Atkins Breakfast Briefing (24/01/08)
Business Cases – Fact or Fiction?
Atkins kicked off 2008 by examining Business Cases and their role in delivering Transformational Government programmes in the first of the 2008 series of Breakfast Briefings. Hosted at the Royal Horticultural Halls, close to key decision makers in Central Government, Atkins Breakfast Briefings are an opportunity for senior mangers from a wide range of private and public sector organisations to meet, network, and discuss ideas, techniques and best practice in an informal environment.
Chris Burne set the stage and outlined the key issues by asking whether business bases were fact or indeed fiction. Chris developed his thesis by arguing that whilst for many the business case is often seen as merely a necessary evil to obtain funding, in reality a good business case is a sales document, a communications document and a management tool, detailing how the benefits of the programme will be achieved. Chris then went on to outline the OGC 5 case model, and discussed a number of sources of guidance in writing business cases. One of Chris’ main takeaways was that a well prepared business case should focus not on costs, but on the net value that the programme will deliver and ultimately be a roadmap for delivery of the intended benefits.
David Ackland - Head of the Programme & Project Management Support Unit at the Home Office - delivered a fascinating insight into the use of business cases in the real world. David identified some of the common issues the Home Office encounter in reviewing business cases, including the confusion between the economic case and the financial case, and the treatment of financial technicalities such as VAT and the capitalisation of expenditure. David emphasised that business cases do not help to support the delivery of a new IT system or building, but rather exist to deliver the programme’s expected benefits.
Will Myles drew on his extensive private sector experience to drill down into the tools and techniques behind benefits appraisal. Will reviewed a number of methodologies, observing that each respected a common approach of measuring the baseline and then forecasting and measuring both benefits and costs. Will went on to highlight how a Project and Programme Support Office, using appropriate technology, can provide vital support in tracking and realising these benefits as well as controlling costs, ensuring that programmes deliver the benefits that they promised in their business case.
The proceedings drew to a close with a panel discussion where the presenters were joined on the top table by David Myers, Director of Shared Services at the Home Office and Chris Birdsong, who is Managing Director of the Management Consultants division of Atkins. An interesting discussion was only curtailed by the necessity of getting everyone away as promised by 10.00 am.
For further information, or if you are interested in attending future briefings, please contact Melody Laidlaw by email or telephone: 020 7121 2786.