po 501

PMG501 – Scope Project Management

Business Case and Project Proposal Outline Template

Business Case and Project Proposal: [Your Proposed Project Name Here]

(Note: the text in RED is designed to help you write your Business Case. Please remove all red text before submitting your assignment.)

1. Business Background

· In this section, use 2 to 3 paragraphs to explain the current situation that has prompted this project proposal. In other words, “tell the story” about where this proposed project has come from: what problems, needs, or situation has caused us to consider this project at this time?

2. Business Requirements

· Using the guidelines and examples contained in this week’s lecture material and readings, write at least 3 specific BUSINESS requirements for this proposed project.

· Recall that a business requirement is a clear statement of the CAPABILITY we need to have (the problem to be solved), and isn’t focused on a particular solution. Even if your case study project has already started (or has finished), remember that a Business Case is written during the project initiation phase – so, if this were a ‘real world’ business case, the project wouldn’t have actually started yet (we wouldn’t necessarily know the project had already been approved.)

· Try writing your business requirement statements so that they begin with the phrase “we require the capability to …” in order to avoid identifying a specific solution (the next section focuses on the specific solution.)

3. Description of Proposed Project/Solution

· In this section, describe the specific PROJECT you’ve chosen for your case study. At a minimum, describe at least 5 key features, functions, or characteristics the output of this project will have. (If you described this project verbally in a conversation, how would you describe it?) Although not required, you may find using a bulleted list to be helpful.

3.1 Solution Benefits

· Describe at least 3 benefits associated with this project, and at least 1 of your 3 benefits must be expressed in monetary terms.

3.2 Solution Costs

· Describe at least 3 costs associated with this project, and at least 1 of your 3 costs must be expressed in monetary terms.

3.3 Solution Risks

· Using the Risk Identification syntax included in this week’s lecture materials (“due to the fact that…there is a risk that…which would result in…”), identify at least 5 risks associated with this project.

· For each risk you identify, also indicate whether you believe the risk has high, medium, or low impact to the proposed project if the risk occurs.

4. Analysis of Alternatives

· In this section, identify and describe at least 2 other potential projects or solutions that could also satisfy the business requirements you listed in section 2 of this Business Case.

· What are some of the costs, benefits and risks associated with each alternative? Why is your proposed project (your case study) a better project to pursue than the other alternatives?

5. Final Recommendation

· In this section, briefly summarize whether you believe your proposed project (your case study) should be approved for initiation, and why.