Building Better Business Cases

Location:

Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham

Start Date:

19/01/2027

Cost:

£556.00 (VAT included) per delegate

About This Programme

This two-day workshop is designed for professionals within Further Education and Skills organisations who are involved in developing, contributing to, reviewing, or approving business cases as part of planning, budgeting, service improvement, and investment decision-making.

The course follows the 10-step business case development process outlined in HM Treasury’s Guide to Developing the Project Business Case, providing delegates with a practical understanding of how to create robust, evidence-based business cases that support better decisions.

This two-day workshop will take place on 19th and 20th January 2027 at Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham.

 

Who Is The Programme For?

This workshop is suitable for individuals who need to understand, develop, review, or challenge business cases, including those involved in:

  • Strategic planning and decision-making
  • Programme and project management
  • Investment appraisal
  • Service improvement initiatives
  • Budgeting and resource allocation
  • Governance, assurance and approval processes

Programme Objectives

  • Understand the Role of Business Cases
    Explore how effective business cases support better decision-making by providing clear evidence, analysis, and strategic alignment for investment and change decisions
  • Apply the 10-Step Business Case Development Process
    Develop an understanding of how HM Treasury’s 10-step approach applies across the Strategic Outline Case (SOC), Outline Business Case (OBC), and Full Business Case (FBC) stages.
  • Create a Strong Strategic Context and Case for Change
    Learn how to develop a clear rationale for investment by linking proposals to organisational priorities, learner outcomes, service needs, and operational improvements.
  • Evaluate Options and Identify the Best Way Forward
    Understand how to move from a broad range of potential solutions to a preferred way forward and, ultimately, a preferred option through structured assessment and analysis.
  • Assess Value for Money and Deliverability
    Develop the ability to consider value for money, affordability, funding requirements, commercial considerations, and delivery feasibility in a proportionate and effective way.
  • Identify Risks, Benefits, and Dependencies Early
    Learn how to identify key benefits, risks, constraints, and dependencies early in the process to strengthen proposals and improve decision-making.
  • Strengthen Business Cases Through Stakeholder Engagement
    Understand how collaboration, stakeholder input, and constructive challenge can enhance the quality, credibility, and effectiveness of business cases.
  • Present Clear and Evidence-Based Proposals
    Develop the skills to communicate business case information clearly, ensuring approval, procurement, and delivery decisions are supported by robust evidence and sound analysis.

Programme Outcomes

  • HM Treasury’s 10-Step Business Case Development Process
    A practical exploration of HM Treasury’s recognised 10-step approach to developing robust business cases, helping delegates understand how to structure, assess, and strengthen proposals from initial idea through to delivery.

  • Strategic, Outline, and Full Business Cases
    Clear guidance on developing Strategic Outline Cases (SOC), Outline Business Cases (OBC), and Full Business Cases (FBC), including the purpose, requirements, and decision-making role of each stage.

  • Option Appraisal and Value Assessment
    Practical techniques for evaluating options, assessing value for money, considering affordability, and ensuring proposals are realistic, deliverable, and aligned with organisational priorities.

  • Evidence-Based Decision-Making and Stakeholder Engagement
    A focus on using evidence, analysis, and constructive stakeholder input to develop stronger business cases and support confident approval and investment decisions.

  • Practical Application to Real Organisational Challenges
    Tools, approaches, and examples that enable delegates to apply business case principles directly to real-world projects, improvements, and investment decisions within their organisations.

Programme Facilitator

Eileen Roden

Eileen Roden is a recognised PMO expert with seventeen years’ practical experience and more than twenty years in training and consultancy. She is Co-Founder and Director of House of PMO and Co-Founder and Consulting Director of PMO Learning. Eileen has authored and contributed to several leading publications including the PMO Competence Framework, P3O Best Management, Managing Knowledge in Project Environments, PMO Principles and the Gower Handbook of Programme Management. She holds a BA (Hons), an MA (Distinction) and several professional accreditations including FAPM, MIoD, AIPMO-ACE, P3GP and LicIPD.

Make a Booking by Credit Card

To make a booking, select the number of places required, add them to your cart and you will be directed to our online checkout to pay by credit card.

If you require assistance in completing your online booking, please contact Jack.Moriarty@fea.co.uk

Make a Booking via Invoice

To make a booking and pay by invoice, please complete the form below:

Please note that invoices must be paid prior to programme commencement.

After you submit this form, our team will review the details and get in touch to confirm your booking and send the invoice to the address you’ve provided.

If you require assistance in completing this form, please contact Jack.Moriarty@fea.co.uk