.

You’re probably reading this article because you want to know how to write a business case. Perhaps your organisation is embarking on a major project to develop a new product. Or, perhaps you’re thinking of moving house so your family can enjoy a better life. In either case, you write a business case to ensure the investment is worthwhile.

In this article we’ll give you 2 business case examples, provide you with a simple business case template for you to use, and explain how to write a business case.

Enhance your skills with our expert-led courses Click or scroll PRINCE2 at a glance PRINCE2 is the world’s most widely adopted project management method. It provides a clear, structured approach to managing projects effectively in any industry. It helps teams deliver projects on time, within budget, and to agreed quality standards.Instructor-ledThere are two main PRINCE2 qualification levels - Better Business Cases Practitioner (with Foundation) courseFoundation and £2,400 +vatPractitioner

- plus a See all dates

combined option if you want to complete both in one go.

Compare course optionsSelf-paced

Globally recognisedBetter Business Cases Practitioner (with Foundation) self-paced online

Adopted by organisations worldwide and valued by employers.

Structured framework£1,199 +vat

Provides clear roles, responsibilities, and processes for predictable project success.

Career-enhancing

Boosts your employability and credibility in project management roles.

Compare PRINCE2 coursesSelf-paced

See the key differences between the Foundation, Practitioner, and combined PRINCE2 courses to help you choose the right option.Better Business Cases Foundation self-paced online

£699 +vat

Best forWhat is a business case?

PrerequisitesA business case is the justification for some activity (e.g. a project) undertaken by your organisation. It weighs up the timescales, costs and risks of doing the activity against the benefits to be gained. Think of it as weighing up the pros and cons and then taking a sensible decision.DurationA business case forms an essential component of the curriculum of the Delivery optionsbest project management courses

Exam included.

Exam formatPersonal business caseQualification gainedYou may also use a business case to justify an investment you make in your personal life. For example, when you’re thinking of moving home to another area. You and your spouse will need to understand the costs of moving, the timescales and risks involved, and weigh these up against the benefits to be gained e.g. saving time traveling to your office, or your children able to go to a better school.View coursesWhy have a business case?

Projects should not just start on a whim or because of vanity – although a lot of money has been wasted over the years on such

projects

.

FoundationSee course

New to project management or PRINCE2.

None

2 days or 20 hours

Instructor-led, self-paced online

PRINCE2 Foundation exam

60 minutes, multiple choice

PRINCE2 Foundation certificate Business case examples

FoundationWe will now give you 2 business case examples. The first example is one which you might find useful for taking decisions in your personal life. The 2nd business case example is more business focused project.

Business case example 1: Moving homePractitionerSuppose you and your spouse are considering moving to a new home. You will need to weigh up the pros and cons of moving. This is done using a business case. You might not call it that, but that’s what it is. Let’s look at an example.ReasonSee course

As you can see from the example, the first thing to be clear about in a business case is the reason for doing the project or activity. In this example, the couple has answered the question Why? In fact, there are two problems here – the local school and John’s long commute.

Options consideredFoundation certificate holders who want to progress to the Practitioner level.

A business case should weigh up the competing options which have been considered. After all, there is usually more than one option. Perhaps an alternative option would have been for John to change his job to one nearer their current house. However, this wouldn’t solve the issue with the school.

BenefitsPRINCE2 Foundation or equivalents

The benefits of a project or activity are the positive things you’re going to get back in return for your investment of time and money. In this case, the kids will get a better education, and John will save time each day. Timescales2 days or 15 hoursIt’s also important to understand how long the investment of resources will take. This is so that the organisation (or family in this case) knows when the resources will be freed up to work on other

projectsInstructor-led, self-paced online

or activities.

There are usually 2 timescales to consider. First, the timescale of the project or activity – in this case 3 months to find a new house and move there. Second, the time over which the benefits shall be realized. In this case it’s 5 years until the kids leave school.PRINCE2 Practitioner exam

Costs

The costs of doing the project or activity is the next important bit of information. On this project, the costs of moving to a new house will be £5,000. These are the project costs.2.5 hours, scenario-based

However, the couple will spend an additional £2,000/year for every year over which the business case is calculated. For a project in an organisation, this is usually referred to as the operational costs of maintaining and operating the projects outputs e.g. an IT system. At this point, the couple knows the total costs over the timescales when the benefits shall be realized.

RisksPRINCE2 Practitioner certificate

For any activity or project, it’s also important to understand the major risks involved. Risks are the uncertain things which may or may not happen during the period of the investment. There is only one risk identified here, which is the risk that the couple might lose touch with friends who live close to them right now.