Story telling your Business Case

What’s the best way to write a business case so that you get maximum buy-in and engage the leadership group to approve the project?

Imagine telling a story.

The story starts, as usually all good ones do, with a background introduction. This sets the theme to the story that is going to be played out. Then it introduces a problem. This is the business need you’re trying to solve. Then, identify the characters: the stakeholders who have the authority to approve or reject your business case; the beneficiaries who stand to gain from your proposal; and the subject-matter experts who will clarify how to solve the problem. Next you’ll consider alternatives for meeting the business need —different ways your story might play out. After making the best choice, you’ll create a very high-level project plan supplemented with a process flow diagram. This is the plot. Then estimate the costs and benefits to determine the return on investment (ROI), which is the satisfying end.

Remember this isn’t a mystery novel — your story needs to be clear and easy to understand.

Adapted from Harvard Business Review Management Tip of the Day: Write Your Business Case as a Story