Business Case — BA Hub

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BA Hub Template

Business Case Builder

A business case justifies investment by comparing options and making a clear, evidence-based recommendation. This template walks you through every section — structured like a professional BA would write it.

8 steps · ~15 min

1

Step 1 of 8 — Overview

Let's set the scene

The executive summary appears at the front of your business case — but it's easier to write it last. For now, capture the headline facts about the investment you're proposing.

Business case title

Prepared by

Sponsor / decision-maker

Target submission date

Investment size (approximate)

Under £50k

£50k–£200k

£200k–£500k

£500k–£1m

Over £1m

2

Step 2 of 8 — Problem / Opportunity

What problem are you solving?

Paste or write your problem & opportunity statement here. If you've already built one using the BA Hub template, copy it directly from there.

Problem / opportunity statement

Strategic objective(s) this supports

What is the cost of doing nothing?

3

Step 3 of 8 — Options Considered

What options did you consider?

A credible business case always considers multiple options — including Do Nothing. This shows decision-makers you've thought it through, not just sold one solution.

How to frame options effectively

Always include at least three options: Do Nothing (baseline), a low-cost partial solution, and your preferred approach. This structure forces objectivity and builds trust with decision-makers.

Each option should have a rough cost, key benefits, and key risks. You'll do a deep dive on the recommended option next.

Option 1: Do Nothing Baseline

Option 2 Alternative

Option 3 — Recommended Recommended

Rationale for recommendation

4

Step 4 of 8 — Benefits

What are the expected benefits?

Separate financial (quantifiable) and non-financial benefits. Be specific with numbers — even estimates help decision-makers weigh up the return.

Financial benefits

Benefit	Value (£)	When realised

Non-financial benefits

Benefit	Measure / indicator

Estimated payback period

Under 6 months

6–12 months

1–2 years

2–3 years

3+ years

5

Step 5 of 8 — Costs & Resources

What will this cost?

Break costs into one-off implementation costs and ongoing run costs. Include people, technology, licensing, and any external suppliers.

Implementation costs

Cost item	Estimated cost	Type

Total estimated investment

Resource requirements

6

Step 6 of 8 — Risks & Assumptions

What could go wrong?

Surfacing risks early builds credibility, not doubt. Decision-makers trust a BA who has thought about what could go wrong. Include a mitigation for each risk.

Key risks

Key assumptions

Key dependencies

7

Step 7 of 8 — Timeline & Approach

How will this be delivered?

Outline the high-level delivery approach and key milestones. You don't need a full project plan — just enough to show that delivery is credible and achievable.

Delivery approach

Waterfall / phased

Agile / iterative

Hybrid

Pilot then scale

High-level milestones

Milestone	Target date

Overall end date / go-live target

Change management considerations

8

Step 8 of 8 — Recommendation

What are you recommending?

End with a clear, confident recommendation. State what you're asking decision-makers to approve, by when, and what the first step is if approved.

Executive summary (write last — now you have all the detail)

Decision requested

Decision required by

Next steps if approved

9

Complete

Your Business Case is complete 🎉

Title

—

Decision requested

—

Decision required by

—

Recommended option

—

Total investment

—

Your business case is ready to present. Review each section, refine the executive summary, and save as PDF for your stakeholder meeting.