Business case training courses and qualifications

Develop essential business case writing skills with our courses. Learn to articulate investment needs and secure funding effectively.

Business case training courses and qualifications
Writing Business Cases course

Writing Business Cases course

Writing Business Cases training (0.5 days)

Gain the skills required to write a compelling business case. Led by an expert trainer you will learn to write a compelling business case every time.

An essential course for anyone tasked with writing or approving business cases on projects or programmes.

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Format: Instructor-led classroom or in-house
APMG Better Business Cases training

APMG Better Business Cases training

Better Business Cases training and certification is suitable for any of the following professionals:

  • Those responsible for delivering programmes and projects.
  • Project managers, project team members or others tasked with delivering a business case.
  • Those involved in reviewing investment proposals.

All courses include accredited training materials and examinations.

  • Accreditation: APMG
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Format: Instructor-led classroom
  • Format: Self-paced online courses

About business case training and certification

Benefits of business case training for individuals

Our business case training courses provides several benefits to individuals and organisations.

  1. Enhanced decision-making abilities
  2. Students learn how to make data-driven decisions, weigh the costs and benefits of different options, and present arguments clearly and persuasively.

  3. Increased understanding of industry best practices
  4. Through business case training, students gain exposure to the latest industry best practices and can apply these to their own work.

  5. Improved communication skills
  6. Participants learn how to communicate complex ideas and strategies clearly and effectively, both in writing and through presentations.

  7. Better teamwork and collaboration
  8. Business case training often involves working in teams, which helps participants develop stronger teamwork and collaboration skills that can be applied in the workplace.

  9. Improved problem-solving skills
  10. Business case training teaches participants how to analyse complex business problems and develop effective solutions.

  11. Learn from experts
  12. As a student on our business case courses, you can learn from our trainers who are experts in developing business cases for government and industry alike.

Benefits of business case training for organisations

Business case courses provide several benefits to organisations including:

  1. Improved decision-making skills
  2. Having your staff attend a business case course will help your organisation take more informed investment decisions regarding proposals for projects and programmes.

  3. Better outcomes from projects and programmes
  4. By taking better investment decisions it is more likely that the benefits expected from projects and programmes will be realised and result in higher returns on investment.

Benefits of business case certification

Business case certification provides several additional benefits over traditional business case training. Some of these benefits include:

  1. Enhanced credibility
  2. Holding a business case certification demonstrates that an individual has a deep understanding of business case analysis and problem-solving, which can be valuable in professional and personal life.

  3. Improved job prospects
  4. Many organizations value individuals with business case certifications, making them more attractive job candidates.

  5. Increased earning potential
  6. Individuals with business case certifications may be able to command higher salaries due to their demonstrated expertise.

  7. Access to a network of professionals
  8. Many business case certification programs provide opportunities for participants to connect with other professionals in the field, which can lead to valuable connections and career opportunities.

  9. Continuous learning opportunities
  10. Many business case certification programs offer ongoing learning opportunities, such as workshops and events, to help participants stay up to date on the latest industry developments.

FAQs

How to build a business case for training?

To build a strong business case for training, start by defining the objective and specifying the outcomes you want to achieve. Explain the rationale behind the training need and demonstrate how it supports organisational goals.

Outline the training content, delivery method, and estimated time commitment. Include details about the training provider, cost implications, and expected return on investment (ROI) to show value for money. Conclude with a clear summary of recommendations and anticipated benefits.

How to write a business case for more staff?

When writing a business case for hiring more staff, gather quantitative and qualitative evidence that supports your proposal. Specify how many employees are needed, their roles, and how they will help achieve strategic or operational objectives.

Include the potential risks of not hiring — such as reduced efficiency, missed opportunities, or staff burnout — and balance these against the benefits of recruitment, such as improved productivity, service quality, or revenue growth.

What are the 5 elements of a business case?

The five key elements of a business case are:

  • Strategic – alignment with organisational goals.
  • Economic – demonstrating value for money.
  • Financial – affordability and budget impact.
  • Commercial – procurement and supplier considerations.
  • Management – project governance and delivery plans.

Together, these ensure the proposal is justified, feasible, and sustainable.

What are the four components of a business case?

The four core components of a business case are:

  • Executive summary – a concise overview of the proposal.
  • Financial section – outlining costs, benefits, and funding requirements.
  • Project definition – describing the project’s objectives, scope, and deliverables.
  • Project organisation – detailing how the project will be managed and governed.

