
• Competitiveness
• Improved customer services
• Options: What are the possible solutions to the problem? Usually, you narrow this list to 3 to 5 viable choices. Frequently, you include a “do nothing” option and a benchmark option. Some organizations require the do-nothing option; others require it only if the do-nothing option is a legitimate possibility. Quantify the benefits of each potential solution. Also, outline the risks, issues, and interdependencies for each solution.
• What is required?
• How is it done?
• Who does what?
• When will things happen?
• Assessments or Analysis: Your analysis should list assumptions and consider cash flow and costs. Describe the risks of the project and the plans to deal with them. Also, discuss how you will leverage opportunities. Describe the context of your undertaking using PESTLE (political, economic, sociological, technological, legal, and environmental) analysis.
• Project Approach: Detail the organization of the project, including governance and accountability, roles and responsibilities, and the schedule of progress reporting. Describe the purchasing strategy for completing the endeavor. Will you lease equipment? Rent office space? Hire contractors or employees?
• Recommendation and Next Steps: Note the recommended solution and immediate required action.
• Appendix: Add supporting documentation here, such as spreadsheets, charts, or drawings.

Considerations for Executive Presentations

The sections that comprise a business case may vary depending on your house style and the type of initiative. Jim Maholic says, “I package my business cases this way: I set up a one-hour meeting, so I have maybe 20 slides, but 10 to 15 slides are plenty. In reality, I might have 100 slides, but I add those in an appendix.” You may have credible supporting information, but you don’t want to bore your audience of decision makers by slogging through each slide.

“They might allocate an hour, but honestly, you're going to get their attention for 10 to 15 minutes, and then they'll start checking email and stuff,” Maholic adds. “You really have to be crisp in how you do this and know where you're going.

“Start with, ‘We have this problem,’ followed by, ‘Here are the people that we talked to who validated that this is a problem. They offered ideas about solving this problem, so we could see this substantial benefit,’” he notes.

“What matters in an executive meeting is that I answer the main questions: What is the problem? What is the cost of not solving it? What are the benefits of solving it? And when do we see the benefits? You may address additional questions later in the meeting or after the meeting, on an individual, offline basis,” Maholic says.

Business Case Templates

Using templates, you can more easily create business cases because you can focus on your research and fill in the blanks. The following free, downloadable templates are customizable for your organization’s needs.

Business Case Presentation Template

You can lengthen this short PowerPoint presentation template to accommodate more detail. The business case presentation template includes spaces for describing the following elements: the project name, the executive summary, the project description, the financials, the recommended solution, the assumptions and dependencies, the options, and the benefits.

‌ Download Business Case Presentation Template - PowerPoint

Simple Business Case Template

A simple business case template serves a small project or a small organization. It can cover extensive details if necessary. It includes spaces for describing the following elements of the case: the title, the executive summary, the business objective, the target users, the financials and costs, the assumptions and dependencies, the implementation strategy, the required resources, and the project governance and reporting.

Download Simple Business Case Template

Word | PDF  | Smartsheet

Healthcare Business Case Template

A healthcare business case template helps you explain the current setup and how the proposed solution can create improvements. It provides space for a one-page executive summary, context for the problem or opportunity, a description of the current situation, an explanation of the proposed changes, and details of how the changes can affect your organization and any other entities.

Download Healthcare Business Case Template

Word | Google Docs

New Product Business Case Template

A new product business case template explores the business landscape for a new product or service. In addition to the meta information, such as the title, the author, and the executive summary, the template includes space to describe the current mission statement, the proposed product or service, the marketing strategy, an analysis of competitors, SWOT analysis , an overview of the implementation plan, and financial details.

Download New Product Business Case Template

Preparing to Write the Business Case

You can expedite your business process by understanding business case structure and using a template. In addition, having the correct perspective and following best practices can contribute to your success.

Why Are You Doing the Project?

Before you start researching and writing, understand why you want to initiate a project. The goal of a project is to solve problems. What is a problem? A problem prevents your organization from achieving its full potential. To begin, determine what problem the project is trying to solve.

Projects have deliverables, whether tangible or intangible. Think of an outcome as the result created by the deliverables. Benefits represent quantifiable improvements derived from an outcome. When a customer or team member can leverage these benefits, they become advantages.

Do Your Business Case Research

To start, review the mission statement(s) for the organization or the project. Identify the sources of data for your business case. One way to encourage the acceptance of your proposal is to discuss your rough estimates of the costs and resources with a project sponsor or customer before you embark on the business case. This helps you and the sponsor understand each other’s expectations and lessens the chance of sticker shock during the executive presentation. Then interview the people who conduct the day-to-day work and get their perspective on problems and possible solutions.

Do the Business Case Math

You must consider whether the returns justify the request. “If we're asking for $3 million, we've got to show that the project benefits far exceed that amount,” asserts Maholic. “With returns of $10, $15, or $20 million, you're going to get their attention. If you say the benefits are $300 million, they're going to think you've fallen off the truck somewhere, because that's not realistic. On the other hand, if you show benefits of $3.5 million for a cost of $3 million, that's probably not going to beat the projected return of any other project that comes across their desk.”

Consider Who the Business Case Is For

Whether the business case comes in document form or as a presentation, the project sponsor and key stakeholders will study it. Consider the key audience for each section of your document and write with that audience in mind.

The most convincing arguments for projects are those that your team can initiate and wrap up within six months, as well as produce considerable quantifiable results. Especially when big money is on the table, your proposal will compete with others from different departments. “No company has all the money it wants to invest in everything — it has to prioritize. The business case helps evaluate what the return will be for each of the projects that comes across the board's desk for approval,” explains Maholic.

