Costs

: quantify today’s performance, costs, cycle times, or risks so improvement can be measured.

Set objectives and success criteria

: define outcomes and KPIs, including benefits ownership and expected timing.
Identify feasible options
: include at least a baseline option and 1 to 3 credible alternatives; capture key constraints.
Estimate benefits
: quantify savings, revenue uplift, risk reduction, or service improvements; link to benefits realisation plans.

,

Scrum methodology infographic

net present value

, and internal rate of return

.Benefits vs costs (simple structure)CategoryExamplesSpecialist: CDS 3-day ITIL Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support (CDS) course.How to quantifyIT Learning Library (ITLL)™BenefitsBUSINESS LEARNING LIBRARY (BLL)™Time saved, fewer errors, faster sales cycle, improved compliance

Agile Learning Library (ALL)™Labour cost reduction, avoided rework, revenue uplift, avoided penalties

Scrum infographic

Business Analysis Learning Library (BALL)™Costs

Compliance Learning Library (CLL)™Licences, implementation, training, change management, support

Opportunity costDelay to another project, diverted staff time

Estimate value of displaced work and include in narrative or sensitivity

Risks, assumptions, constraints and dependenciesDecision-makers need to understand what could undermine delivery or benefits. Good business cases separate:Assumptions: statements treated as true for planning (for example, adoption rates or volume growth).

Constraints

Dependencies: external items required for success (for example, data migration readiness, vendor delivery, approvals).

Risks

: uncertain events that could harm outcomes (for example, low user adoption, security gaps, scope creep).Risks and mitigations (example)RiskImpact

Mitigation

Low user adoptionBenefits not realised, process rework

Change management plan, training, champions, KPI tracking

Executive sponsor and operations leadData quality issues

Errors, low trust in reporting

Data profiling, cleansing, acceptance criteria

Data owner

Supplier delivery delay

Timeline slippage, higher costsMilestone-based contract, contingency, parallel workstreamsProject manager

Example business case

Scenario: A mid-sized service business proposes implementing a CRM to reduce manual admin, improve sales follow-up, and increase conversion rates.Assumptions and baseline

40 sales and service users.

Current admin time lost to manual updates: 2 hours per user per week.

Average loaded labour cost: GBP 35 per hour.

Select your preferred training course below:Expected time saving after rollout: 60% of current admin time. Revenue uplift from better follow-up: GBP 60,000 per year (conservative estimate).PRINCE2 AGILE COURSESDiscount rate for NPV: 8% per year (illustrative only).

Select your preferred training course below:Estimated costs