Business Cases Ruben Riestra - Inmark

DP sustainability challenge Digital revolution Public services: a Market Mandate NOT enough Must face tough competition

Sustainability chances Management issues Customer Management Competitive Advantage Delivery Performance Sustainability chances

Business case: Does it make sense? A type of decision-making tool used to determine the effects a particular decision will have on profitability. A business case should show how the decision will alter cash flows over a period of time, and how costs and revenue will change. (Business Dictionary) An explanation or set of reasons describing how a business decision will improve a business, product, etc., and how it will affect costs and profits and attract investments (Cambridge Dictionaries) A business case captures the reasoning for initiating a project or task. It is often presented in a well-structured written document, but may also sometimes come in the form of a short verbal argument or presentation (Wikipedia)

How do we create a Business Case? 7 step procedure 7 Communicate 6 Plan for implementation Make a choice & assess the risk 5 4 Analyse the alternatives 3 Gather data & estimate time frame 2 Identify the alternatives 1 Defining the opportunity

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 1 Defining the opportunity What’s the idea? How is this idea related with your Mission/Vision? Why do you want to do DP? How do expect DP to add value to your content or services? What are the expected benefits?

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 2 Identify the alternatives What are the options for implementing your project and specific DP activities? Involve stakeholders What to preserve? Are you going alone? Include partnerships/collaborations

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 3 Gather data & estimate time frame Estimate the different results of each of the alternatives Create time frame for implementation of each of the alternatives How long will it take until the benefits of the opportunity are achieved? Make assumptions

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 4 Analyse the alternatives Evaluation of the metrics against each of the alternatives Create a framework to compare them. What metrics Financial metrics business performance metrics Compare metrics / make a pros and cons table 4. Analyze the alternatives We need to evaluate the metrics against each of the alternatives and thus we need also to created a framework to compare them. What metrics do we use: Financial metrics (ROI, costs, revenues etc) Other non-financial business performance metrics: user satisfaction, visibility of content Finally we compare the various metrics and make a pros and cons table

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 5 Make a choice & assess the risk What if the metrics can’t be explained in financial terms? What risks are underlying your choice?

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 6 Craft a plan for implementing your idea List of actions Due dates Primary milestones Allocation of resources Impact on budget and revenues

Developing a Digital Preservation Business Case 7 Communicate your case Necessary to have sufficient management buy-in A communication plan is needed to gain this buy-in Statements used for convincing decision makers to adopt/approve DP activities Accountability for funds used for creating the digital content Fullfill legal obligation Preservation of research results and data Fullfil organization’s mission potential revenues to elicit management buy-in

Thank you! ruben.riestra@grupoinmark.com