Furthermore, a business case presents estimates. A business case should be built on sound research, but no one has a lock on certitude. “I think first-time business case writers in particular get caught up in building some great story. But seasoned executives get requests all the time, and they're not buffaloed by clever-sounding words or fancy spreadsheets,” Maholic cautions.

“Your ideas have to be rooted in something sensible, not just, ‘I bet we can raise revenues by 15 percent,’” he explains. Grand plans may be possible, but the key, according to Maholic, is to help decision makers understand how it is possible.

How Do You Write a Business Case?

When you have the main questions in mind and a sense of the required sections and format, you can begin to write. Consider limiting the number of authors to ensure an effective writing effort that’s consistent in style and voice. Then follow these tips:

• Concisely cover the core content with enough detail, so stakeholders can make an informed decision.
• Compare options, so decision makers understand the landscape.
• Be clear, concise, and captivating.
• Avoid jargon as much as possible.
• Demonstrate the value of the project to the business by creating a credible and accurate argument.
• Clearly describe the landscape for the initiative, including its dependencies. Enumerating these dependencies is crucial because contextual changes can alter the project parameters or eliminate the need for the project altogether.
• Focus on the business and the business value rather than the knowledge domain covered by the intended project deliverable.

How Do You Know You Have Enough Detail?

You determine the length of your business cases according to the scope and complexity of your proposed endeavour. A complex project means a long business case; a small, short project means a short business case.

However, Maholic cautions against adding too much detail — conciseness can be a challenge. “You may take 4 to 6 weeks to create a business. You might talk to 50 or 100 people. There's this gnawing urge in some people to show everything they've collected in the executive presentation. Look how hard we worked. Look how smart I am . That's just awful.

“You have enough data and slides when you can answer those 4 or 5 basic questions. There may be 100 other slides, but those are supporting detail,” he says.

Common Mistakes in Writing Business Cases

You can strengthen your business case by avoiding common mistakes:

• Forget What Your White Papers Say: Maholic finds that when salespeople create cases for customers, they frequently rely on the benefits outlined in a product’s white papers. He notes, “Saying your product cuts costs by Y percent is a great place to start, but it has to be balanced by what's in front of you regarding a particular customer.” He continues, “As a salesperson, you may say that your product can increase revenue by 5 percent. That may be true for past customers, but this particular customer may have three straight years of declining revenues. It's silly to say that a product is going to both arrest a decline and bump up revenue by 5 percent. You have to think things through. That’s the analysis part. You can't just mouth off.”
• Spreadsheets Are not the Main Show: "Too often, I think, people hear business case , and they jump right to building a spreadsheet,” Maholic says. “They're eager to build the mother of all spreadsheets and show how smart they are by demonstrating the mother of all spreadsheets. While certainly spreadsheets are necessary to show the math, the spreadsheet is only a small part of the solution. Spreadsheets don't really articulate the problem or indicate who you talked to or what you analyzed to get to that solution,” he adds.
• Arguments Do not Equal More Money: Sometimes, people believe that a strong case justifies a more generous price tag. Not so, says Maholic: “As a decision maker, having a better business case doesn't mean I'm going to roll over and say, ‘Sure, you can charge me an extra million dollars.’ A good business case means the project has the value to go forward. Now, we're going to start negotiating and I'm still going to work to get the best price I can. People who've done business cases before know that. But people who are new to them don't completely understand that.”
• Remember That It’s About Value, Not About Toys: For startups, the coolness factor of the technology or product may carry some weight, but for most organizations, a business case must focus on the business value without getting lost in the domain knowledge and technical details. Maholic explains: “Nobody at the executive level cares what the throughput ratio is of this process or that stack. What they want to know is, ‘Do I get revenue more quickly? Do I cut costs more deeply? Tell me what the value of doing X is, and then you can go off and buy whatever toys you want to in order to do X.’”

Steps to Produce a Business Case

Your organization may have a tribal understanding of the best process for creating a business case. Some employees may advocate for following the Ds , which refer to the steps to produce a business case. The Ds can include as many as six steps, but generally focus on these four:

• Discover your problem or opportunity.
• Design your solutions and alternatives.
• Develop the details that describe the pros and cons of each potential solution.
• Deploy the business case.

Some advocates add the Define step to the beginning of the process and the Deliver step to the end. For best results, create your business case in the following order:

• Determine your problem or opportunity.
• Research the context for your proposal as appropriate: When developing a new product, your research may focus on the market; when acquiring new training or software, you may review current internal processes; and when making a new purchase, you may interview dozens of team members who use current tools and procedures.
• Compare alternative approaches and recommend the most appropriate strategy.
• Gather supporting data and evidence for the recommended approach.
• Write the business case.
• Write the executive summary.
• Edit your business case draft.
• Present your business case to either the final authority or the personnel who will be instrumental in implementing the case plan.

‌ Download Business Case Process Checklist  

The Business Case in Project Development

Contrary to what you might imagine, the business case can be a living document. Starting with the review process, stakeholders may reject, cancel, postpone, accept, or adjust the business case. To some extent, the business case becomes the guidebook for your initiative. Stakeholders and the project manager should refer to the business case throughout the lifecycle of the project to ensure that efforts (and intentions) remain on track.

What Are the Features of a Project Business Case?

A well-considered business case offers the following characteristics: an easy-to-understand description of the business value of the initiative and the immediate benefits of the project, including details of the positive impact on organizational strategy.

How Do You Analyze a Business Case?

In university-level business schools, business case studies (or case studies) function as teaching tools to help students use their analytic skills. Case studies describe a company and how it employs a solution. Following is the suggested approach for students analyzing a case:

• Review the case in detail. Identify the key issues.
• Determine 2 to 5 essential problems.
• Look for solutions to those problems.
• Describe your recommended solution.

What Is a Full Business Case?

