Developing a business case

Introduction

Projects exist primarily to deliver the University’s strategic objectives. They are the principal way we drive the University towards our vision of the future. The business case is the opportunity to gain funding and approval for projects which will contribute to this success.

Approval can be at corporate, directorate or school level depending on the source of funding. All business cases must make a compelling argument about how the project will contribute to the strategic vision. Why should this project be chosen over other projects competing for limited resources?

The business case is not simply a document to get through the funding and approval hurdle it defines the project and must be referred to during all aspects of initiation, planning and close down of the project.

Business cases at Oxford Brookes

Oxford Brookes has business cases templates which should be used in all cases. The reason we need specific templates is to deliver a consistent and transparent approach to decision making.

There are two templates. The full business case and the short business case/outline business case. Projects with high impacts, big risks and big resource commitments will need to use the full business case template. Other projects with smaller impacts can be submitted using the short/outline business case template. Projects which require a feasibility study before development of a full business case should use the Short/outline business case.

There are no hard and fast rules about which template to use, rather it depends on the level of information decision makers are comfortable with. The amount of risk and level of resources will be significant factors in deciding which to use.