Every modernization project I have worked on started with the same problem. The team knew the old system was slowing everyone down. Leadership needed a reason to fund the fix that went beyond “it is old.”
A good business case answers four questions in plain language: what the problem costs today, what the options are, what each option costs to build and run, and what you get back. When I led the roadmap for a case management update that now saves more than a million dollars a year, the case that got it funded fit on a few pages.
This guide walks through how I structure that document.
What this guide covers
- Stating the problem in terms of time, money, and risk
- Comparing your options, including doing nothing
- Estimating one-time costs and recurring savings
- Naming risks and dependencies honestly
- Writing a recommendation leadership can act on