A business case is a structured, detailed document that presents the justification for the commitment of financial and other resources to an endeavor. Business cases help you gain the support of management and other stakeholders, as well as approval for projects and programs.

What Is a Business Case in Project Management?

An approved business case can have a long life. Although the project sponsor ultimately owns the business case, it is the project manager who uses the business case as the guidebook for expectations and dependencies. In addition, the business case becomes an important document in an organization’s project portfolio management process. During this process, a company balances its resources with its strategic objectives to determine the livelihood of all the projects it undertakes.

History and Origins of Business Cases

The formal business case has its roots in 19th-century Europe, particularly with the work of French-Italian engineer-economist Jules Dupuit. His contribution included statistical tools to identify, measure, and value the benefits beyond merely determining the lowest bidder. Specifically, Dupuit is credited with inventing what he called the benefit-cost analysis . Today, professionals recognize the value of business cases outside of public works and government. Both nonprofit and for-profit organizations regularly use business cases.

Resources and Examples for Creating Your Business Case

If you’re new to business cases, you don’t have to start empty-handed. We offer resources to help you begin writing. Please see the following examples and templates:

• Here’s an example of a business case in a classic document format . This particular business case argues against a capital investment.
• This example presents three business cases for one higher education department . The  presentation comes in a slide format.
• In this article, Jim Maholic offers a template for creating your business case .

Improve Your Business Cases with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

Discover why over 90% of Fortune 100 companies trust Smartsheet to get work done.

• Product overview
• All features
• Latest feature release
• App integrations

CAPABILITIES

• project icon Project management
• Project views
• Custom fields
• Status updates
• goal icon Goals and reporting
• Reporting dashboards
• workflow icon Workflows and automation
• portfolio icon Resource management
• Capacity planning
• Time tracking
• my-task icon Admin and security
• Admin console
• asana-intelligence icon Asana AI
• list icon Personal
• premium icon Starter
• briefcase icon Advanced
• Goal management
• Organizational planning
• Campaign management
• Creative production
• Content calendars
• Marketing strategic planning
• Resource planning
• Project intake
• Product launches
• Employee onboarding
• View all uses arrow-right icon
• Project plans
• Team goals & objectives
• Team continuity
• Meeting agenda
• View all templates arrow-right icon
• Work management resources Discover best practices, watch webinars, get insights
• Customer stories See how the world's best organizations drive work innovation with Asana
• Help Center Get lots of tips, tricks, and advice to get the most from Asana
• Asana Academy Sign up for interactive courses and webinars to learn Asana
• Developers Learn more about building apps on the Asana platform
• Community programs Connect with and learn from Asana customers around the world
• Events Find out about upcoming events near you
• Partners Learn more about our partner programs
• Support Need help? Contact the Asana support team
• Asana for nonprofits Get more information on our nonprofit discount program, and apply.

Featured Reads

• Project planning |
• The beginner’s guide to writing an effe ...

The beginner’s guide to writing an effective business case

Nearly every project needs to be approved—whether that means getting the simple go-ahead from your team or gaining the support of an executive stakeholder. You may be familiar with using a project plan or project charter to propose a new initiative and get the green light for a project. But if your proposed project represents a significant business investment, you may need to build a business case.

If you’ve never written a business case, we’re here to help. With a few resources and a little planning, you can write a business case that will help you get the resources and support you need to manage a successful project.

What is a business case?

A business case is a document that explains the value or benefits your company will gain if you pursue a significant business investment or initiative. This initiative can be anything from the messaging for a new product or feature launch, a proposal to increase spend on a current initiative, or a significant investment with a new agency or contractor—to name a few. A compelling business case will outline the expected benefits of this significant investment decision. Key stakeholders will use the business case you provide to determine whether or not to move forward with an initiative.

If you’ve never created a business case, it may sound similar to other early project planning documentation. Here’s how it stacks up:

The difference between a business case and business plan

A  business case  is a proposal for a new strategy or large initiative. It should outline the business needs and benefits your company will receive from pursuing this opportunity.

A  business plan , on the other hand, is an outline for a totally new business. Typically, you’d draft a business plan to map out your business strategy, your mission and vision statements, and how you’re planning on getting there. There may be a case where you create a business plan for an already-existing business, but you’d only do so if you’re trying to take your business in a significantly new direction.

Business case vs. executive summary

Business case vs. project charter.

If you need to create an elevator pitch for your project but you don’t quite need the full business case treatment, you might need a project charter. Much like a business case, a project charter outlines key details of an initiative. Specifically, a project charter will cover three main elements of your project: project objectives, project scope, and key project stakeholders. Your management team will then use the project charter to approve further project development.

Do you need a business case?

Not every project needs a business case—or even a project charter. Plan to build a business case only for initiatives or investments that will require significant business resources. If you’re working on a smaller initiative, consider creating a project charter to pitch your project idea to relevant stakeholders.

Even if you don’t need to pitch your project to any stakeholders, you should be ready to answer basic questions about your proposed project, like:

What is this project’s purpose?

Why are we working on this project?

How does this project connect to organizational goals and objectives?

Which metrics will we use to measure the success of the project ?

Who is working on this project?

When is this project going to be completed?

5 steps for creating and pitching a business case

Your business case shouldn’t just include key facts and figures—it should also tell a story of why pursuing a particular investment or initiative is a good idea for your business. When in doubt, avoid jargon and be brief—but always focus on communicating the value of the project. If this is your first time creating a business case, don’t worry. Follow these five steps to create a solid one.

1. Gather input

You don’t have to write a business case on your own. Instead, make sure appropriate team members and stakeholders are contributing to the relevant sections. For example, the IT team should be involved in any tooling and timeline decisions, while the finance team should review any budget and risk management sections. If you’re creating a business case to propose a new initiative, product line, or customer persona, make sure you also consult subject matter experts.