These sections collectively help decision-makers assess the proposal’s viability and benefits.

What is the golden rule before presenting your business case?

The golden rule before presenting your business case is preparation. Choose the right timing — avoid presenting on Mondays, Fridays, or at the end of a financial quarter when stakeholders are distracted.

Ensure you are well-rested, concise, and engaging during delivery. Tailor your presentation to the audience’s priorities, and provide clear evidence to support your recommendations for maximum impact.

IT Learning Library™ online training

Business cases training for business development

Business cases training is essential for business development and business management. A business case is a critical tool in business practices and business strategies. Business case training improves business skills and business fundamentals. Business cases education and business cases learning provide a foundation for business insights and business innovations. Business cases certification, business cases coaching, and business cases course options support professional development.

Business cases program and seminars

Business cases program, business cases seminar, and business cases seminars enhance business learning and business resources. Business cases training programs and business cases workshop sessions offer practical business solutions and business methods. Business cases workshops and business course modules are vital for business training. Business training programs and business training sessions are available both as instructor led training and online courses. Business tutorials and business workshops offer flexible learning course formats to meet the needs of learners.

Cases business training and case models

Cases business and cases business training help professionals understand cases of business. Cases overview and cases seminars provide insight into cases skills and cases solutions. Cases training and cases training course introduce the five case model and governance frameworks. Cases training programs and cases training sessions focus on risk management, project management, project planning, and Agile project management. Cases workshop and cases workshops deliver hands-on exercises for practical implementation.

Training in business cases and exam preparation

Training in business cases includes training business cases and training cases using the five cases methodology. Training course modules cover the business case development process, real studies, and outline business case writing. Training is required to pass exams such as the practitioner exam and foundation exam. Learners must complete assessment and examination objectives to receive certification. PMI, Scrum, Scrum Master, and Product Owner modules are part of the program. Risk, risk management, and management case studies are included for a complete learning experience.

Structured frameworks and international standards

Candidates learn to apply structured frameworks and models across different sectors including healthcare, defence, and public sector. Courses are available via e-learning platforms and can be tailored for sectors such as finance, economic planning, and procurement. The program is recognised internationally and aligns with best practice and development frameworks like SFIA and HM Treasury guidelines.

Supporting resources and methodology

To ensure success, learners receive supporting materials, sample questions, and interactive video content. Upon completion, candidates pass exams and gain competency in managing business cases. The methodology is designed to enhance organisational efficiency, support senior responsible owners, and deliver value across companies worldwide.

Understanding business cases training and its impact

Business cases training equips teams to make evidence-based proposals that secure funding and deliver measurable benefits.

Participants learn to combine strategic alignment with a benefits realisation plan and clear KPIs.

The course emphasises practical tools such as executive summary templates, options appraisal and stakeholder mapping.

Training also covers governance checklists, approval gates and reporting cadence to speed decision making.

Delegates practise writing concise recommendations that executive sponsors can act on with confidence.

Practical modules show how to link deliverables to business outcomes and implementation milestones.

Learning outcomes include improved financial modelling, clearer risk registers and stronger procurement inputs.

Many organisations adopt a pilot approach to embed templates and measure impact quickly after training.

Business cases training supports cultural change by aligning finance, delivery and business stakeholders around common language.

At the end of the module teams can produce a submission-ready case with evidence and a benefits tracker.

The purpose and value of a business case for decision makers

A compelling business case explains strategic fit, quantifies benefits and articulates costs and risks.

Senior leaders use the case to compare options objectively and to prioritise scarce capital and resource.

Business cases training demonstrates how to present ROI, NPV and payback period in a way governance can assess quickly.

Good cases reduce approval time, avoid rework and improve implementation readiness.

Linking benefits to measurable KPIs and owners increases accountability and improves long-term outcomes.

Decision makers expect evidence such as vendor quotes, pilot results and benchmarking data.

Training in business cases helps teams move from opinion to verifiable claims supported by data and scenario testing.

When decision makers see clear timelines and performance metrics they are more likely to approve ambitious initiatives.

Developing a compelling business case

Start with a clear problem statement and a concise executive summary that outlines the recommended option.

Use options appraisal to show alternatives and a rationale for the preferred approach with scoring and benchmarking.

Build a financial model that calculates NPV, IRR and payback, using conservative assumptions and documented sources.

Include sensitivity analysis to show how outcomes vary with changes in take-up, price or volume assumptions.

Prepare a concise risk register that lists top risks, mitigation actions and named owners to reduce residual exposure.

