1. WRITING A BUSINESS CASE – APPLYING FOR MONIES Gareth Corser Director, NHS Elect

2. Connect all nine dots, with just 4 straight lines, without lifting your pencil once you start

3. Now use only 3 lines….

4. One line….

5. TAKE A PIECE OF PAPER…………. Think about a business case or a change that you are working on at the moment. Now imagine you are meeting a key person for the first time about it………………… Write down in 1-2 sentences what it is about and why they should agree to it……..

6. THE PROBLEM WITH MANY BUSINESS CASES The WriterThe ‘Giver’

7. THE EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE: What they are saying or thinking You’ve decided on the option and built the case around it You’ve underplayed the costs You’ve over-stated the benefits You’re being wildly optimistic – what are the scenarios? What sensitivities have you applied? You’re double counting income It will lose income – have you spoke to commissioners and/or the contracts section? TIP: WRITE DOWN THE QUESTION(S) YOU WOULD LEAST LIKE TO BE ASKED ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS CASE

8. YOUR BUSINESS CASE How they will Why they should The people you are seeking to influence want to know:

9. Situation Logical Analysis Preferred option Can it be delivered ? BUSINESS CASE: THE JOURNEY

10. CONTEXT OF A BUSINESS CASE

11. CONTEXT: DON’T START WITH A DOCUMENT A business case is a ‘process’ not an ‘event’ Start with the situation not the solution Have you fully analysed the situation? Counterfactual: if applying for monies would you have done this anyway? Provide a clear vision of a desired future Wide involvement of stakeholders in problem-solving Use innovative thinking

12. TREASURY 5 CASE MODEL The Case Strategic Case Economic Case Commercial Case Financial Case Management Case The question Is the proposal needed? Is it value for money? Is it viable? Is it affordable? Is it achievable? What the Business Case must demonstrate Will it further the aims & objectives? Have a range of options been considered? Is there a supplier who can meet our needs? Are the costs realistic and affordable? Are we capable of delivering the project? Is there a clear case for change? Is it the best balance of cost, benefits and risk? Can we secure a value for money deal? Is the required funding available and supported? Do we have robust systems and processes in place? TIP: USE TREASURY 5 CASE CHECKLIST TO REVIEW AND REVISE YOUR BUSINESS CASE Adapted from: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/190603/Green_Book_guidance_checklist_for_assessing_business_cases.pdf ?

13. BUSINESS CASE SIMPLIFIED MODEL PhasesPhases 1 1 Strategic context 2 2 Analysis & recommendations 3 3 Management & capacity 1. Business needs and desired outcome 2. Preliminary options analysis 3. Viable options 4. Justification & recommendation 5. Delivery strategy ● Strategic ‘fit’ ● Define objectives and benefit criteria ● Strategic ‘fit’ ● Define objectives and benefit criteria ● Benefit measures ● Rank criteria ● Generate options ● Benefit measures ● Rank criteria ● Generate options ● Full assessment of options ● Sensitivities to risk ● Full assessment of options ● Sensitivities to risk ● Identify preferred option ● Rationale for recommendation ● Identify preferred option ● Rationale for recommendation ● Benefits realisation plan ● Project plan ● Benefits realisation plan ● Project plan

14. 1 1 Strategic context Stage PhasesPhases 1 1 Strategic context 2 2 Analysis & recommendations 3 3 Management & capacity 1. Business needs and desired outcome 2. Preliminary options analysis 3. Viable options 4. Justification & recommendation 5. Delivery strategy

15. PERSPECTIVE TIP: WHICH ORGANISATIONAL AND/OR NATIONAL STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ARE BEING MET BY THE BUSINESS CASE? (and no, just ticking a box on the pro-forma is not enough) TIP: WHICH ORGANISATIONAL AND/OR NATIONAL STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ARE BEING MET BY THE BUSINESS CASE? (and no, just ticking a box on the pro-forma is not enough)