2. Plan to write your business case out of order

Some of the first things that appear in your business case—like your executive summary—should actually be drafted last, when you have all of the resources and information to make an informed suggestion. Your executive summary will present all of your findings and make a recommendation for the business based on a variety of factors. By gathering all of those details first—like project purpose, financial information, and project risk—you can ensure your executive summary has all of the relevant information.

3. Build your business case incrementally

A business case describes a significant investment for your company. Similarly, simply writing a business case is a significant investment of your time. Not every initiative is right for your business—so make sure you’re checking your work with stakeholders as you go. You don’t want to sink hours and weeks into this document only for it to be rejected by executive stakeholders right off the bat.

Consider doing a “soft launch” with an outline of your business case to your project sponsor or an executive stakeholder you have a good relationship with to confirm this initiative is something you should pursue. Then, as you build the different sections of your business case, check back in with your key stakeholders to confirm there are no deal-breakers.

4. Refine the document

As you create sections of your business case, you may need to go back and refine other sections. For example, once you’ve finished doing a cost-benefit analysis with your financial team, make sure you update any budget-related project risks.

Before presenting your business case, do a final read through with key stakeholders to look for any sections that can be further refined. At this stage, you’ll also want to write the executive summary that goes at the top of the document. Depending on the length of your business case, your executive summary should be one to two pages long.

5. Present the business case

The final step is to actually present your business case. Start with a quick elevator pitch that answers the what, why, and how of your proposal. Think of this presentation as your chance to explain the current business need, how your proposal addresses the need, and what the business benefits are. Make sure to address any risks or concerns you think your audience would have.

Don’t go through your business case page by page. Instead, share the document with stakeholders before the presentation so they have a chance to read through it ahead of time. Then, after your presentation, share the document again so stakeholders can dig into details.

A business case checklist

Start with the why.

The first section of the business case is your chance to make a compelling argument about the new project. Make sure you draft an argument that appeals to your audience’s interests and needs. Despite being the first section in your business case, this should be the last section you write. In addition to including the  traditional elements of an executive summary , make sure you answer:

What business problem is your project solving?  This is your chance to explain why your project is important and why executive stakeholders should consider pursuing this opportunity.

What is your business objective ?  What happens at the end of a successful project? How will you measure success—and what does a successful project mean for your business?

How does this business case fit into your overall company business strategy plan?  Make sure your proposed business case is connected to important  company goals . The initiative proposed in your business case should move the needle towards your company's  vision statement .

Outline financials and the return on investment

At this point in your business case, you should outline the project finance fundamentals. Don’t expect to create this section on your own—you should draft this in partnership with your company’s finance team. In particular, this section should answer:

How much will this project cost?  Even if the initiative is completely new to your company, do some research to estimate the project costs.

What does each individual component of the project cost?  In addition to estimating the total overall cost, break down the different project costs. For example, you might have project costs for new tools and resources, competitive intelligence resourcing, agency costs, etc.

What is the expected return on investment (ROI)?  You’ve talked about the costs—now talk about how your company will benefit from this initiative. Make sure to explain how you calculated the ROI, too.

How will this project impact cash flow?  Cash flow is the amount of money being transferred into and out of your business. Significant investments are going to cost a lot of money, so they’ll negatively impact cash flow—but you should also expect a high ROI, which will positively impact cash flow.

What is the sensitivity analysis?  Sensitivity analysis is a summary of how uncertain your numbers are. There will be a variety of variables that impact your business case. Make sure to explain what those variables are, and how that could impact your projections.

Preview project details

Your business case is proposing a new initiative. In addition to the financial risks, take some time to preview project details. For example, your business case should include:

Your  project objectives  and  key project deliverables .  What will happen at the end of the project? What are you expecting to create or deliver once the project is over?

Your  project plan .  A project plan is a blueprint of the key elements your team needs to accomplish in order to successfully achieve your project goals.

The  project scope .  What are the boundaries of your project? What exact goals, deliverables, and deadlines will you be working towards?

A list of relevant  project stakeholders .  Who are the important project stakeholders and key decision makers for this work? This can include the members of the project team that would be working on this initiative, executive stakeholders who would sponsor the project, and any external stakeholders who might be involved.

A general  project roadmap  in a Gantt-chart like view.  At this stage in the process, you don’t need to provide a detailed project timeline, but you should outline a general sense of when each project stage will happen in relation to the others. To do this, create a project roadmap in  Gantt-chart like software . Make sure to include any important  project milestones  in your roadmap as well.

Any important project dependencies.  Is there anything that would get in the way of this project getting started? Does this work rely on any other work that’s currently in flight?

Discuss project risks

Once you’ve outlined the financial impact and important project details, make sure you include any potential project risks. If you haven’t already, create a  project risk management plan  for your business case. Project risk management isn’t the process of eliminating risk—instead, it’s about identifying, analyzing, and proactively responding to any potential project risks. Clearly defining each project risk and how that risk might impact your project can best equip you and the project team to manage and avoid those risks.

In the risk section of your business case, include:

A risk analysis of any potential project risks.  What is the risk? How likely is it to happen? What is the priority level of this risk?

What, if any, assumptions you are making.  In project risk management, assumptions are anything you think will be true about the project, without those details being guaranteed facts. Basing project decisions around an assumption can open your project up to risk. Make sure you ratify every project assumption to avoid jeopardizing project success.

Any comparable alternatives in the market.  If you’re writing a business case to pitch a new product or angle in the market, evaluate anything that already exists. Could the alternative impact your financial assessment or project success?

