The Basics of a Business Case.41
| Section Heading | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Executive Overview | A brief synopsis (usually one to two pages) that captures the proposal’s purpose, central recommendations, and most important conclusions. |
| 2. Background and Context | Establishes the organizational setting, explains the current circumstances, outlines the challenge or opportunity, and introduces the proposed direction. |
| 3. Foundational Logic and Key Assumptions | Specifies the guiding conditions and justifications for the proposal—such as staffing needs, regulatory influences, marketplace trends, or financial drivers. |
| 4. Project Outline and Objectives | Provides a thorough summary of the initiative, defining its aims, scope, required resources, timeline, responsible personnel, indicators of success, and projected results. |
| 5. Fiscal Analysis and Budget Review | Describes the financial dimension of the proposal, including estimated expenses, anticipated savings or revenue, ROI calculations, and fiscal assumptions. May feature models or projections. |
| 6. Anticipated Benefits and Organizational Value | Explains the expected gains—both measurable and intangible—such as improved performance, innovation, efficiency, or team engagement. |
| 7. Implementation Timeline and Key Milestones | Lays out the schedule for execution, identifying major phases, benchmarks, and deliverables. Communication or rollout plans may be integrated here. |
| 8. Risk Evaluation and Backup Strategies | Identifies possible obstacles or uncertainties and defines how these will be addressed to ensure continued progress. May include scenario or dependency analyses. |
| 9. Summary Conclusions and Action Guidance | Consolidates the major findings and provides a clear statement of why the initiative should move forward. |
| 10 Supporting Documentation | Contains additional materials—financial data, detailed analyses, or references—that reinforce the main content of the proposal. |