This document provides information about preparing a Business Case for the Systems and Process Investment Board. It comprises of two sections, the first lists background information and the second provides detailed information about the contents of the Business Case.
1. Background Information:
Before you start preparing a Business Case please refer to the following documents within H:\strategic-projects\BA Procedures and Templates for guidance.
Document Title
Process and System Initiative Approval Routes
Purpose
To outline the process for determining whether the proposed project is a small scale initiative or large scale initiative.
Financial Template Guidance – Nov 2013
Business Cases – Costing of staff using fEC Tool
This document is key to deciding whether a Stage 0 and/or a Stage 1 Business Case will be required.
Guidance on filling out the Financial Template that must accompany every Business Case document
Guidance on agreed method for costing staff within Business Cases.
1.1 Key People to consult with:
Name/Role
IT Services - initial contact Luke Taylor, Assistant Director, Systems Development
Caroline Bardrick, Deputy Finance Controller for Support Services, Finance Services (and Julie Moore where software licence costs are involved)
Public Relations Office – initial contact Urfan Ali, Web and New Media Manager (where content will be delivered via the web)
Change Management – Initial contact Naomi Logan, OD Manager (Change) – Interim Manager Tracy
Hayler
Deliverable
Technical Appraisal, Hardware costs and budget Luke Taylor
Finance Template
Web Appraisal
Estimates of Change Management resources
Prepared by
Business
Analyst
Urfan Ali
Project Management - Claire Nuttall, Head of Strategic Projects Office
Any other Resource Manager providing resources to the project or ongoing service, e.g. Business
Intelligence service
Procurement – advice on Procurement exercise, if that is recommended by Technical Appraisal - Initial contact Anj Cooke, Head of Procurement
Legal - advice on Procurement exercise, if that is recommended by Technical Appraisal - Initial contact
Clare Smith
Matt Morrison - Information Rights Officer, Secretary’s Office – Data protection and privacy issues
Estimates of Project Management resources
Estimates of other project and operational resources
Tracy Brunnock - OD Manager (Diversity), Human resources
Privacy Impact Assessment (if potential privacy issues identified)
Equality Analysis (if potential equality and diversity issues identified)
Last updated: 10 th September 2015 (by Martin Fey, Senior Business Analyst, Strategic Projects Office) V27
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1.2 What you need to submit:
Templates are located in H:\strategic-projects\BA Procedures and Templates.
Completed Document Requirement
Executive Summary and Checklist
Required when submitting either Stage 0 or a Stage 1 Business Case.
Stage 0 Business Case If the Process Owner is requesting Strategic Projects Office resources to develop a Stage 1 Business Case for a large scale project/initiative then a
Stage 0 Business Case will be required. It is not required for small scale initiatives (value less than £25k, no Business Analysis required).
Stage 1 Business Case Required for either large or small scale initiatives.
Finance Template
1.3
Required when submitting either Stage 0 or a Stage 1 Business Case.
Who to submit final version to (large scale initiatives only):
Name/Role
Head of Strategic Projects Office and Senior Business
Analyst
Secretary to Systems and Process Investment Board
(Julie Selman, Strategic Projects Office)
Cc to Caroline Bardrick, Julie Moore
When
Prior to CRAB and Portfolio Management Group meetings that precede the Systems and Process Investment
Board. Meeting schedule in H:\strategic-projects\Business Cases\01 Business Case Guidance\Meeting Schedules
At least 7 days prior to the Systems and Process Investment Board Meeting
Note: Caroline Bardrick should always be sent the final Excel spreadsheet for the Financial Template well in advance of the SPIB meeting where the case is to be discussed (and before the CRAB and Portfolio Management
Group meetings that precede the SPIB)...
Julie Moore must be consulted on any additional ongoing software licensing costs well in advance of the SPIB meeting where the case is to be discussed.
Last updated: 10 th September 2015 (by Martin Fey, Senior Business Analyst, Strategic Projects Office) V27
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2. Business Case Documentation
The Systems and Process Investment Board requires either a stage 0 or stage 1 business case depending on the type of funding you are requesting.
Stage 0
Purpose

Describes the justification for setting up and continuing a large scale project.

Lists the resources required to develop a Stage 1.
 Provide the mandate for resources (i.e. Business
Analyst) to be used on the preparation of a Stage 1
Business Case

Outlines the issue the project will try to resolve.

This is a high level document and should not be lengthy.
Roles and Responsibilities

Sponsor (e.g. Process Owner) will support and endorse the setting up of the project.

Project lead (e.g. department head, systems manager) or Business Analyst could prepare this o Business Analysis o o
Content

Details of project sponsor, project lead, project structure and the key stakeholders.

Overall project objectives.
 Background project drivers and current issues.

High level metrics, if available.

Scope, including deliverables for the overall project.

Strategic benefits of investment.