Develop an action plan

In the final section of your business case, outline how you will turn this business case into an actionable project. This section should answer questions like:

How will decisions be made?  Who is responsible for the project? Who is the project sponsor? If you haven’t already, consider creating a  RACI chart  to outline project responsibilities.

How will progress be measured and reported?  Not every project stakeholder needs to be notified of every project change. Outline key parts of your project communication plan , as well as how you’ll communicate  project status updates .

What is the next course of action?  If the management team ratifies this business case, what next steps will you take to put this into action?

Bring your business case to life

You’ve built a solid business case and it’s been ratified—congratulations! The next step is to bring your business case to life. It can be intimidating to  initiate large-scale change , and implementing your business case is no exception.

If you haven’t already, make sure you have a  project management tool  in place to manage and organize your new initiative. With a central source of truth to track who’s doing what by when, share status updates, and keep project stakeholders in the loop, you can turn a great business case into a successful project.

Related resources

15 creative elevator pitch examples for every scenario

Timesheet templates: How to track team progress

Scaling clinical trial management software with PM solutions

Data-driven decision making: A step-by-step guide

The Business Case for Lean

Five Lean East business case studies that show the benefits of Lean Thinking

The Lean East team is focused on teaching and applying proven Lean Six Sigma principles and tools to develop high-performing organizations. We focus specifically on organizations that provide customers with a service rather than a product. Examples include healthcare, government, financial, insurance, education, construction, repairs, etc.

Lean Six Sigma has a long track record of success in manufacturing. Recently, however, it became embraced by service-based industries. Many of our clients use Lean thinking as a strategic differentiator – far surpassing their previous results (and their competition).

Some of our clients select us because of our expertise in Lean Six Sigma methodology. Others have “no idea what this Lean stuff is about.” Our goal in this post is to share a few examples of our Lean engagements and the difference they made to the organizations we worked with. Please enjoy these five Lean business case studies.

Lean focuses on increasing customer value and eliminating waste

Lean East was hired to support a services company that had experienced sustained growth in revenues for the past ten years. Each stage of growth required additional staff, more variation in the sales and production processes, and pressures on profitability. The company had just experienced a year with approximately 20% growth in revenue. Their profits, however, were flat.

Our team worked with the leaders and employees to map out the customer fulfillment process. We then held an off-site meeting with all involved employees to understand what customers valued. We also defined what they would pay for. Then, we compared this to the actual process. The team identified many areas of waste in the current process along with new practices that would increase customer value.

Lean East ended the meeting with a discussion of pricing and a business finance 101 topic:

Customers will pay more money for more value. We set a goal to implement changes to increase value while reducing waste(s). This consists of direct costs and overhead costs. Most importantly, we then charged a higher price for the increased value.

The results one year later were impressive. The company again grew revenues by 25-30%. But instead of profits remaining flat, they nearly tripled! The team loved the return on investment, and we expect the results will be maintained in future years.

Lean improvements involve employees in the solution for lasting change

One of the great benefits of Lean thinking is the involvement of every employee in process improvement. This was made clear when the Lean East team was asked to rescue a process improvement project in a governmental services organization.

The project involved implementing an expensive software solution for the department. Lean East worked with the team to go back to the beginning and understand the goals and current problems. The team soon realized that the new software was too complex a solution for the current problems. The employees were then able to work together to develop a much simpler, internally developed solution. This solution would better meet the overall objectives.

Lean East visited with team members a year later and learned that the team was still happy with their changes. They were also still using the process! We soon began a new project to help the original software vendor who was still under contract. We worked together to develop a solution built upon the department’s new process.

Lean improvements identify and address root cause problems

A Director of Materials Management wanting to reduce supply costs used in the hospital surgical services department hired Lean Healthcare East. We lead a Lean project team and made improvements. The team began by reviewing background data on inventory stocking levels, replenishment times, lead times, and costs. We then worked together with the cross-functional members of the team to value stream map the process of ordering, stocking, consuming, and replenishing surgical supplies. This team included a Surgeon, Nurse, Scrub Technician, Sterilization Coordinator, Nursing Director, and Materials Management Buyer. Background data showed that 34% of stocked items had no usage in the past year. 31% of the items were stocked at levels higher than the established maximum levels in the system. Canceled cases were only avoided due to several employees making herculean efforts to keep surgeons in business and overcome the failing process.

The team identified additional improvement goals and the root causes of issues . A new process was mapped out to convert the paper-based inventory system to an online system. This allowed for material replenishment and billing to be done more quickly and accurately. Most importantly, the “ super nurses ” on the team who would regularly correct the mistakes instead began to address root causes. They no longer had to hide the process problems!

The operating rooms converted to the new system and actively decreased the obsolete and inactive items. The team was able to reduce inventory by over $100,000 in the first three months. They were also able to reduce the lead time for replenishment by 24 hours. They were also able to reduce the nursing and materials management staffing required for ordering and stocking.

Servant leadership: setting expectations and holding teams accountable

The Lean East mission is to bring out the best in organizations by bringing out the best in the people. The Lean East team helps develop leaders that treat their employees and other people with respect. The best leaders surround themselves with the best people. Everyone is continually learning and growing. Performance expectations can be set very high. Therefore, the CEO is responsible for setting the vision and breaking down barriers.

A retail sales client recently made significant organizational changes by establishing an executive leadership team. This team improved decision-making. The Owner/CEO was struggling with too much of the decision-making and responsibility for results at the top. Thus, essentially micro-managing a large percentage of the company.

We worked together as a management team to first define the current-state organizational reporting structure. It was clearly out of balance, with the CEO personally responsible for many processes.

We identified the value-creating processes in the company as well as the people responsible for those processes. We then met to agree upon key goals for each process. Responsibility for achieving the goals was divided amongst the managers on the team. Thankfully, managers were eager to step up and help define expectations and desired results. A key performance indicator dashboard was soon after established. Monthly dashboard review meetings were then scheduled so the team could work together to identify and address problems.