Document procurement implications where external suppliers are required and include timing for tendering and contracting.

Ensure cost estimates are supported by vendor quotes, historical projects or external benchmarking to increase credibility.

Explain intangible benefits using proxy metrics and qualitative scoring where direct monetisation is difficult.

Set a benefits realisation timeline that links delivery phases to measurement points and reporting dates.

Present the case with a one-page summary, a financial appendix and a benefits tracker so reviewers can drill down as needed.

What should an executive summary include?

The executive summary should state the problem, recommended option, headline benefits, cost and a concise timeline.

How do you structure an options appraisal?

Structure options into do-nothing, do-minimum and preferred scenarios and compare by cost, benefit, risk and ease of delivery.

Which financial metrics should be shown?

Show NPV, IRR, payback and ROI, and provide scenario outputs to illustrate upside and downside cases.

How is sensitivity analysis presented?

Present sensitivity with tornado charts or tables that show the impact of varying core drivers such as volume or price.

Who signs off the budget and benefits?

A sponsor signs off the budget while a benefits owner is accountable for tracking KPIs post-implementation.

What evidence strengthens cost estimates?

Use vendor quotes, historical cost data and benchmarking studies to justify figures and reduce scepticism.

How do you treat intangible benefits?

Use proxy measures, qualitative scoring and comparator cases to convey the value of non-monetary benefits.

When should procurement and legal be involved?

Involve procurement and legal early for supplier strategy, contract terms and to avoid late-stage procurement delays.

Risk, contingency and governance

Risk management should be quantitative where possible and clearly linked to contingency budgets and triggers.

Contingency should be justified with scenario analysis and historical variance data to avoid arbitrary percentages.

Governance needs clear checkpoints, sponsor sign-off milestones and a pre-submission validation step.

Audit trails of assumptions and source documents speed review and reduce the time required for finance queries.

Assign risk owners and include escalation paths for high-impact issues that could affect realisation of benefits.

Integrate change management activities into the case to protect adoption and performance post-delivery.

Maintain a simple appendix for the steering committee with the full risk register and mitigation plans.

Provide a governance checklist that sets out submissions, required evidence and sign-off authorities to avoid delays.

Link risk triggers to contingency release criteria to ensure disciplined use of reserves during delivery.

Use lessons learned to refine contingency assumptions and to improve the accuracy of future estimates.

How should risk be quantified?

Quantify risk by combining likelihood and impact and convert to monetary exposure where feasible for portfolio decision making.

What governance checkpoints are best practice?

Best practice includes pre-submission review, sponsor endorsement and a final governance panel rehearsal before approval.

How do you justify contingency levels?

Justify contingency with comparable project data, risk exposure calculations and a clear policy on contingency use.

Stakeholder engagement and communication

Mapping stakeholders and tailoring messages increases buy-in and reduces the likelihood of last-minute objections.

Engage finance, procurement and operational leads early to validate assumptions and identify delivery constraints.

Use targeted communications for sponsors, governance panels and delivery teams with appropriate levels of detail.

Workshops and review sessions improve transparency and provide opportunities to validate critical assumptions.

Include a stakeholder engagement plan with roles, responsibilities, communication channels and cadence for updates.

Train presenters to deliver concise pitches for governance that focus on decision-ready information and risks.

Use rehearsals to surface tough questions and to sharpen the narrative and evidence the panel needs to decide.

Provide a one-page decision pack with a recommended motion to make it easy for governance to record approvals.

Set expectations on post-approval reporting and who will track each benefit and KPI to avoid ownership gaps.

Ensure that communications emphasise measurable outcomes and the support required from leaders to enable delivery.

Who should be on the core team?

The core team usually includes sponsor, business analyst, finance lead, procurement advisor and project manager.

How should stakeholders be prioritised?

Prioritise stakeholders by influence and interest and schedule engagement accordingly to ensure timely input.

What communication materials are essential?

Essential materials include the executive summary, one-page benefits map, financial appendix and a short risk digest.

Designing and delivering effective business cases training

Effective training combines theory, worked examples and supervised practice so delegates can apply learning immediately.

Use case studies and real-world examples to help learners understand common pitfalls and practical mitigation tactics.

Include hands-on labs for financial modelling, scenario planning and benefits mapping so skills are practised, not just taught.

Provide templates for executive summaries, options appraisal, financial models and benefits trackers to accelerate drafting.

Offer blended learning with short online modules, live workshops and post-training coaching to sustain capability gains.