The resources required to produce a Stage 1 Business case –would normally include resources for:
Technical Appraisal (amount of time required to be discussed with Assistant Director, Systems Development)
Web Appraisal (if required, i.e. On Line Outputs involved – default is Yes, amount of time to be discussed with Head of
Web Editor Team)

Completed Finance Template.

Where possible, approximate resource requirements, estimated capital
Deliverables

If the Business Case is approved, resources will be allocated, normally a Business
Analyst.

The Business Analyst/Project
Manager will develop a Work
Plan and Terms of Reference for their work. This will be signed off by the project lead.

If required, the project board structure will be agreed.

The review/project will commence. document.

The Business Case will be prepared by a member of staff from the Business Area with assistance, guidance and QA from the Senior Business Analyst and/or the Head of the Strategic Projects Office investment and anticipated timescales for duration of project post Stage
1 approval (high level at this stage).

Risks and drawbacks of not progressing the project.

Constraints/Dependencies.
An Executive Summary will be prepared (using a standard template), to be submitted alongside the Business Case.
Last updated: 10 th September 2015 (by Martin Fey, Senior Business Analyst, Strategic Projects Office) V27
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Stage 1
Purpose

Describes the resources (staff and funding) required to develop either an in house or commercial solution for either a large or small scale initiative.
 Identifies resources required to implement the project and recurrent resources once the project is completed.

Outlines the options explored with cost benefits.
Roles and Responsibilities

Sponsor – will provide statement of support.

Project lead – will sign off this document and ensure stakeholder support.

Business Analyst – provide analysis and prepare the Stage 1 Business Case document
(with Executive Summary and Financial Template) and will own the document during preparation, prior to approval.

Head of Strategic Projects Office - Advise level of Project Management resource required

Assistant Director, Systems Development – responsible for the preparation of the technical options appraisal and estimates of IT Services resource required for recommended option.

Deputy Finance Controller for Support Services – review Financial Template.

Head of PRO Web Editor Team –Web Development required

IT Training Manager – Level of Training resource required

Human Resources Change Team – Advise level of Change Management resource required to assist with the project
 Procurement/Legal – Advice on shape, resourcing and timescales for any procurement exercise

Information Rights Officer, Secretary’s Office – Advice on any data protection and privacy issues

OD Manager (Diversity), HR – Advice on any equality or diversity issues
 Project Manager – check (prior to submission) that the Stage 1 Business Case document is a coherent and complete case that the PM will be able to successfully deliver
Content
The content of the Stage 1 will be similar to the Stage 0, with the addition of:

Equality Risk Assessment 1 statement if relevant.

Detailed information about the objectives, scope of the project, level of support, how success will be measured and detailed metrics.

Options appraisal and proposed process improvements.

For in house development- detail full cost/benefit/risk analysis for the preferred option, as well as timescales for development. There should be costs for both the following where applicable:
 Development by ADT
 Web Design and Development by (or overseen by) Web Editor team

For commercial product, indicative cost/benefit/risk analysis for the preferred option. If there is an element of integration with the
University web system, then the Web Editor Team should be consulted.

The benefits above should include Service Level Benefits if identified

Timing 2 , risks, dependencies and sensitivities of the project.

Change Management implications

Service Level Assumptions – In particular those that have influenced the IT costs in the Business Case
 A completed finance template must be included as an appendix. All other appendices are optional. The completed Finance Template must be reviewed by Finance (Caroline Bardrick) prior to approval and submission.
 Privacy Impact Assessment – if relevant/needed

Equality Analysis – if relevant/needed
An Executive Summary will be prepared (using a standard template), to be submitted alongside the Business Case.
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Equality risk assessment is a full consideration of how an existing or proposed policy is likely to affect people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances. It is a review of our policies to ensure that they are not discriminating and that they are making a positive contribution to equality of opportunity. More information: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/equalityanddiversity/era
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The current threshold for Goods and Services is £172,514. Any one-off spend, or combined spend over a 4 year period by the University that exceeds this must go through a formal tender process governed by the
EU Public Procurement Regulations. This process is managed by Procurement and will on average take 3 - 6 months depending on the complexity of the contract
Last updated: 10 th September 2015 (by Martin Fey, Senior Business Analyst, Strategic Projects Office) V27
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Stage 1 Deliverables
In addition to the Stage 1 Business Case the following are likely to be developed:

The ‘as is’ and ‘to be’ (where applicable) process maps.

For in house development, detailed Statement of Requirements document with Technical Appraisal. (Subsequently Functional Specification(s) would be written to inform development).

For commercial product, Prioritised Statement of Requirements document with technical appraisal and indicative costs from suppliers. On approval of funds an invitation to tender will be developed. (Subsequently Functional Specification(s) would be written to inform development of integrations).

Service Level Requirements document (to be signed off by Service Owner and Technical Services Owner)
If the Business Case is approved, resources will be allocated to implement the project.
Last updated: 10 th September 2015 (by Martin Fey, Senior Business Analyst, Strategic Projects Office) V27
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