The team is now using the new dashboard and beginning to see early results. Results for the previous year set company records for revenue and profitability. The Owner/CEO is less involved in the day-to-day operations and now has time to work on the vision and strategic initiatives. Key employees in the company have embraced the increased responsibilities and are working together as a Lead Team.

Improved process results using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Our final Lean business case covers performance measurement. At Lean East, we help all of our clients better define the customer value they provide. We also define ways to measure said value. We understand and apply best practices when selecting and communicating KPIs.

One Lean East client was a large governmental services organization. The group had many employees broken into over twenty separate workgroups. Each workgroup had a manager and team responsible for their part of the overall government service. Unfortunately, each team focused their daily efforts on work that would not draw any attention to their group from management.

Lean East worked with the COO of the organization to set up Key Performance Indicators for each team, as well as a process for sharing those KPIs. The teams each tracked their KPIs on a display board in the area. Each employee was able to learn about the key metrics and how to track them. Leaders then set improvement targets. Finally, regular visits by management and team leaders to other KPI boards helped break down some of the silos and share best practices.

The return on investment of Lean thinking

Lean East develops high-performing organizations. We partner with our clients and help their processes become more effective, not necessarily more efficient. We strive for a 10-X return on all of our projects. Our goal is for the long-term benefits of our work to make back ten times the initial cost. Please connect with us for a discussion about your organization to see if Lean can help you.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Defining Kaizen and Other Japanese Words in Lean

Understanding the Basics of Quality Systems

Leveraging Generational Differences in the Workplace

Receive our lean east newsletter.

First Name -->

Select your industry: Healthcare related Manufacturing All other services

Our website uses cookies to improve and personalize your experience. Our website may also include cookies from third parties like Google Analytics. By using the website, you consent to the use of cookies. Please check our Privacy Policy at the bottom of the page.

• ERP implementation

Building a business case for lean implementation

Introducing lean thinking to your staff means explaining what lean does and how it will help your business. identifying your goals, explaining the concepts of kaizen and kanban and setting up lean training programs are all parts of building a business case for lean implementation..

Introducing lean thinking to your staff means explaining what lean does and how it will help your business. In this excerpt from chapter 8 of the book How to Implement Lean Manufacturing, learn how to identify your goals, explain the concepts of kaizen and kanban and set up lean training programs to build a business case for lean implementation.

Step 3: Perform an Educational Evaluation

Formally Introducing the Issue

A formal introduction is often a key to getting started well. Remember, the second requisite skill of leadership--the ability to articulate the plan so all can understand it. It is worthwhile to tell the entire facility, "We are going to make a change and that change is to implement the concept of Lean manufacturing."

Many facilities make this a monster effort, with special invitations, a formalized meeting attended by all the top management, coupled with meals and motivational speakers galore. I find this degree of effort is not needed. In the end, the most important aspect of selling the issue of changing to Lean is dependent upon the continued actions of the Lean leaders and top management. If they talk Lean and do not walk the talk, no amount of up-front selling will work. On the other hand, if the Lean leaders and top management do really walk the talk, then no large selling effort is required. Either way, a mega-effort at selling is generally a waste, hence I do not recommend it.

Rather, I recommend you have two types of Lean introductory training sessions, as described in the following paragraphs.

First and foremost, an introductory session to management will need to be prepared. This group should be the key decisionmakers, usually what is referred to as "top management." This first training is the classic "Who, What, Where, When, Why" training with special emphasis on the: "What," which is the House of Lean that was created with the help of your sensei ; and the "Why," which is the motivating force behind the effort. This training is often more than a one-day event. It could be the basis for a two or three-day retreat for the management team. This group needs to especially understand the House of Lean. The training should include exercises on variation reduction (the dice game in Chap. 19 works nicely), takt calculations, OEE calculations and line balancing (for these, my Lean Kit is a great tool and is available at my web site: www. qc-ep.com). This training session should be hands-on and instructional, and it must take into account both the present state of the facility and the desired state of the facility. Change, including the types and amounts of changes needed, should be openly and honestly discussed. At this point, it is unlikely that all four of the systemwide evaluations of the present state have been done, but still your Lean implementation manager and your sensei will be able to quantify this concept for the purposes of this training.

The second type of training is informational in nature and should be given to all employees on all shifts. It should first be given to those reporting to top management, next supervisors, and then to the general plant population. This is typically a PowerPoint presentation describing the House of Lean and the implementation schedule. Including ample time for a Q&A session, this usually takes about four hours, and groups can be as large as 40 and still be effective.

Specific Skills Training

The systemwide evaluations almost always create a very large list of needed training to teach the strategies, tactics, and Lean skills. The composite list will largely follow directly from the Five Precursors to a Lean Initiative, which have already been added to your Gantt chart. In addition, as you do the assessment of each value stream, training topics will almost surely be found. Once combined, these trainings will almost always include problem-solving training, training on statistical tools, and facilitation training for all in leadership positions. In addition, Lean-specific trainings are available in skills such as line balancing, SMED methodology, takt, and kanban calculations, to name just a few. It will be necessary to inventory the needed skills and teach them as they are needed to those using the tools.

Just another word on education and training: It should be focused and JIT. For example, during the implementation, if you choose to change the plant one value stream at a time, train just those people involved. Often, it is not that simple and some people may need to be trained prior to the implementation of their product; it is never perfect. The point here is to avoid the global mass training of individuals that makes good use of the training resources, yet provides the training either too early or too late. Efficiency of the training organization is not of paramount importance when compared to training effectiveness. If there is long time between the training and the implementation of that training, a large fraction of the learned material is forgotten. Consequently, it will not be effective and it is then waste, the very item we are trying to eliminate, not create.

