For more information visit

www.skillshighway.govt.nz

Checklist Preparing a business case

Use this checklist to ensure your business case clearly details the costs and benefits of literacy training to assist the decision-makers.
Section heading Executive summary Guidelines Give a brief summary of the business case and highlight the key points. Define and quantify the current and future business needs that drive this business case. State how the proposed investment aligns with strategic business objectives. Opportunity cost Estimate the cost (over a defined time period) of delaying or not proceeding with this investment. Present sufficient detail to allow the decision-makers to evaluate the business solution. For example: the range of solutions considered why you recommend this solution Investment and funding the direct and indirect benefits evidence of prior success elsewhere. Done?

Proposed solution

Describe the investment required to implement the proposed solution. Include any funding support opportunities such as industry and government grants. Describe the project structure. Include the duration of the main activities. Assess the project team skill requirements and state their roles and responsibilities. Identify and assess the expected risks to which the project will be exposed. Outline a plan to manage the risks. Show the return on investment (ROI). Identify how and when: costs will be recouped and/or income generated ROI benefits will strategically position the business for market gains.

Project framework

Risks

Financial analysis

Target employees
DOL 11273.1

Identify the key target employees or employee group(s) for training and state why they were selected.

For more information visit

www.skillshighway.govt.nz

Section heading Critical success factors

Guidelines List the factors needed to ensure success of the proposed solution. Be specific. For example, describe in specific project terms: management commitment employee engagement project team staffing levels coverage of trainees work during training.

Done?

Assumptions and constraints

What assumptions have been made, such as costs and resource availability? What needs to be in place for the project to be delivered successfully? What factors may impact or limit the project? Identify the project resources by role, quantity and cost. Include an explanation of any ongoing resource needs, and the split of effort between in-house and external resources, if appropriate. For example: training skills training materials including stationery technology resources training facilities relief staff.

Resource requirements

Criteria for measuring success

Describe how to measure the success of the proposed solution. For example, describe in specific project terms: financial (cost versus revenue) performance and productivity wastage, errors, rework and downtime health and safety incidents staff absenteeism and turnover internal recruitment and promotion competitive differentiation.

Conclusion Reference materials

Restate your recommendation. Catalogue all reference materials for the business case.

Deliverables checklist
A Word document for the detailed business case. A high-level case for presentation to executives. A 12 minute elevator speech memorised for informal discussions with decision-makers.