Mark Blakeman
Director of Informatics and Corporate Projects
Business Cases - hurdle or useful tool?
Business Cases - do not have
a good reputation
Despite Employing the best staff –
from the best companies
Despite following the best
guidance for governance
Despite using the best
accountants, carefully analysing
the finances and assuring
ourselves that there is a case to
be made.
Despite setting out clear
delivery time scales
Risks get missed
Projects get delayed and
blame apportioned
And projects get abandoned
On the basis of evidence,
Business Cases are just about
jumping through f***ing hoops !
Questions ?
But……
Background – The Economic
Reality
Economic Reality
All Public Sector Organisations need to
respond.
– Standard responses include
• Salami slicing
• Slash and burn
• Lies were it falls
• Money at the expense of quality
• Displacement activity
• Too much too late.
– To safe guard service quality we need a
better solution.
IT enabled service
improvement needs to be part
of the solution
But…..
Projects get delayed and
blame will be apportioned
Your reputation to keep to budget,
deliver on time and release
benefits is both fragile and
extremely precious.
Be it your idea
Your Boss’s idea
An idea based on a 30 minute
conversation with Bill Gates
(allegedly)
Business cases are about making
sound business decisions, not
about getting something
approved.
Business Cases
A Hurdle Worth Jumping ?
A Worth While Business Case
A Worth While Business Case
– Looking back across a range of implementations [in the long term]
“real” benefits are more important than.
• A well written business case
• Affordability
• Funding
• Excellent project management
• Benefits realisation and management
• Training
• Floor walking
• Service management
• Business continuity
• Technical solution.
– Don’t try to justify benefits that aren’t there and don’t try to pass non
cash releasing benefits off as cash releasing.
– Do include all of the above in your business case
– Don’t be tempted to take out any of the above out of your business
case to make it affordable.
A Worth While Business Case
– Understand the finances
• Investment policy
• Impact on Monitor risk rating
• ROI
• Liquidity / Cash
• VAT
• Managed service vs lease
• etc
– Understand the HR
• TUPE
• Protection
• etc
– Understand the procurement
• Framework
• SFIs
• etc
A Worth While Business Case
– Ensure business case fits the new way of
working.
• Business change
• Implementation – PC support
– Business Case or Backlog maintenance ? (learn
from estates)
– Pilot can prove the benefits
• Gives time to really gain support.
• Creates champions for further roll out.
• Spread the costs (watch the risks though).
– Be careful with contract T&Cs especially regarding stage
payments.
– Don’t Forget on going revenue and support requirements.
– Benefits and pay back periods are key.
• Expect significant scrutiny and short pay back periods.
So….
Business Cases are a real Opportunity,
but…
– A great business case may not get approved.
– Given the amount of effort required to
produce a business case a good business
case should be celebrated even if the
organisation chooses not to invest.
– Organisations wont have the cash to bail out
a poor business case.
Remember
– Business cases are about making sound
business decisions, not about getting
something approved.
– You reputation to keep to budget, deliver on
time and release benefits is both fragile and
extremely precious.
Questions ?