At this point, you can also add these introductory training items to your Gantt chart.

Step 4: Document the Current Condition

Preparing a Present State Value Stream Map (PSVSM)

This document will be used to gather current information of the present state conditions for the entire value stream. This will be a door-to-door PSVSM--that is, we will start at the shipping dock and document the value stream up to the raw materials supply.

Step 5: Redesign to Reduce Wastes

Prepare a Future State Value Steam Map (FSVSM) That Will:

• Synchronize supply to customer, externally.
• Synchronize production, internally.
• Create flow (including the jidoka concept).
• Establish pull-demand systems.

This will analyze current conditions and redesign the process flow to eliminate waste. Refer to Chap. 7 for the specific technical details of this step.

Creating a Spaghetti Diagram

This diagram will show the movement of the assembly as it is constructed, and show the movement of both the people and the product. Work to reduce the movement and transportation wastes and free up floor space. Do this on a plot plan, made to scale.

Document all kaizen activities determined in Step 5 on your Gantt chart.

Step 6: Evaluate and Determine the Goals for This Line

• Determine critical process indicators (for more details on goals, see Chap. 9).
• Set specific goals for this line/product (goal #1 is to protect the customer).
• Document all kaizen activities found in this analysis on the Gantt chart.

Step 7: Implement the Kaizen Activities

• Implement finished goods inventory controls to protect the supply to the customer.
• Implement your jidoka concept as defined in Step 5.
• Prioritize and implement all other kaizen activities on the Gantt chart.

Step 8: Evaluate the Newly Formed Present State, Stress the System, Then Return to Step 1

Some Clarification on Step 8

As part of the project prescription, you will:

• Evaluate the newly formed present state.
• Stress the system.
• Return to Step 1.

To make a system Lean is a never-ending process. Each change brings about a new present state that then gets evaluated for improvement activities, which creates more changes and the cycle starts all over again. On many occasions, the system will stress itself through the unexpected appearance of quality or availability problems, for example. Sometimes demand changes will put a stress on the system. All of these are opportunities to improve the robustness of the system. Although it sounds a bit crazy at first, it is wise to stress the system yourself to see what other process opportunities may be present. A typical "stressor" for the system would be to remove a few kanban cards and see what the system response will be. The primary tool you will use to protect you from system failure will be system transparency. Remember when we said we need to create a culture that embraces change? This may be the clearest manifestation that we have changed the culture, when we start stressing the system to make it better. Recall the metaphor of the athlete in Chap. 6. How did he get better? Isn't this the same concept?

Lean goals (Step 6, item 2) are always an interesting topic. The name Lean came about because, in the end, the process can run using less manpower, take less time, consume less space, and use less equipment and material investment. So often when evaluating the success of a Lean initiative, these terms are used and calculations of space utilization, and even distance traveled, are used. In the long run, these are not very meaningful measures since they typically are not a good subset of the plant goals, nor do they readily translate into key business parameters such as profits or return on investment (ROI).

Most plants already have good measures of manpower utilization. For the other Lean measures, the ones that typically get woven into the general plant goals are inventory management measured as inventory turns, and the lead time, measured as manufacturing lead time. If OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is not already a line goal, this is clearly to be added. In total, there should be five to seven goals that are the metrics to measure how the line will supply the product, with better quality, with shorter lead times, and do so less expensively.

What about Goals for the Lean Initiative Itself?

We do not favor any specific goals here beyond the goals of the project that are included in the schedule. This is for two very sound reasons:

• At some point these goals will clash with the plant goals. It is best to simply weave them into the plant goals. If the plant goals do not reflect the need to be Lean, change the plant goals.
• We want to make as much effort as we can to weave the Lean initiative into the normal workings of the plant and not make it a "New Thing We Do." Rather, it should not be a new thing, but a new way of doing the things we need to do. We want to begin immediately weaving Lean activities into the culture, which will start the needed cultural change to sustain the gains. There is no better point to start than right here.

What to Do with the Plan?

Management Review

The plan needs management review, discussion, and acceptance. This should be done in a formal meeting. This formal review is done for four reasons.

• It will show, in one document, what is going to happen and when.
• It will give top management, the movers and shakers, an opportunity to see the entire effort. They can see and comment on those things in their areas of responsibility and also those changes outside their areas, but these changes still might affect them. In short, they will have an opportunity to bring up questions.
• Any plan includes the topics of objectives, timing, and resources. This meeting will allow a check on not only those three topics, but their interrelationships as well.
• How they respond to the plan will be a reality check on the commitment of the top management. This is most important.

It is necessary to make sure, at this meeting, that everyone understands that the next step is implementation. You want to leave the meeting with the understanding that the top management understands and will support the plan, because in five minutes you will implement it.

Publish and Follow-up

Immediately following the meeting, publish the plan and put it into action.

Let the Fun Begin!

Chapter Summary

The book How to Implement Lean Manufacturing is summarized in this chapter. First, we make evaluations using the following tools:

• The three fundamental issues to cultural change, outlined in Chap. 6.
• The fourfold evaluation of the present manufacturing system, including the commitment evaluations, five precursors to Lean, ten reasons Lean initiatives fail, and process maturity (found in Chap. 19).
• The educational evaluation of the workforce.
• Specific value stream evaluations, as detailed in Chap. 7.

These evaluations, and the countermeasures, then create a huge list of kaizen activities that can be included in a Gantt chart or an appropriate project planning and tracking tool. We can then evaluate and determine completion dates for kaizen activities in the project, set specific goals for the value stream, prioritize the activities, and implement the kaizen activities. Almost always, our first two goals will be to implement finished goods inventory to protect the supply to the customer and to implement our jidoka concept. Finally, we will present this to management for review, and once reviewed and accepted, we will begin to immediately eliminate the waste.

