Task
Team Project Business Case
Due Date
Week 7 – Business Case – Fri, May 8, 2014, 5:00 pm
Worth
20% (40 marks)
Background
A business case is the first deliverable in the IT project life cycle. It provides an analysis of the organisational value, feasibility, costs, benefits, and risks of several proposed alternatives or options.
A business case helps to determine whether or not a project justifies an organisations investment into a project. The business case defines the problem and its impact and performs a cost benefit analysis for the proposed solution. It also looks at possible alternative solutions. The business case should also provide a check to see that the project aligns with the organisation’s strategic plan. For on preparing a business case, see:
http://www.cio.com.au/article/433382/how_make_winning_business_case/
Overview
In this assignment, you will be required to form teams of approximately four (4) people. One team member is to be elected the project leader for the duration of the project. Teams will prepare a project business case based on an IT project case study and should use their own initiative regarding assumptions and the scheduling all deliverables.
An electronic copy of a case study will be available from your tutor or course lecturer (alternatively your team may wish to propose their own project—please get permission from your lecturer before proceeding with this).
Requirements
Ideally the business case should contain details of the following:
• project background
• project objectives (including link to organisational mission statement)
• description of the current situation (including a SWOT analysis)
• problem/opportunity statement
• critical assumptions and constraints
• analysis of options and recommendations
• financial analysis (npv, roi and payback figures)
• preliminary project requirements (project preliminary scope)
• budget estimate (cost model and baseline)
• schedule estimate (including work breakdown structure level 3)
• potential risks
Templates for the above documents are available from your lecturer/tutor. You can use these as a basis, but you are encouraged to research new and innovative ways of presenting your business case.
CRICOS Provider No. 00103D
A quality team business case will demonstrate a synthesis of plan content, templates and ideas acquired from project management professionals and academic authors with details from the case study provided. Innovation marks may be awarded for evidence of additional deliverables, team participation such as meeting agenda’s and minutes, leadership approach etc.
Academic Presentation:
Business plans should be presented as a business or management style report, in accordance with:
• General Guide to Referencing: http://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/164121/FedUniGeneral-Guide-to-Referencing-2014.pdf
• General Guide to Writing and Study Skills:
http://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/190044/2014-General-Guide-to-Writing-and-StudySkills.pdf, see pp.35-36. For further help on report writing, see:
http://sydney.edu.au/business/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/90359/Txt_business_reports.pdf
Submission:
Team Business Plans should be submitted in electronic format by the team project leader via moodle (one per team). Please refer to the Course Description for information regarding late assignments, extensions, special consideration, and plagiarism. A reminder all academic regulations can be accessed via the university’s website, see: http://federation.edu.au/staff/governance/legal/feduni-legislation
Assessment Criteria
Students work will be assessed upon:
• quality preliminary documentation will include a detailed description of the project which shows background research, a list of clear and measureable project objectives, a detailed SWOT analysis, a clear description of the problem the project which illustrates deep analysis of the situation, a list of assumptions and constraints which illustrate a deep understanding of the issues, and presentation of various options and recommendations;
• a quality financial analysis will include a discussion based on research and accurate assumptions, and illustrate understanding of payback analysis, net present value and return on investment;
• a quality preliminary scope statement which illustrates a clear scope boundary, and documents the project sponsor’s needs and expectations, and measures of project success;
• a quality budget will align to work breakdown structure and schedule, provide detailed assumptions, and include a cost model and cost baseline;
• a quality schedule will align to the work breakdown structure and budget, and provide details of relationships between activities and indentify the project’s critical path;
• a quality risk analysis will include a list and description of top ten potential project risks;
• innovativeness of business plan e.g. evidence of efficient team processes etc.; and
• presented as a business or management style report which adheres to academic writing presentation standards, conforms to referencing guidelines and illustrates quality written expression.