Business Case Skill

Goal

To articulate the Why behind a project. This skill generates a structured business case that justifies investment through clear problem definition, solution analysis, and financial projection. It bridges the gap between a raw idea and a formal project requirement.

Steps

1. Problem Definition (The "Pain")

   • Identify the core business problem or opportunity.
   • Quantify the impact of doing nothing (Status Quo analysis).
   • Prompt: "What is broken? How much is it costing us in time, money, or opportunity?"

2. Strategic Alignment

   • Map the initiative to company goals (OKRs, KPIs).
   • Identify stakeholders and distinct user groups.

3. Solution Options (The "how")

   • Option 1: Do Nothing (Baseline)
   • Option 2: Minimum Viable Solution (Low cost, low risk)
   • Option 3: Strategic Solution (High value, higher cost)
   • For each: Analyze Pros, Cons, Risks, and Estimations.

4. Financial Analysis (ROI)

   • Cost: Dev hours + Infrastructure + ongoing maintenance.
   • Benefit: Revenue increase + Cost savings + Risk avoidance.
   • Formula: (Net Benefit / Cost) * 100 = ROI %.
   • Payback Period: Time to recoup investment.

5. Risk Assessment

   • Technical risks (complexity, legacy integration).
   • Market risks (adoption, competition).
   • Organizational risks (change management).

6. Recommendation

   • Select the preferred option.
   • Define the "Definition of Success".

Output Format

A markdown document at docs/strategic/BUSINESS_CASE.md following the template.

Integration with SDLC

• The output of this skill (BUSINESS_CASE.md) acts as Step 0 — Strategy.
• It feeds directly into spec-writer.skill or req-elicitation.skill (S01 Requirements).
• Validate the "Why" and "Who" here, before moving to Step 1 to define the "What".

Constraints

• Always quantify "pain" where possible ($, hours, %).
• Always consider "Do Nothing" as a valid option.
• Be realistic about costs (include maintenance, not just build).