Related Resources

• 7 Steps to a Stress-Free ERP Roll-Out –Aptean
• Six Tips For A Successful ERP Implementation In The Beverage Industry –Aptean
• De-risk your back-once transformation to deliver a greater impact on your ... –Unit4
• 10 Strategic Steps to Master International ERP Implementation –Be-Terna

Dig Deeper on ERP implementation

6 of the most common HR change management models

Lean startup

business process improvement (BPI)

Total Quality Management (TQM)

With its Cerner acquisition, Oracle sets its sights on creating a national, anonymized patient database -- a road filled with ...

Oracle plans to acquire Cerner in a deal valued at about $30B. The second-largest EHR vendor in the U.S. could inject new life ...

The Supreme Court ruled 6-2 that Java APIs used in Android phones are not subject to American copyright law, ending a ...

Snowpark Container Services aims to provide the vendor's users with a secure environment for deploying and managing models and ...

The introduction of graph processing, vector search and full-text search optimize Spanner for developing and managing modern ...

The vendor's latest Astro platform update integrates the open source transformation tool to help users better prepare information...

Two executive board members will depart SAP in a move that the company says is both to streamline the structure of the board and ...

Sophia Mendelsohn talks about SAP's ambitions to both set an example of sustainability and be an enabler of it with products such...

In this Q&A, SAP CTO Juergen Mueller explains why a clean core is critical for moving to S/4HANA cloud and how the enterprise ...

The tech giant's latest analytics and data management moves include the general availability of Gemini in BigQuery and the ...

Though the BI platform already enables users to analyze data and develop data products using natural language, AWS plans to do ...

The vendor's latest update adds connectivity to AI providers to enable GenAI development as well as governance features to ...

Enterprise content management systems can become outdated, prompting a migration to cloud-based options. Follow these seven steps...

As Salesforce prepares to roll out its own generative AI tools for Slack this fall, Box adds AI for joint users, who can use ...

Some industries might be wary of generative AI, but not legal. We find out how -- and why -- attorneys are embracing it in this Q...

Workday, the first SaaS provider in the Salesforce Zero Copy Partner Network, will integrate data with Salesforce, allowing ...

U.S. continuous security clearances system faces severe delays and budget overruns. The now $1.7B project is years behind ...

Professional development platforms' offerings range from courses taught by well-known figures in their field to classes in which ...

• $  0.00 0 items

Hackathon Business Case Guide & Template (PPT and Keynote)

$  45.99

The business case guide template for your Innovation Hackathon Event: Argue the benefits to your organisation and staff using these 60 slides of guidance and templates.

This guide includes 60 slides to support your business case: introductions, templates, guidance and editorial support materials for building your Hackathon Event business case.

Based on Lessons Learned.

Based on running Innovation events and Hackathons from 2001-2018 so that you benefit from real experience.

6 Template Guide Sections.

• Rationale:  The strategic arguments to hold a Hack Event.
• Benefits:  The benefits for organisations and staff.
• Expectation Management:  Manage stakeholders carefully.
• Hack Event Canvas:  A useful format to make the plans clear.
• Three Horizons:  A strategic look at your innovation pipeline and Hack Events’ role.
• FROST Innovation Framework:  A useful framework for generating a healthy innovation pipeline.

How this Hackathon Business Case Guide Will Help You

• These 60 slides give you a structured background and set of approaches to explain and argue the Hackathon Business Case.
• The slides can be used as templates to create a presentation, or as a guide to follow.
• The approach is useful for both in-house innovation events, and industry collaboration events.
• The approach focusses on Hackathon Events that involve prototyping, because all good innovation events are about that.
• Pages with the yellow and black stripes at the bottom provide additional guidance and context, and should be removed if you use this as a presentation template.
• It is a “Toolbox” approach: You do not need to use all the tools, but just the ones you need.
• These guides form part of the FROST Innovation Framework , and can also be used standalone.
• A Hack Event is an ideal way to generate multiple Proof Of Concept prototypes for your business.

This template includes the Lean Hackathon Event Canvas

Arranged for easy understanding and rapid use

This deck includes templates, background information, lessons learned and helpful guidance slides.

So how do I download this now? How do you send my products to me?

It's simple:-

• Use the button below to "Add to cart".
• Click "Checkout" and use one of our secure payment options.
• You will then get  immediate  access to download your products.
• Your receipt and your download links will be emailed to you.
• Download your products and they are ready to use!

$  45.99 Add to cart

This Product is included in these discount bundles:

Hack Day Event Template Discount Bundle

Innovation Project Templates – Discount Bundle

All Templates in 1 Package – The CEO Premium Discount Bundle

The ceo premium bundle.

All Templates in 1 Bundle – The CEO Premium Package

Get all of our professional templates in ONE PACKAGE. 100+ templates with over 70% discount, and a multi-user license.

Business Best Practice

What are the benefits of a Hackathon Event?

Hackathon events (or “hack days”) are a fabulous way of getting the best from your community: a challenge, socialising and intense creativity all mixed to deliver and test bold ideas.

What makes a great hackathon?

From the founder of BBC News Labs and the #newsHACK hackathon event series, some tips and tricks.

How do I make a business case for a Hack Event?

I work in an old-fashioned organisation. They are very risk averse. How might I make the case for a Hack Event?

What is the best Hackathon Event Schedule?

Our tried and tested Hackathon Event Schedule, to maximize your chances of having a successful Hack event.

Business Topics

Digital product formats.

SKU : BDUK-13120 Author : --> Created : 2018-11-24 10:46:31 Modified : 2024-04-11 13:28:01