We've reached the final week of our 10-week Business Case Club series. We hope the insights provided have guided you through the key steps of the Business Case process. In this final week, we focus on Delivery and Governance.
While these topics are covered in the last section of a Business Case - the "Management Case" - this doesn't diminish their importance. Delivery and Governance are critical components and shouldn't be overlooked or left to the end of the process.
From the outset you need to establish the structure and process to drive, control and monitor the project. You also need to plan how you intend to determine if the benefits (as set out in week 7 of our series) have been realised over the long term (including their value), by establishing a post project evaluation process.
So, before you start a project, have you:
Identified the internal and external governance and project structure required for timely decision making?
Identified and deployed the resources, i.e. the time, personnel, systems and processes required to drive, control and monitor the project?
Do you have plans for the delivery of the initial project, transitional period, and ongoing monitoring and governance of the project?
As part of any Business Case, the Management Case defines how the project can be delivered successfully by the organisation and its partners, what controls and governance procedures are in place to ensure success.
For the Full Business Case (FBC), and therefore, where you’re aiming to get to by the end of the Business Case, is to be able to describe the agreed arrangements for:
Programme and project management
Change management
Benefits realisation
Risk management
Contract management
Post project evaluation
Contingency plans.
To develop a compelling Business Case, we need to demonstrate that robust arrangements are in place for the delivery, monitoring and evaluation of the scheme, including feedback into the organisation’s strategic planning cycle.
This means demonstrating that the preferred option can be successfully delivered by evidencing that the scheme is being managed in accordance with best practice and that the necessary arrangements are in place for change, contract and risk management, as well as benefits realisation plans.
Also, this should not be seen as a one-off exercise, but an ongoing assessment of the life of the project. For example, to ensure that those benefits identified at the beginning are actually being delivered (and hopefully of a magnitude and value as set out in Economic and Financial cases, if not higher!)
Therefore, at a high level, make sure you can address the following:
Latest Standard Form Business Case template and checklist:
✅ Confirm the arrangements for the governance, management and delivery of the scheme: identify any actual or potential gaps in resource and capacity that you will need to mitigate to successfully deliver the scheme. ✅ Identify an SRO for the project (with contact details provided) as well as the key Finance and other leads (e.g. Estates, IT), in order that they can be contacted by reviewers / assurers. ✅ Set out the benefits realisation strategy and how you intend to monitor and report on benefits. ✅ Set out the expectations for Post-Project Evaluation, and the expected timescales for the review of delivery. ✅ Set out the key delivery risks for the project, as well as mitigating actions to address and limit these risks.
✏️ Top Tip: Avoid wasted time and effort – determine if it’s a project or a programme. Before you start it’s worth taking some time to consider whether you are delivering a project or a programme, as both are managed differently.
A Project is focused on strictly defined objectives and outputs, that are unique, and have a defined scope, budget, start and end date, which makes them less complex than a programme. They are run by temporary teams, bringing in specialist roles as required.
A Programme is focused on outcomes and has a less defined scope than a project. It generally has a longer timescale, carries more complexity and is a group of related projects and change management activities that will deliver transformation. Grouping allows oversight and prioritisation of resources, economies of scale, minimising duplication, management of interdependencies, co-ordination of stakeholders and communications, and easier sharing of lessons.
⭐Success Story: The redevelopment of Northwood & Pinner Cottage Hospital
NHS Property Services commissioned gbp consult to deliver a Business Case that facilitated the development of a new health centre and enabled the sale of the old centre and surplus land on the Northwood and Pinner Cottage Hospital site, opening opportunities for residential development and ensuring the best value for money in the disposal process.
The project was a long standing one (it took a number of years to deliver) and it required robust and adaptable project structures, processes and governance to successfully navigate stakeholders through the inevitable complexities and project stages.
Need help now?
Arrange a conversation with our expert Business Case Team. Contact Ian Sabini, Managing Consultant on: ian@gbpconsult.co.uk
Revisit our Business Case Club Blog Series
We hope the insights provided have guided you through the key steps of the Business Case process. You can revisit any of the 10 blogs in our Business Case series by clicking here.
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