Assess learners through practical assignments where they draft and defend a short case to a mock governance panel.

Encourage peer review during workshops to expose authors to different perspectives and strengthen assumptions.

Provide a repository of exemplar cases and benchmarking data to support future case authors with evidence and structure.

Train internal trainers to scale capability and adapt materials for sector-specific requirements and scale needs.

Follow up with clinics and coaching sessions to resolve issues that appear when learners apply templates in live proposals.

What formats work best for learners?

Short focused workshops, followed by assignments and one-to-one coaching, balance learning and application effectively.

Which templates should be included?

Include executive summary, options matrix, financial model, risk register and benefits realisation tracker templates.

How are learners assessed?

Assess learners on the quality of their assumptions, clarity of their executive summary and accuracy of their financial model.

Common challenges and practical solutions

Teams often struggle with weak assumptions, unclear benefits ownership and inadequate sensitivity testing.

Provide checklists to ensure assumptions are documented, evidence is cited and benefits owners are identified early.

Encourage use of reference class forecasting and benchmarking to reduce optimism bias in cost and benefit estimates.

Use simple visualisations such as benefits timelines and options comparison tables to make arguments more persuasive.

Run pre-submission clinics to catch procurement or finance queries before formal governance review to avoid delays.

Promote regular capture of lessons learned so the organisation improves estimate accuracy over time.

Educate authors on how to present risk and contingency so governance can see a disciplined approach to uncertainty.

Adopt a portfolio lens for prioritisation to ensure the organisation invests in initiatives that deliver strategic value.

Make dashboards available for benefits tracking to show progress and enable timely corrective actions if targets slip.

Establish a continuous improvement loop where templates and training are updated based on real proposal outcomes.

How do you improve assumption quality?

Improve assumptions by consulting subject matter experts, running pilots and using external benchmarks where available.

What are quick fixes to reduce review time?

Quick fixes include stronger executive summaries, clear decision recommendations and a one-page benefits and risks snapshot.

How can governance panels be prepared?

Prepare panels with pre-reads, a short presenter script and a rehearsal to anticipate questions and shorten decision time.

Applying learning and next steps for teams

After business cases training teams should be able to craft a full submission including executive summary, appendix and benefits tracker.

Implement a pilot with one team to test templates, gather feedback and refine training before wider roll-out.

Embed templates into project initiation processes so authors begin with a structured, decision-ready format.

Run periodic case clinics for ongoing support and to maintain quality as teams scale activity and volume of proposals.

Use performance metrics such as approval rate, time to approval and benefits realisation to measure training impact.

Capture lessons from each proposal and feed them into the template repository and trainer sessions to improve accuracy.

Set a calendar for refresher sessions and advanced modules to build deeper capability in financial modelling and scenario analysis.

Ensure a benefits owner is named for each approved project and a dashboard is configured to monitor KPIs during delivery.

Consider a centre of excellence to provide governance support, template maintenance and ongoing coaching for authors.

Plan for knowledge transfer by training internal trainers and keeping a central library of exemplars and tools.

How should organisations measure success after training?

Measure success by tracking approval times, governance feedback, quality of assumptions and actual benefits versus forecasts.

What immediate next steps should teams take?

Teams should run a pilot, apply templates to a live proposal and book a post-training clinic to address real issues that arise.

How can training be sustained long term?

Sustain training with internal trainer programmes, a template governance process and periodic refreshers tied to real case reviews.

Conclusion and recommended actions

Business cases training builds practical capability to produce evidence-based proposals that are easier to approve and deliver.

Start with a focused pilot, provide core templates and schedule follow-up clinics to embed learning and measure impact.

Prioritise templates, financial modelling and stakeholder rehearsal as these elements most reduce approval delays.

Track metrics such as time to approval, approval rate and benefits realisation to quantify training ROI and continuously improve.

Assign benefits owners and set up dashboards to ensure that approved projects deliver the expected outcomes and that lessons are captured.

With consistent templates, clear governance and regular coaching, organisations typically see faster approvals and stronger realisation of projected benefits.

Allocate time for periodic template updates and share lessons learned across teams to improve estimate accuracy and decision quality.

Follow up training with clinics and coaching to make sure authors can apply tools under real-world constraints and deliver better cases.

Invest in a small centre of excellence or community of practice to support ongoing improvement and maintain high quality case submissions.

Implement these steps and business cases training will deliver a repeatable process that strengthens proposals, reduces rework and improves outcomes.

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