16. FEATURES VERSUS BENEFITS Features tell The best way to understand the true benefit of your service: ● “What’s in it for us”? ● “What’s in it for them”? ● Answer the “so what?” question Benefits sell Each feature is a factual statement about the proposed service to be delivered: ● Care pathway ● Integrated information system ● Single point of access ● A new scanner

17. YOUR SITUATION STATEMENT STEP ONE STEP TWO © www.thinkinghow.com STEP THREE ● Who has the problem? ● What exactly is the problem? ● Where does the problem exist? ● When has it happened and for how long? ● How prevalent is the problem (metrics)? ● Who says there is a problem? FINAL PROBLEM STATEMENT Focused on one problem Focused on one problem One or two sentences One or two sentences Does not propose the solution Does not propose the solution Re-state the problem combining current state and the desired state Re-state the problem Answer does / does not Who, what, when, where, how? State the problem Re-state the desired future state Answer does / does not Who, what, when, where, how? Desired future state

18. TAKE A PIECE OF PAPER…………. Think about a business case or a change that you are working on at the moment. Now re-write that ‘pitch’ you delivered at the start of the session but use the ‘situation three-step’

19. 2 2 Analysis & Recommendations Stage PhasesPhases 1 1 Strategic context 2 2 Analysis & recommendations 3 3 Management & capacity 1. Business needs and desired outcome 2. Preliminary options analysis 3. Viable options 4. Justification & recommendation 5. Delivery strategy

20. OPTION APPRAISAL STEPS Stage 1 – Define your objectives Stage 2 – Develop the options Stage 3 – Gather information Stage 4 – Assess and analyse options Stage 5 – Carry out consultatio n Stage 6 – Determine funding options Stage 7 – Report findingsTIP:TIP: Remember to be clear and concise in describing each option Include financial and non-financial assessment of the options Detailing benefits and risks of each option supports your reasoning RESULT By following these steps your business case is going to stand up to greater scrutiny

21. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS

22. SIMPLE EXAMPLE: NEW SERVICE DEVELOPMENT Time Performance Risk Appetite Risk Tolerance Risk Universe We are planning on having 5,000 service users We are accepting risks that may result in service users counts as low as 4,700 and high as 5,600 If customers fall below 3,500 or exceed 7,000 we will leave this market TIP: SHOW YOU HAVE CONSIDERED SENSITIVITIES Have you demonstrated that a worse case scenario still makes the business case worth doing?

23. 3 3 Management & Capacity Stage PhasesPhases 1 1 Strategic context 2 2 Analysis & recommendations 3 3 Management & capacity 1. Business needs and desired outcome 2. Preliminary options analysis 3. Viable options 4. Justification & recommendation 5. Delivery strategy

24. MANAGEMENT & CAPACITY Governance and oversight Project management Evaluation Risk management Change management Performance measurement

25. SELLING YOUR PROPOSAL

26. WHAT DO ALL THESE HAVE IN COMMON “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” “Blood, sweat and tears” “Location, location, location” “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” “Faith, Hope and Charity” “Mind, body, spirit” “Stop, Look and Listen” “Sex, Lies and Videotape” “I came, I saw, I conquered” THE RULE OF 3

27. ① Work ② Rest ③ Play ① Never ② Knowingly ③ Undersold ① Your Country ② Needs ③ You

28. THE COPYWRITER’S TRIANGLE: INFLUENCING HEADLINE Sums up report/section. Catches reader’s attention ATTRACTION Engaging the audience by drawing out the benefits for them TRUST How proposal will be delivered Supporting information: evidence, data, quotes etc. CALL TO ACTION

29. THE BUSINESS CASE WRITER’S TRIANGLE Argument, reason, evidence, data, structure Beliefs, values, knowledge, experience Credibility, authority, correctness, eloquence Analyse Assess Propose Recommend

30. gareth@nhselect.org.uk